In the year 1872, co-directors of the Opéra-Comique, Camille du Locle and Adolphe de Leuven, and librettists Ludovic Halévy and Henri Meilhac approached Georges Bizet to ask if he would write an opera. They wanted something big, something new that would change Opéra-Comique, as it had become as bland as the Opéra. Bizet decided that the perfect setting for the opera would be the story of Carmen, from a novella written by Mérimée. The premier of Carmen was on march 3, 1875. After the first half of the opera, Bizet had members of the audience coming back stage to congratulate him on his fine work and there were thunderous applause. After the second half, however, the audience became silent as they watched the events unroll and only a few of Bizet's friends congratulated him. Three months after...