In operas with four acts, like “Carmen,” there are three recitatives, one at the beginning of each act except for act one, where the overture takes the place of an entr’act.

Entr’acts are instrumental pieces played in between acts.

It is kind of like a preview for the rest of the opera. An overture is the grand beginning to an opera, and most often contains passages from later in the opera. In addition, there are the necessary numbers including the overture, finales for each act, and the entr’acts. Some of the most common pieces in an opera are arias, ensembles (duet, trio, etc), scenes, choruses, songs, and recitatives. There are lots of different pieces in opera that can vary depending on their time period and composer. Operas consist of two main elements, the libretto (the words and story) and the music (the lyrics and orchestra). The couplet in act two, “Habanara” in act one, and the overture all contain very famous melodies that are easily recognizable. This opera is one of the most emotionally expressive and is beautiful in some parts, and mysterious, or even evil, in others. The opera is sung in French but is set in the Spanish city of Seville. Georges Bizet’s only opera, “Carmen,” is a dramatic tale of gypsy woman named Carmen in the 1820s.

Carmen opera lyrics english