Tchaikovsky composed his first opera in 1867 it was called Voyevoda. ... The melody was also derived from his first opera, The Voevoda. ... When Tchaikovsky first heard Georges Bizet's Carmen, it soon changed his life. In a letter that he wrote to Nadezhda von Meck, he wrote this about his opinion of the opera Carmen. ... To me, Carmen is a masterpiece in the sense of the word: that is, one of those rare works which uniquely reflect the musical aspirations of an entire era (Holden 103). ...

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• Grade Level: High School