One of the other ways that Carmen is subversive is that her role is written for a mezzo, not a soprano; and, can even be sung by a contralto. The soprano, Micaela, is the secondary role here.
Well, yes, but Rossini (whose 56the birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks) wrote lots of lead role for mezzo-sopranos. It didn't hurt that he was married to one.
I had the realisation a few months back with a friend that Don Jose is your typical 19th Century opera heroine but as a bloke instead- he's constantly bemoaning the situation, lets himself be buffeted from point to point through the plot, falls in love with someone who openly states that they're not one for serious relationships and is all 'I can change them'...
May I suggest you some other compositions you may talk about in the future? - A Midsummer Night's Dream by Mendelssohn - Schubert's Trout Quintet - Rossini's The Barber of Seville and/or William Tell - Beethoven's Symphony no. 3 "Heroic' - Bach's Brandenburg Concertos - Beethoven's Symphony no. 6 "Pastoral" - Johann Strauss - The Blue Danube/Die Fledermaus
Yes, it's finally here! Carmen is my second favorite opera (right after the Barber of Seville) and the first opera with a tragic plot I have ever seen (the first operas I have seen before Carmen were comedies). It's also one of my mom's favorite operas. Carmen is a delightful work and every single note from it is perfection, it has not a single dull or bad moment. A true masterpiece!
A sports disaster surpasing Les Mans (1955) in body count. Escamillo is slain by Satan's bull disquise, and Seville is completely exterminated. A Spanish Apocalypse.
Carmen was to forshadow what the Italians would call Verismo at the hands of Composers like Pietro Mascagni (of Cavalleria Rusticana and L'amico Fritz), Ruggeiro Leoncavallo (of I Pagliacci), Umberto Giordano (of Andrea Chenier and Fedora), Francesco Cilea (of Adrianna Lecouvreur), and Giacomo Puccini (of La Boheme, Tosca, and Madama Butterfly).
Wow, who knew the Victorians were so spicy. Before, I only knew the music like “Habanera” or the “Toreador song” but I had no idea the opera had such an interesting story. I remember the two operas I always wanted to see were “Carmen” and “Orphée aux enfers”. Which reminds me, could you please make a Classics Explained about Jacques Offenbach’s opera “Orphée aux enfers” (Orpheus in the Underworld)? This channel is amazing and I especially love the animation and art styles.
@@vilam9844 I always thought it was "the Swan" from "Carnival des Animeaux" from Saint-Saëns... Although I do see Carl Orff around the 3 minutes mark in the clip...
These videos are always so informative and so fun to watch. I love to see the stories behind the music, and the stories behind the comporsers who make it. I also love that Classics Explained doesn't only do videos on the obvious classics, such as Carmen, but also less known works. Thanks for all of this, and please keep it coming!
Another banger, thank you Classics Explained! I only just started listening to Classical and I'm so grateful to you for making these videos so I can understand the deeper meaning behind the music!
Thanks for the video! I love how you not only presents tbe plot, but also important motifs and the life of the author, this combination makes for a very informative and fun to watch content!
You guys are fantastic. Thank you so much for your wonderfully witty ways to help people learn about classical music. In an ideal world you would be included in schools' curriculums. Thank you.
The Carmen Suites from 1882 & 1887 are two suites of orchestral music drawn from the music of Bizet’s 1875 opera of the same name, compiled posthumously by his friend Ernest Guiraud. They adhere very closely to Bizet's orchestration. The suites allow an audience to enjoy the music without the drama and horror of the story. Guiraud also wrote the recitatives for Carmen, and compiled the second of the two suites from Bizet's L'Arlésienne incidental music.
Great video, as usual!! (albeit the use of the g-slur is insensitive, as I said in my comment under the trailer, but I know most people aren't aware of that.) What I love about this opera (besides the absolutely bop-tastic music, of course) is that none of its (main) characters are fully black or white in terms of moral standing, which is what made this work so controversial initially. And fun fact, Micaëla was an original character absent from the source material, created specifically for the opera in order to give it one (1) moral base. Can't wait for the next one!!
Thanks so much for this really thoughtful comment - glad you enjoyed! About the g-word, we should clarify that we are not using it in the capital “G” sense to describe the Romani people (which we would consider a slur). Rather we are using it in the small “g” adjectival sense to describe a bohemian way of life typified by the character of Carmen. In the sense of "wayward demi-monde"
I love these videos! I always look forward to them and it’s a good day when we get them. Have you thought of doing a Mahler symphony… maybe the 2nd would be good? Keep up the good work, whatever the next video is, I’ll enjoy it!
Sad you didn't mention Carmen Suite - a ballet version of the opera by Shchedrin written especially for his wife - Plisetskaya. I've heard it and it's mesmerizing, especially the original staging.
Carmen is Bizet's own Apocalypse (Ragnarök, End of the World) opera, given that he had written alot of light works such as the Pearl Fishers (with its famous duet), Suites to L'Arlésienne (quoting an old Provençal Epiphany Carol- March of the Magi at the begining of the first suite and at the end of the second which was completed by Ernest Guiraud), Symphony in C, etc.
Giacomo Puccini's La Boheme of 1896 removes the violence and destruction that appeared in Bizet's Carmen, and replaces it with a modest albiet tragic love story about a semstress (Mimi) who sucumbs to tuberculosis like Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata.
Carmen is a feminist icon. The very fact that people describe her as the villian is insane. Her only crime is being hot and flirtatious. It is ridiculous to blame Carmen for Jose’s horrible decisions. This opera shows how far men are willing to go to control women and their sexuality.
Can you please make a video about Paganini / Violin Concerto No:2 op:7. There is really fantastic story behind this piece . I will be really happy to watch Paganini soon. Thanks in advance.
It's a pity that Bizet never got the appreciation he deserved in his lifetime. While I do enjoy happier endings, stories like these can be enjoyable and have the potential to be masterpieces
A famous Non-Operatic contemporary of Bizet is César Franck (best knwon for Panis Angelicus, The Accursed Hunter, Les Eolides, Offertoire sur un-Noël Breton , Symphony in D Minor, and Sonata for Violin in A.)
It should be pointed out that, in Merimée's original story, Don José Lizarrabengoa was no innocent. He already had a history of violence; back home he got into a fight with a man he had just beaten in a sport similar to tennis, and wound up killing him. He skipped town and joined the dragoons in order to "disappear."
Somebody please enlighten me on how carmen is a strong feminist character like he states at the end. From what I saw she was just a really mean person who liked tricking people into ruining their lives because of her. It did not seem to me like she "didnt need men" but more like she very much needed to have them love her so she could forsake them. She's a pick me girl.
I have loved carmen, its such a masterpiece. The story itself also have messages that are still relevant to this day. But when asked about Carmen's morality, she's nothing but a manipulative and a moralistic villain. So my point is that Carmen's actions can never be justified.
Jules Massenet was the heir to Bizet in terms of creating operas (Thaïs- with its famous Méditation, Manon, Werther, & Cendrillon), along with other works (such as The Last Sleep of the Virgin)
Don Jose and Carmen remind me of Sid and Nancy- Two people who are terribly destructive together and have plenty of clues that things will end badly for them, but who can't help but stay together for some reason or another. We all probably know of at least one couple in real life who are like this. That's why the setting of Carmen is so timeless and can be transplanted anywhere.
One of the other ways that Carmen is subversive is that her role is written for a mezzo, not a soprano; and, can even be sung by a contralto. The soprano, Micaela, is the secondary role here.
She forshadows Santuzza in Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana.
Well, yes, but Rossini (whose 56the birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks) wrote lots of lead role for mezzo-sopranos. It didn't hurt that he was married to one.
I had the realisation a few months back with a friend that Don Jose is your typical 19th Century opera heroine but as a bloke instead- he's constantly bemoaning the situation, lets himself be buffeted from point to point through the plot, falls in love with someone who openly states that they're not one for serious relationships and is all 'I can change them'...
Don Jose is not a heroine! He is a villain, forshadowing Canio in Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci.
Early example of "I can fix her"
Don Jose does not fix things. He ruins everything for everyone! Its a civilization collapse drama.
I love all of the extra characters being from previous episodes! Hilarious to see saint-saens pulling the cart.
reminds me if Sam O'nella
Easter Eggs galore
@@georgeluft7881I know!
1:16 OMG!!! WHERE DID THAT SWAN COME FROM??? HOW DID IT GET HERE!?
Death from the planets!
Sorry for the delay with this one! We hope it was worth the wait. More to come, sooner rather than later.
Perfect around Valentine's Day
Not a good Valentine! It is an apocalypse!@@starmelodyelizabethb7380
More than worth the wait! That was tremendous 🎉thank you!! 😊
No! It can't be for Valentines! Its an apocalypse! The City has been destroyed.@@starmelodyelizabethb7380
This is an apocalypse (Ragnarök) opera. The city of Seville and sports event has been destroyed by Satan. Try Puccini's Turandot for a happy ending.
i wish every boy watches this before he finds himself wasting his life for carmens of all sorts.
not jose and carmen doing the wolf of wall street thing in the tent 💀💀
May I suggest you some other compositions you may talk about in the future?
- A Midsummer Night's Dream by Mendelssohn
- Schubert's Trout Quintet
- Rossini's The Barber of Seville and/or William Tell
- Beethoven's Symphony no. 3 "Heroic'
- Bach's Brandenburg Concertos
- Beethoven's Symphony no. 6 "Pastoral"
- Johann Strauss - The Blue Danube/Die Fledermaus
Yes!!
fledermaus would be so cool
I think handel's Rinaldo would be very cool
What about Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain or Dukas’ Sorcerer’s Apprentice?
I’d love to see the collection of Hungarian Rhapsodies by Liszt
Also, La Boheme by Puccini
Yes, it's finally here! Carmen is my second favorite opera (right after the Barber of Seville) and the first opera with a tragic plot I have ever seen (the first operas I have seen before Carmen were comedies). It's also one of my mom's favorite operas. Carmen is a delightful work and every single note from it is perfection, it has not a single dull or bad moment. A true masterpiece!
A sports disaster surpasing Les Mans (1955) in body count. Escamillo is slain by Satan's bull disquise, and Seville is completely exterminated. A Spanish Apocalypse.
Carmen was to forshadow what the Italians would call Verismo at the hands of Composers like Pietro Mascagni (of Cavalleria Rusticana and L'amico Fritz), Ruggeiro Leoncavallo (of I Pagliacci), Umberto Giordano (of Andrea Chenier and Fedora), Francesco Cilea (of Adrianna Lecouvreur), and Giacomo Puccini (of La Boheme, Tosca, and Madama Butterfly).
It's my top 1 favorite along with Turandot aha.
Carmen reminds me of myself a bit lol.
Plus the music is fantastic ❤
14:57
“Bismarck had a plan”
“Bismarck always has a plan”
or at least season tickets to the opera.
EH reference 🤯
@@EverettTrygstad and a fellow EH viewer I see
Iconic doesn’t even begin to describe Carmen. Even if you don’t know the opera by name, you certainly know the score.
Wow, who knew the Victorians were so spicy. Before, I only knew the music like “Habanera” or the “Toreador song” but I had no idea the opera had such an interesting story. I remember the two operas I always wanted to see were “Carmen” and “Orphée aux enfers”. Which reminds me, could you please make a Classics Explained about Jacques Offenbach’s opera “Orphée aux enfers” (Orpheus in the Underworld)? This channel is amazing and I especially love the animation and art styles.
Nice one. Definitely one of the operas of all time
Thank you. This is one of the comments we've ever had.
Playing this opera was one of the most fun experiences in my life. Melodies are so satisfying to play 🥰😀
Don’t forget Oscar Hammerstein II transplanted the tale of Carmen in 1940s USA as “Carmen Jones”
Actually really enjoyed this version. A great watch for Black History Month.
15:10
What a story!!
I also like the animation at 13:00
Thank you, I’ve never heard Carmen full before
played the oboe and English Horn solos for the aragonaise and intermezzo, love this
Now that's talent 👍😄
I love the Easter Eggs, now I have to watch for the swan for Carmina Burana in every video.
1:16 OMG!!! WHERE DID THE SWAN COME FROM?
@@vilam9844 I always thought it was "the Swan" from "Carnival des Animeaux" from Saint-Saëns...
Although I do see Carl Orff around the 3 minutes mark in the clip...
This opera synopsis is absolutely fantastic! More, more, more!
OK, hear me out: Classics explained themed Tarot Cards would make some cool merch!
Phrophacy of the End Times (Ragnarök, Apocalypse) in Carmen's card, overturns her friends cards leading to their suicides in the last act.
@@TristanMAAlmost happens.
And it has some racist moments.
You should do some of the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. They could fit this style of story telling perfectly.
These videos are always so informative and so fun to watch. I love to see the stories behind the music, and the stories behind the comporsers who make it. I also love that Classics Explained doesn't only do videos on the obvious classics, such as Carmen, but also less known works. Thanks for all of this, and please keep it coming!
Another banger, thank you Classics Explained! I only just started listening to Classical and I'm so grateful to you for making these videos so I can understand the deeper meaning behind the music!
Really great video. Loved the guest stars from other operas .
Thanks for the video! I love how you not only presents tbe plot, but also important motifs and the life of the author, this combination makes for a very informative and fun to watch content!
Do Puccini's Tosca because I want to know why three characters all die in three acts. Please my brother.
What about madame butterfly by puccini
@@lisys511 yeah that too is a great opreatic moment for me
Try Turandot for a Happy ending. I want to hear Nessun Dorma!
@@TristanMA yeah they'll do it but both Tosca and Turnadot are the greatest
@@TristanMA Not such a happy ending for Liu.
I learned soooo much from this video that I had never considered previously. Thank you for such enlightenment on Bizet and "Carmen."
Samson and Delila next? I still don't understand it however much I try so hopefully you can help! Massive fan btw!
Ben, this is FANTASTIC!! Very well done! Thanks for this.
Wow! This is up there with your piece on Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique! BRAVO! 👏
You guys are fantastic. Thank you so much for your wonderfully witty ways to help people learn about classical music. In an ideal world you would be included in schools' curriculums. Thank you.
The Carmen Suites from 1882 & 1887 are two suites of orchestral music drawn from the music of Bizet’s 1875 opera of the same name, compiled posthumously by his friend Ernest Guiraud. They adhere very closely to Bizet's orchestration. The suites allow an audience to enjoy the music without the drama and horror of the story.
Guiraud also wrote the recitatives for Carmen, and compiled the second of the two suites from Bizet's L'Arlésienne incidental music.
amazing opera, and amazing video as usual!
That Carmencita.
Great Video. Maybe you could do some of the Gilbert and Sullivan Operas? I'd personally love to watch a video about them.
Yes, I woud love to see a video about The Pirates of Penzance, my favorite operetta 🥰
I immediately stopped everything I was doing to watch this one
Thank you for your service!
@@ClassicsExplained Are you gonna do Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, Smetana’s Bartered Bride, Ravel’s Bolero, Rossini’s Barber of Seville, Schumann’s Kinderszenen, Verdi’s Rigoletto, Suk’s Fairytale, Bellini’s Norma, Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody, Gounod’s Faust, Williams’ Lark Ascending, Mahler’s Das Lied Von Der Erde, Sibelius’ Finlandia, Schumann’s Erlkoning, Respighi’s Pines of Rome, Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor and Copland’s Appalachian Spring next?
@@meganlewis2377 I agree, but I'd love to hear Faust of Charles G. Or Barber of Seville, but good question.
@@juliadantsin4And what about Szaffi the Baroness Treasure of the Swamp Castles?
@kirstendonovan4092 I mean, all are good, but those two are what I'm more interested of.
Great video, as usual!! (albeit the use of the g-slur is insensitive, as I said in my comment under the trailer, but I know most people aren't aware of that.) What I love about this opera (besides the absolutely bop-tastic music, of course) is that none of its (main) characters are fully black or white in terms of moral standing, which is what made this work so controversial initially. And fun fact, Micaëla was an original character absent from the source material, created specifically for the opera in order to give it one (1) moral base. Can't wait for the next one!!
Thanks so much for this really thoughtful comment - glad you enjoyed!
About the g-word, we should clarify that we are not using it in the capital “G” sense to describe the Romani people (which we would consider a slur). Rather we are using it in the small “g” adjectival sense to describe a bohemian way of life typified by the character of Carmen. In the sense of "wayward demi-monde"
Did anyone noticed the donkey/music critic and the swan from the Carnival of the Animals hy Saint-Saëne in the same channel?
Carl Orff, Edward Elgar with his relative/s, or I think Berlioz?
Well yes I did noticed and so did Saturn’s grim reaper and the skeleton visitors who heard the rhapsody in blue
This is great! Please, don't stop making these videos, I love them
New one coming very soon!
Yeeessss I love Carmen, it's one of my favourite operas!!❤🔥❤🔥
Mine too.
Mine too! Along with “Carmina Burana"
Wonderful! One of my favorite operas! Could you please consider doing an episode on Petrouchka by Stravinsky?
Petrouchka would be a nice fit for Easter since the title charater does not die a permanent death.
this channel is just brilliant!
Amazing! One of my favorite operas ever. Bravo!
I love these videos! I always look forward to them and it’s a good day when we get them. Have you thought of doing a Mahler symphony… maybe the 2nd would be good? Keep up the good work, whatever the next video is, I’ll enjoy it!
Great video! Carmen is such a masterpiece of Opera, as Opera IS Drama.
Can you do the operas Barber of Seville, Bartered Bride, Norma and Faust?
Sad you didn't mention Carmen Suite - a ballet version of the opera by Shchedrin written especially for his wife - Plisetskaya. I've heard it and it's mesmerizing, especially the original staging.
There are children in this opera. I expect this to among the backstories to Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel.
I honestly can't watch one of your videos without a tear in my eyes in the end (and I don't really cry in general) 🥲 AWESOME story telling!
Daaaaaammnn. My heart is for Bizet. 😭😭😭 Carmen was only became famous just after his death.
Gypsies also appear in Verdi's Il Trovatore and Stravinsky's Petrushka.
As well as Johann Strauss Jr's Szaffi, the Gypsy Baroness Treasure of the Swamp Castle.
Best animated one so far!
Great as always! Love the animation style
Carmen is my favorite opera she really inspires me personally
Fantastic, and the animation in this episode was impressive.
Carmen is Bizet's own Apocalypse (Ragnarök, End of the World) opera, given that he had written alot of light works such as the Pearl Fishers (with its famous duet), Suites to L'Arlésienne (quoting an old Provençal Epiphany Carol- March of the Magi at the begining of the first suite and at the end of the second which was completed by Ernest Guiraud), Symphony in C, etc.
Wow I never knew Carlotta from Phantom of the Opera actually existed in history! lol
Carmen was always on top of my fave ones...❤❤❤ Very well explained ❤
Giacomo Puccini's La Boheme of 1896 removes the violence and destruction that appeared in Bizet's Carmen, and replaces it with a modest albiet tragic love story about a semstress (Mimi) who sucumbs to tuberculosis like Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata.
Another great one. Keep it up mate.
I react to the final scene with Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings depicting the devestation in the aftermath of the opera.
And what we've learned kids? Never emotionally manipulate an emotionally unstable man
Carmen is a feminist icon. The very fact that people describe her as the villian is insane. Her only crime is being hot and flirtatious. It is ridiculous to blame Carmen for Jose’s horrible decisions. This opera shows how far men are willing to go to control women and their sexuality.
I fully agree with you
Another 'Madeline' reference? I'm so happy!
Can’t forget that the Toreador March was used in FNAF, James.❤
Thats right but its not originated in FNAF
Can you please make a video about Paganini / Violin Concerto No:2 op:7. There is really fantastic story behind this piece . I will be really happy to watch Paganini soon. Thanks in advance.
Recently I’ve watched it live, awesome !!!
One of my favorite operas! I was in the children's chorus in an adaptation of this opera by Mark Medoff when I was 12.
Carmen forshadows Nedda in I Pagliacci.
Carmen, an opera banger
An Apoclypse drama, later turned into Suites by Ernest Guiraud.
It's a pity that Bizet never got the appreciation he deserved in his lifetime. While I do enjoy happier endings, stories like these can be enjoyable and have the potential to be masterpieces
Nice video.
I have been looking forward for you to make one of these on carmen
9:32
The Lovers: Neitsche/the Sun from Thus Spake Zarathustra
Wheel of Fortune: Fortuna from Carmina Burana
Death: Saturn from The Planets!
The videos are great ahhshsshhsh love em…! 😍😍😍
"Carmen" is awesome!
It is eschatological, unlike the Peral Fishers!
That's right.
Excellent as always ❤
I've been waiting for this one! If you're gonna do a run on operas, could you maybe cover Aida next? Or Don Giovanni? those are my favorites.
Tchaikovsky was to create his own operatic dramtizations of Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades based on Pushkin.
Your animations and merchandise are super adorable :3 🌸💖🌸💖
A famous Non-Operatic contemporary of Bizet is César Franck (best knwon for Panis Angelicus, The Accursed Hunter, Les Eolides, Offertoire sur un-Noël Breton , Symphony in D Minor, and Sonata for Violin in A.)
6:06 why did my lights turn off all of a sudden and there’s a man in a bear costume behind me what’s he up to
Moral of the Story: DON'T BE A SIMP !
6:33 i find it hysterical that this "Pure Filth" now is more recognized for an animatronic bear than mr bull fighter over here.
I don’t see any animatronic bears in carmen 🤣🫠
Will you do the sad clown also, paggliaca i think ??? 😮
Carmen is one of my favs❤❤
Please do more operas please!
Excellent video, thank you...
Unfortunately, he did not see the triumph of his opera.
I would love to see an episode on classical minimalism! Steve Reich, John Adams and that one we don't talk about.
For Holy Minimalsim try Arvo Part, John Tavener, Morten Lauridsen, and Eric Whitacre.
@@TristanMA great suggestions!
It should be pointed out that, in Merimée's original story, Don José Lizarrabengoa was no innocent. He already had a history of violence; back home he got into a fight with a man he had just beaten in a sport similar to tennis, and wound up killing him. He skipped town and joined the dragoons in order to "disappear."
I am sure that it will be wonderful as usual and I hope that the next one will be about one of the works of dimitri shostakovsky ❤️💙
Thanks guys ❤❤🎉🎉
Bravo!!!👏👏👏
I guess it took a lot of effort to make this Carmen so vivid.
We used all of our crayons
I’d love to request Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, my favorite 😍 opera
Somebody please enlighten me on how carmen is a strong feminist character like he states at the end. From what I saw she was just a really mean person who liked tricking people into ruining their lives because of her. It did not seem to me like she "didnt need men" but more like she very much needed to have them love her so she could forsake them. She's a pick me girl.
GOD these are so fun to watch AND listen to
I have loved carmen, its such a masterpiece. The story itself also have messages that are still relevant to this day. But when asked about Carmen's morality, she's nothing but a manipulative and a moralistic villain. So my point is that Carmen's actions can never be justified.
Kawan sia ba bikin ni.. cuba muncul duluu 😂😂
Jules Massenet was the heir to Bizet in terms of creating operas (Thaïs- with its famous Méditation, Manon, Werther, & Cendrillon), along with other works (such as The Last Sleep of the Virgin)
Carmen was the ultimate gasligher i have ever heard.
Don Jose and Carmen remind me of Sid and Nancy- Two people who are terribly destructive together and have plenty of clues that things will end badly for them, but who can't help but stay together for some reason or another. We all probably know of at least one couple in real life who are like this. That's why the setting of Carmen is so timeless and can be transplanted anywhere.
They forshadow Canio and Nedda in I Pagliacci.
No, Escamillo and the title character remind you of Sid and Nancy.