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ARAB INFLUENCES IN SPANISH MUSIC: ORIENTALISM AND ALTERITY IN GEORGE BIZETВ’S CARMEN

N. Karacsony

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to reveal and investigate the presence of Orientalism in the exotic world of Georges BizetВ’s opera Carmen. The term Orientalism can have various meanings, while the use of Oriental elements in artistic creations can be a way for representing alterity. Understanding how the Arab culture was born and the impact it had on the culture of the countries brought under Arab domination can reveal surprising information. Although situated in Europe, in the 19th century it was common to associate Spain with the Orient because of the Arab domination and its influences on the Spanish culture. This influence is visible especially in architecture, but the music also has borrowed the sensual and sinuous character of Oriental music, thus becoming part of the Spanish character. Exoticism does not necessarily refer to the Orient, but in this case the two terms complement each other. In his opera Carmen Bizet reveals a world that is thoroughly different from the familiar European one, a world which is exotic and Oriental at once. Listening to and performing this opera by taking into consideration these influences and their history can and must give birth to a new way of approaching this work.

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