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Georges Bizet
Giacomo Puccini
Exoticism in Opera
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Looked to far away lands for musical ideas
which would suggest the “exotic” location
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Verdi’s Aida (Egypt)
Bizet’s Carmen (Spain)
Puccini’s Madame Butterfly (Japan)
Georges Bizet
“The composer gives the best of himself to the making of a work. He
believes, doubts, enthuses, despairs, rejoices, and suffers in turn.”
(1838-1875)
Bizet won early success as a composer and initially as a pianist. His later career in Paris
was more variable, and a number of stage works remained unfinished at the time of his
early death, which took place as his most famous opera, Carmen, was enjoying
increasing favor.
Carmen
1875 in Paris
Librettists: Henri Meilhac/Ludovic Halévy
Short story by: Prosper Mérimée
Carmen, seductive cigarette girl
Don José, a soldier
Escamillo, a bullfighter
Micaela, infatuated with Don José
Lieutenant Zuniga, Don José’s “boss”
Poster from last scene of Carmen
Carmen, the music
Emotional music, depicting love, hate,
desire
Trumpet fanfare announces the arrival of
the military guards
The “chorus” of characters all sing the
same melody
Carmen’s famous aria, L’amour
Giacomo Puccini
(1858-1924)
“God touched me with His little finger and said, “Write for the
theater, only for the theater.” And I obeyed the supreme
command.”
Verismo
Realism – Often gruesome. They picked
subjects from everyday life, and treated
them in a down-to-earth fashion.
Puccini’s Madame Butterfly
Inspired by the play, “Madame Butterfly”
by John Luther Long
Hired librettists
First premiere a disaster
Rewritten version an instant success
Example of exoticism – contains traditional
Japanese melodies
“Un bel di,” from Madame Butterfly
Famous aria
Love song
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
and BALLET
(1840-1893)
Nadezdha von Meck,
a wealthy widow who was a
generous patron of Tchaikovsky
Ballet
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Stories told with music and dance
Choreographer: Serge Diaghilev, head
of Ballet Russe
Tchaikovsky’s Ballets
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Swan Lake
Sleeping Beauty
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
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Based on a story by E.T.A. Hoffman
Choreographer: Marius Petipa
Three Selelections:
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March
Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy
Trepak
The Nutcracker