GEORGES BIZET
Opera Composer
By: Kimberly Oakeson
HISTORY
 Born October 25, 1838 in Paris, France.
 Bizet’s future with music was practically determined for him
because his parents were very musical.
 It is legend that Bizet could read and write music at four
years old.
 Bizet entered the Paris Conservatoire de Musique at only
eight years old.
YOUTH
 At age 13, he took second place in
piano.
 At age 17, he composed “Symphony
in C.”
 At age 19, he won the Prix de Rome
award for his operas, “Le Docteur
Miracle,” and “La Jolie Fille de Perth.”
YOUNG ADULTHOOD
 Bizet married Geneviève Halévy, his teacher’s
mentally ill daughter.
 They had a son who committed suicide.
 Bizet also had personal problems such as
depression, lack of self-confidence, and periodic
angina.
 In 1870, Bizet enlisted in the National Guard when
the Franco-Prussian war started.
A FRENCH OPERA
COMPOSER IS BORN
 Bizet 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.
 Unfortunately, Carmen didn’t become a hit
because the Parisians didn’t approve of the
murder and immoral scenes.
BIZET’S YOUNG DEATH
 Bizet never saw Carmen become famous because
of his surprising death on March 3, 1875 at age 37,
leaving Geneviève a young widow.
 He 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
 About five years later after Bizet passed away, Carmen returned to
the Parisian stage.
 The 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’ava is Jetee ”
 In Act II of Georges Bizet’s opera, Carmen, and is sung by Don
José in a tavern near Seville, Spain.
 There is a story that goes with this song.
 It can also be called “Don José's Aria” because an aria is an
elaborate song for solo voice.
“ L’ a m o u r E s t U n O i s e a u Re b e l l e ”
 This song is in Act I of the opera, Carmen.
 Carmen sings this song of warning to several men that want her to
love them.
“ Vo t r e To a s t , Je Pe u x Vo u s L e Re n d r e ”
 This song is sung in both Act 2 and Act 4 in Georges Bizet’s
opera, Carmen.
 It 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’ava is Jetee ”
 This song is powerful in the sense that Don José is exclaiming his
love to Carmen.
 It incorporates many gentle instruments and uses many
decrescendos and crescendos.
Flower Song
“ L’ a m o u r E s t U n O i s e a u Re b e l l e ”
 This piece has a fast and lively beat.
 It has good contrast and repetition, making it pleasing and
memorable to the audience.
Habanera
“ Vo t r e To a s t , Je Pe u x Vo u s L e Re n d r e ”
 This song has a march rhythm to it.
 It is powerful in that the tenor voice is bold and the instruments
are mainly brass.
Toreador 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.

Paterson, 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>.

Westervelt, 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>.

Westervelt, 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>.

Westervelt, 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>.