Classical Music Composer's Datebook: October 25
French Composer famous for songs 'Habanera' and 'The Toreador's Song' from Opera Carmen
Georges Bizet's brief biography – his life and works. Best known for his masterpiece 'Carmen,' one of best-loved opera consistently performed.
French composer Georges Bizet (1838-1875) is best celebrated for his masterpiece Carmen, popular to this day. Bizet, born in Paris on October 25 1838, was trained by his parents who were musical, his father a pianist and a voice teacher.
He was admitted to the Paris Conservatoire before his 10th birthday. There he studied counterpoint with Zimmerman and Gounod and composition with Halevy. Under Marmontel’s tuition he became a brilliant pianist. In particular, Halevy (composer of La Juive) and Gounod (composer of Faust) had strong influence on his career.
His exceptional strengths as a composer were apparent from his conservatory years, especially his Symphony in C (1855). This was followed by his operetta, Le Docteur Miracle (The Miracle Doctor), the start of his operatic career.
During his three years in Rome, Bizet started many compositions but shortly after his return to Paris, in September 1861, his mother died. He was devastated and consoled himself with his parents’ maid by whom he had a son.
Bizet lived Paris during a time when opera in Paris was at its height, with almost all 19th-century opera composers including Wagner and Verdi, wanted to perform their works in Paris Opéra.
In 1863, he produced the opera Les pecheurs de perles (The Pearl Fishers).
With more abortive works and his quinsy, the year 1868 was a crisis for Bizet. It was also during this time that he re-examined his religious beliefs. He was convinced that in Djamileh he had found his true path.
He produced the incidental music and his most popular orchestral work L’Arlesienne (The Girl from Arles), followed by his operatic masterpiece Carmen in 1874. From Carmen's inspiration, he reached new levels in his depiction of musical character and atmosphere. However, his Carmen was condemned for its ‘obscene’ libretto, and the music was criticized as undistinguished, obscure, and without taste. This reception left Georges Bizet devastated, acutely depressed. He fell victim to another attack of quinsy, and with two heart attacks from which he died on 3rd of June 1875, in Bougival.
Sadly, Georges Bizet never knew the success of his
masterpiece Carmen, as his death
occurred exactly three months after its world premiere, 3rd of March 1875. Only then was his true
stature appreciated.
George Bizet's Major Works:
1855 Symphony in C
1856 Operetta, Le Docteur Miracle ('The Miracle Doctor')
1863 Opera, Les pecheurs de perles ('The Pearl Fishers')
1866 Opera, La jolie fille de Perth, based on the novel by Sir Walter Scott
1871 Opera, Djamileh
1871 Jeux d'enfants for piano duet, orchestrated as 'Petite Suite'
1872 Incidental music to Alphonse Daudet's play L'Arlésienne Suites 1 & 2 ('The Girl from Arles')
1875 Opera in four acts, Carmen.
Suggested CD:
Carmen, Erato 2292-45207-2. J. Migenes (Carmen) and P. Domingo (Don José)
Image Credit:
Georges Bizet. Public Domain.
Resources:
Georges Bizet. en.wikipedia.org.
Sadie, Stanley, Ed. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd Ed. London: Macmillan Publihsers. 2000.
Note: I published my original article for www.suite101.com in 2007 prior this amended piece. / Tel
(c) September 2007. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
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