Bizet – Prelude to Carmen With its vibrant, energetic rhythm and melodies infused with Spanish passion, Georges Bizet’s “Prelude to Carmen” serves as the brilliant opening to one of the most celebrated operas of the 19th century. Carmen is a masterpiece of dramatic storytelling, and this prelude, often performed on its own, has become a concert favorite around the world. Overview The “Prelude to Carmen” opens the opera, which premiered in 1875. It is characterized by a lively, march-like rhythm and dazzling brass fanfares, immediately drawing the audience into the atmosphere of the story before the curtain rises. Its main ...
