Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 233
233.—A PARTICULAR PRIMA DONNA.
Bizet found many difficulties in the production of his celebrated opera, "Carmen." One, which gave him the most trouble, was the dissatisfaction expressed by his prima donna with the aria she was to sing on her first appearance on the stage. He had originally written an air in six-eight time, graceful enough, but not particularly characteristic. This would not do at all for the singer, as she wanted something which would make her first appearance effective. Bizet produced in succession no fewer than thirteen different versions of "Carmen's" aria d'entrata, but none of them realized the prima donna's ideal. Bizet's imagination was exhausted, and the lady was as dissatisfied as ever.
In despair he bethought him of an old Spanish air which had struck his fancy while he was looking through a collection of songs years before, when his ideas of "Carmen" were still undeveloped. With the aid of this melody he composed the "Habañera," with which she at last professed herself contented. The singer's instinct was quite right, for not only does the famous air express the character of the wayward gypsy in a nutshell, and put it before the audience in vivid colors at the outset of the piece, but it was one of the few numbers which was praised unreservedly by the critics at the first performance, and it still remains as popular as ever.