Inside the Music
Carmen

With its tragic confrontations, heightened emotions and magnetic female lead character, Carmen has grown to become the most performed French opera in the history of the genre. Its popularity is rooted in the numerous unforgettable tunes like ‘L’amour est un oiseau rebelle’, ‘Près des remparts de Séville’, ‘La fleur que tu m’avais jetée’, or the Toreador’s aria, all of which have become cult classics. But how did these melodies work their way in the collective subconscious? What composition tricks did Bizet use to breathe such expressivity in his music?

Victor Jacob, assistant conductor in the upcoming La Monnaie production, unveils the secrets of this score in an accessible lecture enriched with live musical excerpts in our Grand Foyer. The event will conclude with a free drink.