Habanera (music or dance of Havana, Spanish: La Habana) is the popular name for “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” (“Love is a rebellious bird”). It is an aria from Goerges Bizet’s opera comique, first performed in 1875. This piece marks the entrance of the title character, in scene 5 of the first act. It is usually sung by a mezzo-soprano (half soprano). While mezzo-sopranos typically sing secondary roles in operas, Carmen is a notable exception.
Many great singers have essayed the part of Carmen, in You Tube is littered with them. But today we begin with an excerpt from the version performed by La Fabrique Opéra Grenoble, interesting set in a local cafe and sung by Marie Gautrot.
Carmen has been the subject of many recordings, beginning with early wax cylinder recordings of excerpts in the 1890s, a nearly complete performance in German from 1908 with Emmy Destinn in the title role, and a complete 1911 Opéra-Comique recording in French. Hereis Elina Garanca in a production from 2009 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. I include it because of the subtitles.
Here then is a rendition by Angela Gheorghiu from the Last Night of the Proms at the Albert Hall in 2003
Carmen itself has undergone a number of versions. We attended a performance of what was called ‘Hot Carmen’ and it was and excellent. Probably the most famous adaption is Carmen Jones from 1943. Thec music of Bizet is combined with the words of Oscar Hammerstein II. Conceptually, it is Bizet’s opera updated to a World War II era and African American setting. Here is an extract of Dorothy Dandridge putting her spin on Habanera.
