The late M. Bizet's new opera, the great success of which at Her Majesty's Theatre has been duly recorded, is so important a work of art that a closer analysis of the music than could find room in our current accounts of the opera seems well warranted. A careful study of the pianoforte score more than confirms the favourable opinion derived from the general impression of the performance, and reveals details of admirable workmanship which are apt to escape even the attentive listener. To draw the reader's notice to these no less than to the general structure of the work—as far as is possible without the aid of musical type—is our present purpose. But be it stated first that the vocal score, with pianoforte accompaniment arranged by the composer, is in all respects excellent.

M. Bizet prefaces his opera by a short orchestral introduction for which overture would be too dignified a name. It is founded on, or rather is a literal transcription of, the festive music announcing the bull-fight in the fourth act, including the short phrase in F sharp minor assigned to the children's chorus, which pleasantly relieves the hammering rhythm of the opening theme in A major, also the song in march rhythm of Escamillo the toreador, whom the reader may be supposed to know from the full account of the libretto previously published in the Times.