ABSTRACT
The period 1863–1878 is bookended by the London premieres of the two most popular nineteenth-century operas: Gounod’s Faust and Bizet’s Carmen. For the Daily News the (re-)conception of Goethe’s well-known characters was a contributory factor, viewing Marguerite and Faust as manipulated victims who, in accordance with popular Victorian morality, still paid for their actions. Faust rapidly moved beyond the West End, thanks to Britain’s expanding network of touring companies and Chappell’s failure to register exclusive performing rights, meaning it could be performed without paying. From 1880, Rosa also included Carmen in his touring repertory; between 1884 and 1899, doubtless determined to retain a box office certainty, his company exercised a virtual monopoly on English-language performances. In Italian, Carmen also appeared regularly in the West End: after introduction at Covent Garden in 1882, it was produced every year but two until 1908, and in French from 1890.
