大象传媒

Despite being one of the most famous and widely performed operas today, Bizet鈥檚 Carmen was not an immediate success when it premiered in March 1875. It ran for over 40 performances in France, but only became more popular once it began to be performed in other European cities.

Carmen Suite No. 1 is the first of two orchestral suites taken from the music of the opera. The first suite is the shortest, and conveys the moods and characters of the story through its six sections. Listen out for the beautiful melodic woodwind writing in the Intermezzo (Entracte, Act III) and the Seguidilla, contrasting with the familiar and bombastic Les toreadors, which ends the suite.

This performance of the suite by 大象传媒 NOW took place at Aberystwyth Arts Centre in 2001, with conductor Richard Hickox.

Movements:
Pr茅lude (Act I)
Aragonaise (Entracte, Act IV)
Intermezzo (Entracte, Act III)
S茅guedille (Act I)
Les Dragons d鈥橝lcala (Entracte, Act II)
Les Tor茅adors (Pr茅lude, Act I)