Georges Bizet, originally named Alexandre César Léopold Bizet, was born on October 25, 1838, in Paris, France. He became a significant figure in the Romantic era of music, primarily known for his operatic compositions. Bizet's early musical talents were nurtured by his family; his father, Adolphe, was a singing teacher, and his mother, Aimée Delsarte, was an accomplished pianist. His musical aptitude led to his early admission to the Paris Conservatoire at the age of nine, where he studied under influential composers such as Charles Gounod and Fromental Halévy.

Throughout his education, Bizet won numerous awards, including the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1857 for his cantata "Clovis et Clotilde." This accolade provided him with a state pension and the opportunity to study at the French Academy in Rome. Despite his evident talent and early successes, Bizet faced challenges in establishing his career. Upon returning to Paris after his studies in Rome, he found the local opera scene resistant to new works, which led him to earn a living by arranging and transcribing music.

Bizet's operatic endeavors during the 1860s, such as "Les pêcheurs de perles" and "La jolie fille de Perth," did not achieve immediate success. However, his orchestral suite from "L'Arlésienne" gained popularity. His final opera, "Carmen," premiered on March 3, 1875, and initially received a lukewarm reception. Tragically, Bizet died of a heart attack on June 3, 1875, at the age of 36, just three months after the premiere of "Carmen." He did not live to see its eventual acclaim as one of the most celebrated works in the opera repertoire.

Bizet's marriage to Geneviève Halévy was intermittently happy and produced one son. After his death, his music, aside from "Carmen," was largely neglected, with many manuscripts lost or altered by others. Despite this, Bizet's legacy as a composer of brilliance and originality was later recognized, and his works began to be more frequently performed in the 20th century.