Few songs from the opera world have broken into mainstream consciousness as much as “Habanera” from Georges Bizet‘s “Carmen.” The allure is inherent in the music, but sometimes the performance elevates it to a whole new level.
That’s certainly the case with this 2009 clip from Richard Eyre’s production of the show at The Metropolitan Opera. The role of Carmen was played by Elina Garanca, whose powerful voice brought out all of the seductive nature of the song.
“Habanera” is actually the popular name for the piece’s actual title, “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle,” which translates to “Love is a rebellious bird.” The aria appears in scene 5 of the first act and introduces the title character.
The role of Carmen is written for a mezzo-soprano, a female singer with a voice pitched between soprano and contralto. The range is noted for its timbre.
“People usually say mezzos have richer, darker, rounder sound,” explains Wallis Giunta, “While sopranos are more silvery. They aren’t necessarily lighter, but they have a brighter tone. And then of course the alto – the lowest voice type for a woman – is the darkest, the richest. They’re rarer as well, and there are less roles written for them in the opera repertoire. But when you find one, it’s a real gem.”
Garanca’s range and tone help to bring depth to the lyrics. The French libretto, or text of an opera, was primarily written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, but Bizet himself wrote the words of the Habanera.
Here, we can see the composer’s explanation of the fleeting and curious nature of love.
“Love is a rebellious bird
That none can tame,
And it is quite in vain that one calls it,
If it suits it to refuse;
Nothing to be done, threat or plea.
The one talks well, the other is silent;
And it’s the other that I prefer,
He said nothing, but he pleases me.”
The music for “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” was adapted from “El Arreglito ou la Promesse de mariage” by Spanish musician Sebastián Iradier, although Bizet believed it to be a folk song. The song features an interesting harmonic structure: each verse is in D minor, with the refrain transitioning to D major. The modulation gives the music a brighter feeling as the chorus enters. The related keys also allow for the ostinato bass line to remain relatively unchanged throughout the entire piece, giving the chromatic melody a solid grounding.
Although “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” has proven to be one of the most popular opera arias of all time, Bizet didn’t get the chance to enjoy his success. The composer, who suffered from illness much of his life, died on June 1st after “Carmen’s” 33rd performance at just 36 years old.
Shortly after Bizet’s death, fellow composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky predicted that “Carmen will be the most famous opera in the world.” So far, he appears to have been right.
Follow along with the sheet music for “Habanera” from Bizet’s “Carmen”:
