COVER N. 571 - FRANCE

Postmark: 150 ans de l'opéra Carmen Georges Bizet 1er jour 27.03.2025

Posted on the 27th March; Received on the 10th April 2025

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The beautiful gipsy lies dead on the ground while the assassin, knife still dripping blood from the treacherous wound it inflicted on the tender flesh, comes round to the immensity of what he just did, while being carried away by the soldiers...

Vous pouvez m'arrêter.

C'est moi qui l'ai tuée !

Ah ! Carmen ! ma Carmen adorée !

Thus the drama ends and the curtain falls, after one of the many outstanding arias and duets that give life to probably the most famous of all operas: Georges Bizet’s (1838 - 1875) magnificent chef d'oeuvre, Carmen, based on a novel by French writer, archaeologist and historian  Prosper Mérimée (1803 - 1870).

A classic story of love and betrayed love, with a perfect triangle (well a square, if you count Zuninga, the Dragons lieutenant), centred on an hedonist beauty, whose charms no man can resist.

I first heard an aria from Carmen many years ago, included in one of those "best of the opera" 33 rpm that were issued by publishers like the Reader's Digest... I am not absolutely sure, but think it was Callas singing the Habanera.... I must have been in my teens and I absolutely loathed it... not the music, but the voice. I know, I know... it is probably a sin or an act of hubris, but to this day I am not a fan of Callas' timbre... 

But over the years I heard the beautiful aria sang by many other singers and  even if I never had the chance to watch a live performance of this masterpiece, I too fell for the spell, not of the beautiful free minded gipsy, but of its outstanding musicality.

How can one not love the Seguidilla, or that heartbreaking  "Carmen il est temps encore..." of the last duet... sheer musicality, sheer beauty...

Carmen was first taken to the stage on the 3rd March 1875, 150 years ago.

Such a significant anniversary of a masterpiece, could only be honoured with a matching masterpiece, so la Poste issued on 27MAR2025 the outstanding souvenir sheet that Thanks to Eric and André, I am very happy to possess in my collection.

Un grand, grand merci, Eric et André!

Upon receiving the cover, I was overjoyed to notice that the sheet was autographed by its designer and engraver Ms. Sarah Lazarevic, who, I learned upon researching her name,  has designed quite a few issues for la Poste. 

On the polychrome in-taglio image, we have Carmen (who is the main feature of the 2,10 € stamp) dancing (could it be the Seguidilla?) while D. Jose, in his Dragons regiment attire watches, totally enraptured.

A couple of red eucalyptus flowers, entangled in each other, fully symbolic in their form and colour, separates the two lovers, while, on the background , La Giralda, Seville's Cathedral Tower, overlooks the two characters, for a sense of place, but also, I'm led to think, symbolising the  the established morals and values transgressed by the dramatic pair.

The First Day Postmark was issued at Paris, the city were Carmen was premièred.