Sarasate Carmen Fantasy

Saraste Carmen Fantasy: A Violin Masterpiece Based on Bizet’s Opera

Pablo de Sarasate was a Spanish violinist and composer who lived from 1844 to 1908. He was one of the most celebrated violinists of his time, admired for his brilliant technique, beautiful tone, and musical elegance. 

He composed many works for the violin, often based on Spanish folk music or popular operas. One of his most famous works is the Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25, a violin fantasy on themes from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet.

Bizet’s Carmen is one of the most popular and influential operas in history. It tells the story of Carmen, a fiery and seductive gypsy woman, who falls in love with Don José, a soldier, but later abandons him for a bullfighter, Escamillo. Don José, driven by jealousy and obsession, kills Carmen in the final scene. The opera is full of memorable melodies, exotic harmonies, and dramatic contrasts, reflecting the characters’ emotions and the Spanish setting.

Sarasate was a great admirer of Bizet’s opera and decided to create a violin fantasy based on its themes. He composed the Carmen Fantasy in 1881, shortly after Bizet’s death, and dedicated it to Joseph Hellmesberger, a violinist and conductor. He premiered the work in Paris in 1883, with great success. The Carmen Fantasy is a virtuosic and expressive showcase for the violin, combining the elegance and grace of the French style with the passion and flair of the Spanish style. It consists of five movements, each based on a different theme from the opera:

• Allegro moderato: This movement uses the theme from the Aragonaise, the entr’acte to act 4, which depicts a lively and festive scene in Seville. The violin plays the theme with variations, using techniques such as glissando, flageolet, and pizzicato.
• Moderato: This movement is based on the Habanera, Carmen’s famous aria from act 1, where she sings about the unpredictable nature of love. The violin plays the theme with ornaments, such as trills and grace notes, and contrasts it with a lyrical and tender melody.
• Lento assai: This movement is inspired by Carmen’s mocking song to Zuniga, the officer who tries to arrest her in act 1. The violin plays the theme with chromaticism and expression, and ends with a high flageolet.
• Allegro moderato: This movement is derived from the Seguidilla, Carmen’s seductive song to Don José in act 1, where she invites him to join her at a tavern. The violin plays the theme with variations, such as pizzicato, trills, and glissando.
• Moderato: This movement is based on the Gypsy Song, the lively and spirited song that Carmen and her friends sing at the beginning of act 2, while entertaining the officers. The violin plays the theme with virtuosic techniques, such as fast arpeggios, double stops, and a final tempo acceleration.

The Carmen Fantasy is one of Sarasate’s most impressive and enjoyable works, as it captures the essence and the spirit of Bizet’s opera, while displaying the violinist’s skill and artistry.