A Brief Musical

Introduction
to the Opera

Carmen

Osvaldo Glieca

2015 osvaldoglieca

Introduction

The composer Georges Bizet died at the age of thirty-six just three months after the
premiere of Carmen (Paris 1875) having no gratification that his last work would have been
one of the most admired and popular operas of all time. As often happens with
masterworks, Carmen to begin with was a failure and Bizet, seriously ill, probably had his
pride wounded as an artist and died disconsolate.
His premature death may have left many questions. Would Bizet have been later the French
Opera composer to be fairly compared in rivalry to the German Wagner and the Italian
Verdi ?

Characters of the Opera:

Carmen

(Mezzo Soprano)

Don Jose (Tenor)

Escamillo (Baritone)
Zuniga

(Baritone)

Micaela

(Soprano)

Frasquita (Soprano)
Mercedes (Soprano)
The Smugglers (Tenor)
Morales (Baritone)

Orchestration:
Flutes
Piccolo
Oboes
Clarinets
Bassoons
Horns
Trumpets
Trombones
Tympani
Cymbals
Triangle and Castanets
Harps
Violins
Violas
Cellos and Double Basses

Act I

The score of Carmen opens with the brilliant Prelude in A major that immediately shows
the great skill of Bizet in terms of Orchestration. The music establishes a festive
atmosphere with a four bar phrase played fortissimo by the winds and violins. Crashing
hand cymbals dictate the cadence at the beginning of each phrase giving the taste of a
popular triumphant march. Suddenly, a contrasting section in F major begins, and the
strings play the melody accompanied by the brass pianissimo. This section, variations on
the theme, surges in crescendo towards the opening phrases, and a fermata suggests that the
piece is finished, but again, without transition, another presentation of a motive sounding
fortissimo on clarinet and bassoon gives a dark orchestral colour. This is the most used
motive during the Opera, and through variation technique, identifies the exoticism that
symbolizes Carmen (see music example 1). The Overture concludes with melodic
sequences of this motive. The music that opens the first act captures perfectly the feeling
of a hot and lazy day; bored soldiers are watching people passing by. A distinctive
ascending and descending melody played by the winds and then imitated by the violin,
forms the introduction for the male chorus that creates the atmosphere, until a romantic
four bar solo in triplets repeated with variations in the flute and violins goes towards a
light descending movement that introduces Micaelas entry (2). Her character is
perceived as a simple woman, and the soldiers, try to importune her during this first
appearance. She resists their advances; Micaela is shy, and a pure innocent girl, but she is
direct and not distracted from her mission of looking for Don Jose who will arrive with
the changing of the guard. Upon her exit the music returns to the male chorus of the
beginning. A charming, martial trumpet melody announces the arrival of Don Jose and
the soldiers (3). Shortly after a bell rings, and from the tobacco factorys opening doors,
the female workers enter on the scene. The orchestra plays smooth lines and a relaxed
rhythm describing the seductive and provocative behaviour of

the cigarette smoking women. With an instant change of key from E major to Ab major,
another scene opens with the strings playing Carmens theme. The dynamic level rises
and all the men in the square sing passionately the name of Carmen as they ask only for
her. Both the faster tempo and the short phrases indicate their excitement. She sings for
the first time the famous Habanera (4). The cello enters playing an ostinato line on a low
D through all the piece suggesting not only the Cuban style, but reminiscent of the
Bolero too. When Carmen has finished, the people surround her in the square; the music
becomes dramatic with a tremolando in the strings and clarinets play Carmens theme
again giving more significance to this first confrontation with Don Jose (5). She
approaches Don Jose, looking at him provocatively, and on a dissonant chord by the
brass, she throws a flower at him and runs away with all the people in the square,
laughing and singing. The factory bell rings again calling the women back to work. Don
Jose it is absorbed; he picks up the flower appreciating its fragrance. At this time Micaela
enters singing a duet accompanied by harp arpeggios rather like quasi-religious music
(6). During this, a small but significant change in orchestration happens when Don Jose
sings the word demon; (against the temptations of the devil woman identifying Carmen)
imitative passages of the theme which represent her are played by the violins (7).
Shortly after, violin trills played in forte break out and the speed of the music increase
again; the factory-women come out onto the stage describing a quarrel between Carmen
and Manuelita in rumbling choruses. Zuniga, the lieutenant, sends Jose into the factory
to investigate. He reappears later with the guilty Carmen with an intense tune, marked by
a countermelody in the violas and cellos, leaving the listener captured until the next
scene and aware that something serious is happening next. Zuniga questions Carmen in
recitative about the scuffle; she refuses to answer and impertinently sings a tune instead.
Zuniga is irritated, and orders Jose to imprison her.

Carmens motive sounds again

pianississimo by flutes and imitated by the clarinets. When the first act closes, Carmen
knows that the only way to escape is to try and convince Jose in any way. The Seguidilla
dance shows this scene with a Duet opening with a seductive romantic-baroque melody
played pianissimo

by the flute and sustained by long notes in the strings (8). The Seguidilla suggests a
Flamenco dance; the rhythm of the strings is related to physical movement alluring to
sexuality. This tune is the introduction to this crucial seductive scene, which puts the
tragedy of the Opera in motion. Carmen wants to manipulate Jose and conquer him
initially by flirtatious signals, then promising to become his lover. When she sings the
Seguidilla Jose gradually becomes persuaded by Carmen, then he sings a declaration of
love in with a climatic A sharp. When she is sure of him, she sings her song of seduction
once more, but this time in a triumphant full voice, and the orchestra plays more
rhythmically and louder. When Zuniga reappears, she sings a refrain of the Habanera
now accompanied by sustained string notes that generate suspense; Carmen finally
pushes Jose away and escapes; the full orchestra plays a tutta forza exuberantly closing the
first act.

Example 1 Carmens motive. The intervals of the scale used may be analyzed as the Hungarian minor

Example 2 The entrance of Micaela. The melody is romantic in comparison to the exotic one of Carmen.

Example 3 The arrival of Don Jose and the soldiers with a marching melody.

Example 4 The Habanera. Bizet borrowed this material from the Spanish-American composer Yradier refining the
melody by prolonging the chromaticism and adding the triplets in the forth bar producing a
sensuous magnetic dance.

Example 5

Carmen throws the flower to Jose. The violins plays vibrato to increase the anxiety. Note the final
dissonant chord in the brass.

Example 6 Micaelas duet. Winds, brass and strings surround the harp arpeggios.

Example 7 Jose calling Carmen. As he sings Demon! Carmens motive sounds rapidly.

Example 8 The Seguidilla. The flute plays a relaxed rhythm.

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Act II

Act two opens with a softly played march without the verve and vigour characteristic of a
martial theme. After some imitative points between the strings and the winds, the music
becomes cabaret-like in form with a double-line solo between clarinet and bassoon
transforming this entracte into a sort of comique piece with staccato techniques by the
bassoon (1). The gypsy song officially opens the act; flutes playing in thirds quietly
introduce rapid figures of gipsy dances. The harp and pizzicato strings imitate a guitar
accompaniment, and passing dissonances add a touch of Spanish/Flamenco idioms. This
entire piece accelerates in a crescendo and closes with frenetic dances. After a recitative
with Zuniga, Carmen learns that Jose has been released from prison after two months.
This part leads to the entrance of Escamillo, the Toreador. The orchestra accompanies
his entrance playing a 6/8-meter at high dynamic level supporting the triumphal entrance
of this charismatic fourth protagonist. The lyrics of the song describe the bullfight, the
chorus is a refrain of the Prelude sung in five parts and the bombastic music portrays the
vanity and self-confidence of the Toreador, despite of Jose (2).
Afterwards Carmen, Frasquita and Mercedes welcome their fellow smugglers and
conduct a delightful quintet. The orchestration that accompanies the voices marks the
cadencie points mainly with the strings that, harmonically does not interfere with the
singers leaving to the wind contrapuntal melodic colorations. It is a style reminiscent of
the Opera Buffa or Rossinis The Barber of Seville; there is use of rapid declamations and
shifting groups of the voices.

After this Jose enters the scene, and by contrast with

Escamillo; he sings a simple unaccompanied military tune at the back of the stage. (he is
not yet actually on the scene). After two months in prison he still desires Carmen. The
melody that he sings fluctuates between G major/G minor and the instability of the key
suggests his weak and vulnerable personality (3). They start a duet calmly and Carmen,
with mock formality, announces that she will dance for Jose to calm his jealousy at the

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idea that she entertained the other soldiers at the tavern. She performs a wordless tune
with an ostinato pattern accompanied by castanets (4). Important in this part is this
meaningless and wordless repeated pattern accompanying her dance, indicative that she
is not interested in Jose at all. Midway through her singing, two cornets offstage play the
call to barracks, meaning Jose has to leave. The counterpoint of these two musical
elements symbolises Joses embarrassing and difficult situation whether to choose love or
duty. This love duet degenerates into a quarrel; Jose forces Carmen to listen to him as he
sings the poetic and smooth Flower Song. She introduces a similar strategy used already
in the Seguidilla; she paints a seductive picture of a vagabond life together. Jose protests
weakly against her tune and surrenders. The final scene begins immediately as Zuniga
knocks on the door and enters uninvited asking Jose to leave. Jose refuses and fights
against Zuniga who will later be disarmed by the smugglers. In fake gallantry they invite
Zuniga to leave; their pretended courtesy is emphasised by the impertinent flute part and
a comic bassoon line (5). Now Jose is forced to join the smugglers, and the music
becomes triumphant, increasing in tempo, finishing with rousing chorus that evokes
freedom (la liberte). Jose has chosen love over duty as a consequence of his jealousy and
uncontrollable temper.

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Example 1; Entracte of the second act.

Example 2 The Toreador song: the representation of Escamillo.

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Example 3 Jose enters; his tune is pretty folkloristic.

Example 4 the meaningless and improvised song to calm Jose down.

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Example 5 The fake courtesy of the Smugglers: the bassoon portrays this most.

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Act III
The Act three opens with the poetic evocation of peaceful countryside; a sweet melody
give a distinctive colour to the woodwind, the piece becomes more contrapuntal, and a
secondary melody develops in the strings while the orchestration continues to have its
transparency (1). This texture fades to pianissimo marking the first entrance that
accompanies the smugglers asleep on the ground with a rhythmically stressed melody by
the flute, and a C minor ascending scale by the cello and viola that creates a sense of
darkness and the rowdy lifestyle of the gypsies (2). Jose and Carmen have another
argument; at this point she sings with Mercedes and Frasquita while amusing themselves
by reading the cards. When Carmen picks the cards everything changes; low brasses and
strings give a signal of death for her, and her theme reappears as she reads it again (3).
After this, a spirited ensemble releases the tension. Carmen leaves to join her friends in
their illegal traffics. Micaela enters alone looking for Jose and sings an aria while she
prays for protection; the rushing cello and violin arpeggio illustrates her fear (4). She is
discovered by the smugglers, and finally meets Jose.
Carmen wants Jose to leave with Micaela; he refuses and loud trombones accents with
rapid ascending triplets in the wind intimidate her from this idea (5). Micaela then reveals
that Joses mother is dying and she wants to see his son; he is now convinced, but before
he warns Carmen that he will find her again, her motive sounds twice in the woodwind.
This is the moment in the opera that detonates all the drama, and the act is closed setting
everything for the tragic finale.

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Example 1 the opening of Act. III another example of appealing and singable melody.

Example 2 the opening of the first scene. The ascending melodic lines in the cellos and the viola increase the tension.

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Example 3 Carmen reads death from the cards.

Example 4 Micaelas aria. She invokes protection and the tremolos arpeggios illustrate her fear.

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Example 5 Carmen is intimidated by Jose

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Act IV

The final Act is introduced by an entracte based on a Spanish traditional folk song by
Manuel Garcia: this is the second and last piece of borrowed material used by Bizet. The
stage now is settled in Seville, again in a crowded square with people waiting for the
bullfight and Escamillo. Vibrant and energetic rhythmic string parts illustrate the
excitement of the crowd. The approaching parade builds up in the woodwind with the
refrain of the Preludes theme in long sustained notes by the horns; here Escamillo
declares his love for Carmen. Frasquita and Mercedes warn Carmen that Jose is hiding
in the crowd; a four bar melody scored for flutes in thirds with the bassoon moving in
contrary motion is repeated over and over, while a trumpet indicates a sense of danger
(1). They meet and Jose appears with a chromatic descending movement on the strings
from mezzo forte to pianissimo, while Carmen is presented with her theme very softly from
pianissimo to diminuendo. (2) The final duet could be divided in three sections that
correspond with increasing levels of emotion. It begins quietly when Jose offers Carmen
to forget the past and renew their love elsewhere. Carmen refuses on a regular steady
rhythm. The second section opens with Joses emotional realization of something that he
cannot save his love; violins and timpani express this agitation and anxiety (3). Then a
dissonant chord illustrates his despair as he sings the third and climatic section. Carmen
attempts to leave proclaiming love for Escamillo; Jose makes his final ultimatum, and
Carmens theme sounds four times in the orchestra, and shortly after, fanfares proclaim
Escamillos victory. Carmen now throws down the ring that Jose had given her refusing
any connection with him. He reacts screaming Damnee to a high F sharp and stabs her
to death as Escamillo is acclaimed. The crowd come into the square discovering Jose
next to Carmens body as he finishes singing the last passionate outburst ma Carmen
adoree (4).
The curtain falls and the tragedy is now complete; Jose is destroyed, and Carmen dead.

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Example 1 Carmen is warned that Jose is hiding in the crowd.

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Example 2 Carmen and Jose meet. In this part of the opera the music presents the protagonists; Jose first,
Escamillo with the refrain of the Prelude, and finally Carmen with her motive.

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Example 3 Joses emotional agitation. He understands that Carmen does not want him.

Example 4 Joses final passionate outbursts.

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 2015 osvaldoglieca