B’s for brilliant, his student career,
I’s for into opera, where he steered,
Z’s for Zimmermann[1], a prof who cheered,
E’s for earlier than airy Claude Debussy,
T’s for The Conservatoire, that’s where Georges went to score.

As a child he came through that door.

Bizet studied counterpoint and fugue,
Bizet showed an early talent huge.
For Prix de Rome manna, he submitted a cantata.
Girl he hitched was kinda cute.

B’s for butts he smoked, I fear to say,
I’s irritation laryngeally,
Z’s for “Zut! an epithet that’s nearly sweary,
E’s for Europe, region where he decided to stay,
T’s for throat made sore by galling Gauloises he adored.

Perhaps absinthe he should have poured.

Bizet’s talent languished. . .got the blues,
Bizet then was prompted by his muse
and there came some big news: “Carmen” had made its grand début;
Bizet became pretty cool.

“Bizet,” fans chanted, “you rule!”
Bizet had a brand-new ’tude.
“Carmen” became big news; its grand début fulfilled the but.[2]
Bizet, though, was soon to lose
(that’s a bad pun on Toulouse).

His vice was butts, not the booze.

Gone before his time was due.[3]



[1] Bizet was admitted to the Conservatoire on 9 October 1848, two weeks before his 10th birthday. He made an early impression; within six months he had won first prize in solfège, a feat that impressed Pierre-Joseph-Guillaume Zimmermann, the Conservatoire's former professor of piano.
[2] goal
[3] 25 October 1838 – 3 June 1875