The entrance of Escamillo was most effective. Backstage, Bizet was surrounded, congratulated. As Act I ended there were many curtain calls. The arrival of Carmen was well received and applauded, as was the duet between Micaela and Don José.
In spite of these comments we reached the theater full of optimism. One commented: " Carmen presents most unsavory characters, in such bad taste that the work might very well be ill-advised." We might have gone to the opening performance full of confidence the following evening, had not several morning papers published vitriolic letters, written as though by the same person. None seemed to find the work scandalous: On the contrary, it was exceedingly well received. We invited only about 50 people, friends of the authors and of the performers and directors, the costumiers and set designers. The press was not admitted to the dress rehearsal. The cast had recovered their courage and confidence. The last few rehearsals came off very well. The following description of the first performance of Carmen, on Maat the Opéra-Comique in Paris, as well as of subsequent early performances, was written by one of the two librettists, Ludovic Halévy, long afterward, in 1904:
0 kommentar(er)
