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Carmen Suite 1 Program Notes, recordings and sheet music

Bizet: Carmen Suite No. 1 for Orchestra

Georges Bizet's opera Carmen is a treasure trove of unforgettable melodies, vibrant rhythms, and gripping drama. While the complete opera is a masterpiece, its dazzling instrumental numbers quickly captivated audiences beyond the theatrical stage. Recognizing this, it was Bizet's friend and fellow composer Ernest Guiraud who, after Bizet's untimely death, compiled two orchestral suites from the opera's most popular instrumental sections. Carmen Suite No. 1 brings together six of these iconic movements, offering a brilliant concert distillation of the opera's spirit.

Each movement transports the listener to the passionate world of Carmen:

  1. Prélude: This is the opera's famous Act I Prelude, a miniature overture encapsulating the drama. It begins with the exhilarating, swaggering fanfare of the Toreador's theme, shifts to a lively, Spanish-flavored melody, and then chillingly introduces Carmen's sinuous "fate" motif, foreshadowing the tragic events to come.

  2. Aragonaise: A lively and captivating Spanish dance from Act IV, often heard during the procession to the bullfight. It's marked by its distinctive castanet-like rhythms and vibrant energy.

  3. Intermezzo: A lyrical and pastoral interlude that serves as the prelude to Act III. Its gentle, flowing melody offers a moment of reflective calm before the opera's dramatic escalation.

  4. Séguedille: This movement captures the essence of a seductive Spanish dance from Act I. It's fluid, rhythmically alluring, and hints at Carmen's flirtatious and irresistible charm.

  5. Les dragons d'Alcala (The Dragoons of Alcalá): A robust and martial-sounding piece that serves as the prelude to Act II. It

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