Editing Carmen (section)

===Assembling the cast===
The search for a singer-actress to play Carmen began in mid-1873. Press speculation favoured [[Zulma Bouffar]], who was perhaps the librettists' preferred choice. She had sung leading roles in many of [[Jacques Offenbach|Offenbach]]'s operas, but she was unacceptable to Bizet and was turned down by du Locle as unsuitable.<ref>Curtiss, p. 355</ref> In September an approach was made to [[Marie Roze]], well known for previous triumphs at the Opéra-Comique, the Opéra and in London. She refused the part when she learned that she would be required to die on stage.<ref>Dean 1965, p. 110</ref> The role was then offered to [[Célestine Galli-Marié]], who agreed to terms with du Locle after several months' negotiation.<ref>Curtiss, p. 364</ref> Galli-Marié, a demanding and at times tempestuous performer, would prove a staunch ally of Bizet, often supporting his resistance to demands from the management that the work should be toned down.<ref>Curtiss, p. 383</ref> At the time it was generally believed that she and the composer were conducting a love affair during the months of rehearsal.<ref name=OMO />

The leading tenor part of Don José was given to [[Paul Lhérie]], a rising star of the Opéra-Comique who had recently appeared in works by [[Jules Massenet|Massenet]] and [[Léo Delibes|Delibes]]. He would later become a baritone, and in 1887 sang the role of Zurga in the [[Royal Opera House|Covent Garden]] premiere of ''Les pêcheurs de perles''.<ref>{{cite dictionary|last=Forbes|first=Elizabeth|author-link=Elizabeth Forbes (musicologist)|url=http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/O902707?q=Paul+Lherie&search=quick&pos=1&_start=1#firsthit|title=Lhérie [Lévy], Paul|dictionary=Oxford Music Online|access-date=1 March 2012}} {{Grove Music subscription}}</ref> [[Jacques Bouhy]], engaged to sing Escamillo, was a young Belgian-born baritone who had already appeared in demanding roles such as Méphistophélès in Gounod's ''[[Faust (opera)|Faust]]'' and as [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]]'s Figaro.<ref>{{cite dictionary|last=Forbes|first=Elizabeth|author-link=Elizabeth Forbes (musicologist)|url=http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/03701?q=Joseph+Bouhy&search=quick&pos=1&_start=1#firsthit|title=Bouhy, Jacques(-Joseph-André)|dictionary=Oxford Music Online|access-date= 1 March 2012}} {{Grove Music subscription}}</ref> [[Marguerite Chapuy]], who sang Micaëla, was at the beginning of a short career in which she was briefly a star at London's [[Theatre Royal, Drury Lane]]; the impresario [[James Henry Mapleson|James H. Mapleson]] thought her "one of the most charming vocalists it has been my pleasure to know". However, she married and left the stage altogether in 1876, refusing Mapleson's considerable cash inducements to return.<ref>{{cite book|last= Mapleson|first= James H.|author-link=James Henry Mapleson|title=The Mapleson Memoirs|volume=I|url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/36143/36143-h/36143-h.htm|chapter=XI. Marguerite Chapuy|publisher=Belford, Clarke & Co.|location=Chicago, New York and San Francisco|year=1888|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220180102/http://www.gutenberg.org/files/36143/36143-h/36143-h.htm|archive-date=20 December 2014}}</ref>