J. Bizet. Carmen

Georges Bizet's most famous opera, Carmen, on the stage of the Berlin State Opera.

Georges Bizet received the commission to create the opera after the failure of his Djamileh at the Opéra-Comique. The composer himself proposed the plot for the new opera, based on the novella of the same name by Prosper Mérimée. Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, known for their work with the works of Jacques Offenbach, were appointed librettists.

The premiere took place on March 3, 1875. However, the first performance of Carmen was marked by a failure, although some critics supported the production.

There is a version that the cause of Bizet's death was the mental trauma he received from the failure of the opera at the premiere. The composer died three months after it at the age of thirty-seven.

Pyotr Tchaikovsky, who saw the first productions of Carmen, wrote that Bizet's opera is "a masterpiece in the full sense of the word, that is, one of those few things that are destined to reflect in the strongest degree the musical aspirations of an entire era. In ten years, Carmen will be the most popular opera in the world...". Later, Carmen gained worldwide fame and was performed by many opera stars.

A guard post has been set up in the city square in Seville near a cigar factory. Soldiers, street urchins, and cigar factory workers with their lovers flicker through the bustling crowd. Carmen appears. Temperamental and bold, she is used to ruling over everyone. A meeting with the dragoon José awakens passion in her. Her habanera, a song of free love, sounds like a challenge to José, and a flower thrown at his feet promises love. The arrival of Jose's fiancée, Micaela, makes him forget about the daring gypsy for a while. He remembers his native village, home, mother, and indulges in bright dreams. And again Carmen disturbs the peace. This time she is the culprit of a quarrel at the factory, and Jose must deliver her to prison. But the gypsy's charms are omnipotent. The conquered Jose breaks the order and helps Carmen escape. The fun is in full swing in the Lilas-Pastja tavern. This is a place for secret meetings of smugglers, whom Carmen helps. Together with her friends, Frasquita and Mercedes, she has a good time here. The bullfighter Escamillo is a welcome guest at the tavern. He is always cheerful, self-confident and brave. His life is full of worries: the fight in the arena is dangerous, but the hero's reward is sweet - glory and the love of beauties.

It's getting dark. The visitors leave the tavern. Under cover of night, the smugglers are getting ready for a risky trade. This time, Carmen refuses to go with them. She waits for Jose. The sergeant comes, but the joy of their meeting is short-lived. A military bugle calls the dragoon to the barracks. In his soul, passion fights with duty. A quarrel breaks out between the lovers. Unexpectedly, Zuniga, Jose's superior, appears. He hopes for Carmen's favor. In a fit of jealousy, Jose draws his saber. The military oath is broken, the way back to the barracks is cut off. Jose stays with Carmen. In the dead of night, the smugglers make camp in the mountains, with Carmen and Jose. However, the quarrel in the tavern is not forgotten, the difference between the lovers is too great. The peasant Jose, dreaming of a quiet life, suffers from betrayal of duty, from longing for his home. Only his passionate love for Carmen keeps him in the smugglers' camp. But the gypsy no longer loves him, and a break between them is inevitable. What will the cards tell her? She predicted happiness for her friends, but fate does not promise joy for Carmen herself: she has seen her death sentence. The gypsy reflects on the future with deep sorrow.

Escamillo hurries to meet Carmen, but Jose blocks his way. Jealousy and indignation flare up in his soul. Carmen stops the duel between the rivals. At this moment, Jose notices Micaela, who, overcoming her fear, has come to the smugglers' camp to take Jose away. He does not listen to her words, and only the news of his mother's fatal illness makes Jose leave Carmen. But their meeting is ahead...

A bright sunny day. The square in Seville is full of people. The crowd is eagerly awaiting the start of the bullfight. They greet loudly and joyfully the procession of bullfighting heroes, led by the universal favorite Escamillo. Carmen greets him too. She is drawn to the cheerful, courageous Escamillo. Frasquita and Mercedes warn Carmen of the impending danger: Jose is relentlessly following her. But Carmen does not listen to them, she rushes to the bullfight. Jose stops her. He addresses his beloved tenderly, but Carmen is inexorable: everything is over between them. “I was born free – I will die free,” she proudly throws in Jose’s face. In a fit of anger, he stabs Carmen...

PERFORMERS:

Carmen, a gypsy - Marina Domashchenko

Don José, a sergeant of the dragoon regiment - Rolando Villazon

Escamillo, a bullfighter - Alexander Vinogradov

Micaela, a girl from Navarre, José's fiancée - Nora Amsellem

Ziniga, a captain of the dragoon regiment - Christoph Fischesser

Frasquita, a gypsy - Suzanne Creusch

Mercedes, a gypsy - Julia Rempe

Dancairo, a smuggler - Jean Zinclair

Remendado, a smuggler - Gustavo Pena

Capella of the Berlin State Opera

Conductor - Daniel Barenboim

Chorus of the Berlin State Opera

Chorus Master - Eberhard Friedrich

Children's Choir of the Berlin State Opera

Chorus Master - Anna Sylvan

Berlin State Opera, Berlin, 2006