Credits:

Jean-Luc Tingaud

Description:

Even Carmen, now an indispensable part of the repertoire at opera houses around the world, was a complete flop at its premiere. The tragic Bizet (18381875) passed away just three months after the premiere, still reeling from that disappointment Had he lived longer, the history of French opera would undoubtedly have taken a very different course. This album is a collection of Bizets lesser-known works. The Overture in A Major is his first orchestral work, written before he won the Prix de Rome. However, it was neither published nor performed during his lifetime, and thus remained largely forgotten. The Funeral March was composed as the overture for an opera based on *The King of Thules Cup*, but only fragments of it survive. The Little Suite consists of five pieces selected by Bizet himself from the 12-piece set Childrens Games for piano duet, which he then orchestrated. Track 4, Tag, though