Bizet died before Carmen became one of the most performed operas in the world

arts, ideas & societyWikipedia1875 · Paris, France

Bizet died before Carmen became one of the most performed operas in the world

the gist

Carmen is an opera in four acts by Georges Bizet, first performed in Paris in 1875. Its story follows the soldier Don José, who is seduced by the fiery Carmen, deserts his duties and then kills her in a jealous rage after she leaves him for a bullfighter. Audiences were shocked by its realistic depiction of working-class life and its murder on stage, and most reviews were critical. Bizet died after its 33rd performance, unaware that it would become a hit across Europe and beyond. Its Habanera, Seguidilla and Toreador Song are among the best-known operatic arias today.

so what

Carmen helped bridge traditional French opera and the more realistic style of late 19th-century Italian opera, and it changed what audiences expected from the form. Its success abroad shows how a work's reputation can take years to arrive.

fun fact

Its opening was so controversial that the composer never saw the international fame that followed.

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗