Carmen: Act II, Toreador Song: Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre

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 “Toreador Song” is the popular name for “Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre,” sung by the bullfighter Escamillo in Act II, describing the act of bullfighting to a cheering crowd.