But it was clear that Bizet was intrigued by her charms, when he visits her frequently in her house (her husband was dead by than). She bought a piano at his request, and often invited Bizet over to compose at his pleasure. Bizet always play when she is there, claiming that her presence inspire him. According to his biographers and musicologist, Bizet "borrowed- a song by Sebastia¡n Yradier, "El Arregilito- for Carmen's "Habañera-. He came to know about this composer when La Mogador sang his songs (Brener, 1996). .
Many critics have asked the question, did Bizet get his inspiration for Carmen from the original novel by Mérimée, or was Céleste Vénard the real Carmen? The Carmen in the original novel was no femme fatale, who rejected Don José not because there was another man (José already killed his rival in love in the early stage of the novel, leaving no competition at the end), but because she did not want to elope with him. That Carmen does not twist her admirers under her little finger with sensual tactics, as does Bizet's. "Moderation is no part of my nature I feel with a passion that devours me I have always been capricious and proud so the men to whom I have given the most are those who asked least of me."" These are the exact words found in Céleste Vénard's Mémoires. These words seems hauntingly familiar, as Carmen sings the Habañera, "L'amour est un oisau rebelled que nul ne peut apprivoiser, aimes pas, jet'aime; si je t'aime, prends garde á toi! (Love is a rebellious bird that no one can tame, If you do not love me, I love you; if I love you, watch out!)- (Brener, 1996; Waugh, 1996).
Carmen was not accepted publicly during its premier, and many years after that. The sensual, free-spirited, cigarette-smoking gypsy girl was too much to bear for the audience at that time, who were used to seeing bourgeois melodramas of well behaved, mild-mannered court ladies (Bizet's Carmen).