Judge Dennis Davis
George Bizet: Unravelling the Popular Opera “Carmen”, Plus the Great Duet
Summary
The composer George Bizet, who was born in 1838 and had Spanish Jewish roots, displayed exceptional musical talent from a young age. In this lecture, Judge Dennis Davis delves into Bizet’s famous “Carmen” opera, its origins and initial concerns about offending audiences due to its themes. The lecture also discusses the opera’s political undertones, highlighting the gender, class, and race dynamics, suggesting Bizet had political agendas in mind. Despite a negative reception from the press, “Carmen” became a massive success posthumously for Bizet.
Judge Dennis Davis
Dennis Davis is a judge of the High Court of South Africa and judge president of the Competition Appeals Court of South Africa. He has held professorial appointments at the University of Cape Town and University of the Witwatersrand, as well as numerous visiting appointments at Cambridge, Harvard, New York University, and others. He has authored eleven books, including Lawfare: Judging Politics in South Africa.
It was before the Civil Rights Movement so it was particularly interesting. It has a series of political implications, political statements, well worth watching now. It would be particularly interesting to see again in the light of the present.