Carmen: Act II, Flower Song: Le fleur que tu m’avais jetes

While it scandalized Parisian audiences at its premiere by the Opéra-Comique in Paris on March 3rd, 1875, Georges Bizet’s (1838-1875) Carmen became, a mere decade later, one of the most popular and frequently performed operas in the repertoire. It remains popular today, with songs such as the “Habanera” and “Toreador Song” among the best known of all opera arias. The “Flower song” is the popular name for “Le fleur que tu m’avais jetes,” sung by José in Act II as he declares his love for Carmen, showing her the flower she threw to him two months earlier and which he took to prison with him. Instrumentation: 2.1+EH.2.2: 4.0.3.0: Timp: Hp: Str (4-4-3-3-3 in set): Solo Tenor.