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'Carmen': from Book to Opera Trivia Quiz

About the origin of one of the world's great operas.

A multiple-choice quiz by tjoebigham. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
tjoebigham

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
53,103

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
10 / 15

Plays
742

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Who was the original author of the novella that the opera "Carmen" was based upon? Hint

Henri Murger

Alexandre Dumas

Prosper Merimee

Victor Hugo

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Question 2 of 15

2. When did he publish 'Carmen'? Hint

1871

1845

1849

1855

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Question 3 of 15

3. What is Carmen's nationality? Hint

Spanish

Portuguese

Italian

French

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Question 4 of 15

4. Where does Don Jose come from? Hint

Navarre

Aranjuez

Andalusia

Madrid

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Question 5 of 15

5. Where did Carmen work? Hint

elementary school

brothel

cigarette factory

dance hall

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Question 6 of 15

6. Why was Carmen arrested? Hint

stealing cigarettes

loitering

littering

fighting with another girl

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Question 7 of 15

7. Who is Jose's former fiancee, whom he throws over for Carmen? Hint

Michaela

Lola

Mimi

Nedda

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Question 8 of 15

8. Who was the Captain that Jose fought with over Carmen? Hint

De La Vega

Gonzalez

Martinez

Zuniga

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Question 9 of 15

9. Who were the opera's librettists?

Answer: (Three Words; last names only, separated by the word and)

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Question 10 of 15

10. When did the opera debut? Hint

1879

1875

1880

1885

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Question 11 of 15

11. What Cuban dance did Bizet borrow for Carmen's first aria? Hint

Samba

Mambo

Tango

Habanera

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Question 12 of 15

12. Where does Jose jealously kill Carmen? Hint

in the mountains

in a back alley

outside the bullring

in the town square

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Question 13 of 15

13. How many other operas did Bizet compose? Hint

four

five

six

seven

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Question 14 of 15

14. In a 40's film version of the Merimee original (no arias!) who played Carmen? Hint

Susan Hayward

Cyd Charisse

Ann Miller

Rita Hayworth

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Question 15 of 15

15. What was the musical adaptation of the opera that later became a movie?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who was the original author of the novella that the opera "Carmen" was based upon?

Answer: Prosper Merimee

Today Merimee is barely remembered, and if so, only through his connection with the opera.

2. When did he publish 'Carmen'?

Answer: 1845

Merimee wrote almost all historical romances.

3. What is Carmen's nationality?

Answer: Spanish

She's a Spanish Gypsy, actually. The Gypsies were thought to have come from Egypt, hence the name, but they originated from India. They have settled in practically all lands.

4. Where does Don Jose come from?

Answer: Navarre

Jose was a soldier born in Navarre, a northern province of Spain.

5. Where did Carmen work?

Answer: cigarette factory

Remember the first act song of the cigarette girls as they smoked and seduced the men on their break? Heady stuff for those times!

6. Why was Carmen arrested?

Answer: fighting with another girl

Carmen got into an exchange of insults with a co-worker and slashed the latter's cheeks with a knife.

7. Who is Jose's former fiancee, whom he throws over for Carmen?

Answer: Michaela

The rather boringly virtuous Michaela stands no chance against the gypsy siren.

8. Who was the Captain that Jose fought with over Carmen?

Answer: Zuniga

When Carmen seemed to show interest in Jose's superior, the jealous soldier fought the Captain, but her gypsy comrades overpowered Zuniga and drove him off with pistols.

9. Who were the opera's librettists?

Answer: Meilhac and Halevy

Opera composers rarely wrote their own librettos.

10. When did the opera debut?

Answer: 1875

'Carmen' failed dismally because audiences were unaccustomed to its {realism;} today it is a mainstay of the operatic repertoire.

11. What Cuban dance did Bizet borrow for Carmen's first aria?

Answer: Habanera

Who can forget Carmen singing that Habanera?

12. Where does Jose jealously kill Carmen?

Answer: outside the bullring

Enraged that Carmen has dumped him for bullfighter Escamillo, Don Jose stabs the gypsy to death while Escamillo is cheered in triumph.

13. How many other operas did Bizet compose?

Answer: four

They are 'The Pearl Fishers', 'Don Rodrigue', 'Djamileh' and 'The Fair Maid of Perth', none being performed as much as 'Carmen'.

14. In a 40's film version of the Merimee original (no arias!) who played Carmen?

Answer: Rita Hayworth

Best known for playing Gilda, Hayworth was really Margarita Cansino, of Spanish descent and a dancer since childhood, so Carmen was tailor-made for her.

15. What was the musical adaptation of the opera that later became a movie?

Answer: Carmen Jones

Adapted by Oscar Hammerstein II in the WWII era, Otto Preminger brought it to the screen in the 50's...and had an affair with its leading lady Dorothy Dandridge (Halle Berry played her on HBO). Harry Belafonte co-starred.

Source: Author tjoebigham

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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