A poster advertising a ca. 1896 American production of Georges Bizet's opéra comique Carmen, which premiered in Paris on March 3, 1875. Although it was initially quite unsuccessful, a second production in October 1875 after Bizet's death achieved critical and commercial success. Since then, it has been one of the world's most performed operas. Based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, Carmen, with its alternating comic or sentimental scenes found traditionally in opéra comique with stark realism, virtually eliminated the opéra comique genre and nourished the verismo movement in opera.Poster: Liebler & Maass; Restoration: Adam Cuerden