GEORGE BIZET
George Bizet was born in this city in this country.
What is Paris, France?
What was “fairly new” at the time in Carmen’s libretto?
the realistic depictions of life, and suffering
Where does the Habanera originate?
Cuba
What is exoticism in Romantic music?
When a composer uses their style of music to evoke scenes of faraway lands, or foreign cultures
What meter is Habanera?
duple-meter
Bizet was this age when he got admitted to the Paris Conservatory.
When is two weeks before turning 10 years old?
In which countries/cities did Carmen premiere twice? *Both opera house names earn double points*
Opera-Comique in Paris (FRANCE), State Opera House in Vienna (AUSTRIA)
What kind of dresses did Romani women wear?
Long skirts with vibrant colours
Why might a Romantic composer have turned to exoticism in their music?
To escape or to let the listener travel to the faraway lands they are trying to evoke, and to give them a greater emotional height in their music
What key does Choeur des Cigarieres begin in?
C# Minor
Bizet won this award at the Conservatory.
What is the Prix de Rome?
Name the 2 Spanish dances performed (by Carmen) in the first Act.
Seguidilla, a triple-meter dance, Habanera, a Cuban duple-meter dance
Name one accessory traditionally worn by Romani women
Flower in hair, or gold jewellery
Carmen by Bizet is widely renowned for using exoticism in its composition. Where does the opera take place and what cultures does it take root from?
Takes place in Seville Spain, uses Spanish Romani, Afro-Cuban and Spanish influences
What voice is Don Jose and Carmen?
Tenor and Soprano (Mezzo-soprano)
Bizet married this person.
Why did Carmen cause a scandal when it first debuted?
It went against many social norms at the time, such as women smoking, a promiscuous Romani woman lead, etc
Which cultural dance came first? The habanera or the tango?
The habanera
Name 2 pieces from the presentation that included exoticism and which country/culture they are trying to evoke.
Rondo Alla Turca (Turkish), Scheherazade (Middle East), Aida (Ancient Egypt), Madame Butterfly (Japan)
“Dans l’air, nous suivons des yeux, la fumée” (Smoke rings make their lazy way) are lyrics in which song?
Choeur des Cigarières
Name one opera Bizet created with the incorporation of exoticism and WHERE the opera takes place.
The Fair Maid of Perth, Scotland or Djamileh, Cairo, Egypt
Why does Carmen like Escamillo more than Don Jose?
Escamillo’s character and ideals line up with her philosophies in contrast to Don Jose’s very traditional, and strict upbringing
What is wrong with Bizet’s depiction of Carmen and her friends doing fortune telling?
Romani women only did it for survival and they never did fortune telling among themselves/for themselves
Name one other composer (not Bizet) that has used exoticism in their works before.
Rimsky-Korsakov, Mozart, Verdi, Puccini
What is the lyric that the chorus shouts in Habanera?
Prends-garde a toi!