Carmen' is one of the most popular and most frequently performed operas across the globe. Its world premiere was a flop which the composer Bizet did not live to see. Nevertheless, the opera very quickly gained acceptance at all major theatres, bringing in its wake countless arrangements of some particularly beautiful music numbers.It was, in all probability, Bizet's close friend and fellow student Ernest Guiraud who brought 12 numbers of the opera together to form two orchestral suites. After the first Carmen Suite which unites the most beautiful instrumental settings, the second suite with arrangements of the best-known vocal pieces is now available as well. The musical text is based on our new scientific edition of the opera edited by Robert Didion. / Orchestre
