Carmen

Question 1

genre

Answer 1

lyric opera

Question 2

premiere date

Answer 2

march 3, 1875

Question 3

source of plot

Answer 3

novella (short story) by Prosper Merimee

Question 4

librettists

Answer 4

ludovic Halevy and Henri Meihac

Question 5

plot summary

Answer 5

Seville, Spain, opera centres around Carmen, a beautiful and seductive gypsy, who works in a cigarette factory. She flirts with Don Jose, a soldier in the town square. Although brethothed to Micaela, his childhood sweetheart , he becomes obsessed with Carmen. Carmen, too, is smitten with Don Jose, convincing him to abandon his routine army life to join her and the band of smugglers with whom she associates. Carmen loses interest in him in favour of Escamillo. Carmen’s death is foretold during a reading of cards. Don Jose confronts carmen outside the bullfighting arena. In the face of Don Jose’s uncontrolled jealousy she declares her love for Escamillo. Don Jose draws his knife and stabs Carmen to death as the crowd inside the arena hails Escamillo’s victory.

Question 6

Carmen’s aria

Answer 6

d minor
allegretto quasi andantino
melody traces a chromatic descent, which hints at Carmen’s sensuality
- cellos maintain a crisp ostinato rhythm characteristic of a habanera, a tango like dance
- violins and violas suggest Spanish guitars with their pizzicato accompaniment
- during the chorus l’amour est un enfant de boheme, the music shifts to d major; the major mode renders the music even more caressing and seductive

Question 7

Toreador Song

Answer 7

• allegro molto moderato
• f minor
• 4/4
• orchestra first introduces escamillo’s theme, a chromatically inflected descending line
• trumpets, horns, and trombones play a brusque rhythm, which underscores escamillo’s swaggering nature
• timpani and triangle add depth and shimmer to the festive atmosphere.