This genius left few anecdotes or personal reminiscences behind him. The glory of his compositions alone seems to stand for his existence.
CHARACTERS OF THE OPERA WITH THE ORIGINAL CAST, AS PRESENTED AT THE FIRST PERFORMANCE
Don José, Corporal of Dragoons M. Lhérie Escamillo, Toreador M. Bouhy Zuniga, Captain of Dragoons M. Dufriche Morales, Officer M. Duvernoy Lillas Pastia, Innkeeper M. Nathan Carmen, Gipsy-girl Mme. Galli-Marié Michaela, a Village Maiden Mlle. Chapuy Frasquita Mlle. Ducasse Mercedes Mlle. Chevalier El Dancairo } El Remendado } Smugglers. A guide. Dragoons, gypsies, smugglers, cigarette-girls, street-boys, etc.
The time of the story is 1820, and it takes place in and near Seville.
First sung at the Opéra Comique, Paris, March 3, 1875.
I knew a boy who once said: "That soldier thing in 'Carmen' is the most awful bully thing to whistle a fellow ever heard; but if you don't get it just right, it doesn't sound like anything," which was a mistake, because if you don't get it "just right" it sounds something awful. That boy's whistle was twenty per cent. better than his syntax, but his judgment about music was pretty good, and we shall have the soldier song in the very beginning, even before learning how it happens, because it is the thing we are likely to recall, in a shadowy sort of way, throughout the first act:
With the guard on duty going Marching onward, here we are! Sound, trumpets merrily blowing! Ta ra ta ta ta ra ta ta.
On we tramp, alert and ready, Like young soldiers ev'ry one;-- Heads up and footfall steady, Left! right! we're marching on!
See how straight our shoulders are, Ev'ry breast is swell'd with pride, Our arms all regular Hanging down on either side.
With the guard on duty going, Marching onward, here we are! Sound, trumpets merrily blowing, Ta ra ta ta ta ra ta ta!]
That is the way it goes, and this is the way it happens:
Once upon a time there was a pretty girl named Michaela, and she was as good as she was beautiful. She loved a corporal in the Spanish army whose name was Don José. Now the corporal was a fairly good chap, but he had been born thoughtless, and as a matter of fact he had lived away from home for so long that he had half-forgotten his old mother who lived a lonely life with Michaela.