Georges Bizet was described as an energetic man with a sense of humor who would not be considered a promising composer if it had not been for "Carmen", the most popular opera of our times.
    Georges Bizet was born in Paris on October 25, 1838.  He was born into a musical family.  He displayed musical talent at an early age and entered the great Paris Conservatory of Music at the age of nine.  He was an outstanding student, winning many prizes.  At the age of 17 he composed "Symphony in C".
    In 1869 Bizet married Genevieve Halevy, and had one son. During this time he was very poor. He made ends meet as a piano teacher and composer.  He refused a teaching position because he wanted to devote his time to composing.
    Bizet composed "Carmen" in 1875.  This violent love story was severely criticized at first because of the murder scene.  These negative crtitcisms are the reasons why it is a great opera.  Three months after the opera's premeire, Bizet died.
    The fame of this French composer rest primarily on his opera "Carmen". His death left numerous works unfinished and the question remains of what he might have acheived if he lived longer. Home | Composer Info | Games | The Orchestra | Major Compositions |