GEORGES BIZETOpera Composer

By: Kimberly Oakeson

HISTORY

B

orn October 25, 1838 in Paris, France.

B

izet’s future with music was practically determined for him

because his parents were very musical.

I

t is legend that Bizet could read and write music at four years old.

B

izet entered the Paris Conservatoire de Musique at only eight

years old.

YOUTH

A

t age 13, he took second place in piano.

A

t age 17, he composed “Symphony in C.”

A

t age 19, he won the Prix de Rome award

for his operas, “Le Docteur Miracle,” and

“La Jolie Fille de Perth.”

YOUNG ADULTHOOD

B

izet married Geneviève Halévy, his teacher’s mentally

ill daughter.

T

hey had a son who committed suicide.

B

izet also had personal problems such as depression,

lack of self-confidence, and periodic angina.

I

n 1870, Bizet enlisted in the National Guard when the

Franco-Prussian war started.

A FRENCH OPERA COMPOSER IS BORN

B

izet wrote many operas, his most famous

being, Carmen, which was the first opera to

move away from comic opera to a more

profound and tragic story.

U

nfortunately, Carmen didn’t become a hit

because the Parisians didn’t approve of the

murder and immoral scenes.

BIZET’S YOUNG DEATH

B

izet never saw Carmen become famous because

of his surprising death on March 3, 1875 at age

37, leaving Geneviève a young widow.

H

e experienced a more severe episode of angina

which resulted in a heart attack as well as the

anxieties and long hours he spent composing

Carmen.

A HAPPY ENDING

A

bout five years later after Bizet passed away, Carmen

returned to the Parisian stage.

T

he songs, “Habanera,” and “Toreador” are world-

wide favorites from Carmen.

COMPOSITION HISTORIES

“La Fleur Que Tu M’avais Jetee”

“L’amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle”

“Votre Toast, Je Peux Vous Le

Rendre”

“La Fleur Que Tu M’avais Jetee”

I

n Act II of Georges Bizet’s opera, Carmen, and is sung by

Don José in a tavern near Seville, Spain.

T

here is a story that goes with this song.

I

t can also be called “Don José's Aria” because an aria is an

elaborate song for solo voice.

“L’amour Est Un Oiseau

Rebelle”

T

his song is in Act I of the opera, Carmen.

C

armen sings this song of warning to several men that

want her to love them.

“Votre Toast, Je Peux Vous Le Rendre”

T

his song is sung in both Act 2 and Act 4 in Georges

Bizet’s opera, Carmen.

I

t was sung in celebration of a bull fight.

LISTENING GUIDES

“La Fleur Que Tu M’avais Jetee”

“L’amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle”

“Votre Toast, Je Peux Vous Le

Rendre”

“La Fleur Que Tu M’avais Jetee”

T

his song is powerful in the sense that Don José is exclaiming his

love to Carmen.

I

t incorporates many gentle instruments and uses many

decrescendos and crescendos.

F

lower Song

“L’amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle”

T

his piece has a fast and lively beat.

I

t has good contrast and repetition, making it pleasing and

memorable to the audience.

H

abanera

“Votre Toast, Je Peux Vous Le Rendre”

T

his song has a march rhythm to it.

I

t is powerful in that the tenor voice is bold and the

instruments are mainly brass.

T

oreador Song

BIBLIOGRAPHY

"Bizet, Georges." Free-scores.com. VRCI. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.

<http://www.free-scores.com/download-sheet-music.php?pdf=6925>.

"Composers." Essentials of Music. Sony Music Entertainment. Web. 18 Feb. 2011.

<http://www.essentialsofmusic.com/composer/bizet.html>.

"Georges Bizet - Biography." HumanitiesWeb. Ed. Katya Gifford. 22 May 2010. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.

<http://www.humanitiesweb.org/human.php?s=c&p=a&a=i&ID=743>. 

Green, Aaron. "A Profile of the Aria "Habanera” Classical Music at About.com. The New York Times Company.

Web. 21 Feb. 2011. <http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/opera/p/habanera_bizet_carmen_profile.htm>. 

Green, Aaron. “Habanera Text and Translation.” 2004. About.com. 21 February 2011

<http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/opera/qt/habaneralyrics.htm>.

"La Fleur Que Tu M’avais Jetee (Flower Song)." Every Note. EveryNote Corp. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.

<http://everynote.com/opera.show/5348.music>. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY CONT.

P

aterson, Jim. "Georges Bizet - an Overview of the Classical Composer." Mfiles. Music Files Ltd, Mar. 2001. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.

<http://www.mfiles.co.uk/

composers/Georges-Bizet.htm>. 

"

The Life of Georges Bizet." Music With Ease. Paul Wagner, 2005. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.

<http://

www.musicwithease.com/bizet-life.html>.

"

Toreador Song, from Carmen PDF Sheet Music File." Virtual Sheet Music. Virtual Sheet Music, Inc. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.

<http://www.virtualsheetmusic.com/score/ToreadorSong.html?tab=pdf>. 

W

estervelt, Bryce. "Carmen – Bizet's Opera." Suite101.com. Suite101.com Media Inc., 31 Jan. 2007. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.

<http://www.suite101.com/content/carmen-101-a12698>.

W

estervelt, Bryce. "La Fleur Que Tu M’avais Jetée -101." Suite101.com. 27 Feb. 2007. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. <http://www.suite101.com/content/la-fleur-que-tu-

mavais-jete-101-a14858>.

W

estervelt, Bryce. “Votre Toast, Je Peux le Rendre.” 27 February 2007. 21 February 2011 <http://www.suite101.com/content/votre-toast-je-peux-le-rendre101-a14861>.