Success with L'Arlésienne Suite
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Bizet: 10 facts about the great composer
8. Success with L'Arlésienne Suite
After the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, during which Bizet served in the National Guard, he had a hit with an orchestral suite derived from his incidental music to Alphonse Daudet's play 'L'Arlésienne'. The music was dismissed by critics as too complex for popular taste but the suite received an enthusiastic reception.