Georges Bizet died at the tragically young age of 36 while Carmen was still in its first run, and he never witnessed the huge international acclaim his opera received. Filled with jealousy and passion, the gripping and ultimately tragic narrative of Carmen initially shocked audiences, but with an abundance of memorable tunes, it remains unchallenged as one of the most popular operas ever written. Carmen received its premiere at the Opéra Comique in Paris in 1875, and this internationally acclaimed production, performed on period instruments, represents a triumphant return to its home theatre. Carmen has never sounded more revolutionary, romantic or thrillingly vibrant (The Times, London). This DVD production is special in returning Carmen to its original home at the Opéra Comique in Paris, with the sounds of the orchestra of its day reproduced in the excellent Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique conducted by period music specialist Sir John Eliot Gardiner.