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The Toreador Song is the popular name for the aria "Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre" from the opera Carmen, composed by Georges Bizet to a libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. It is sung by the bullfighter Escamillo as he enters in act 2 (toréador is a French term for "bullfighter") and describes various situations in the bullring, the cheering of the crowds and the fame that comes with victory. The refrain, "Toréador, en garde", forms the middle part of the prelude to act 1 of Carmen.
Music
The Bass-baritone couplet has a vocal range from A3 to F4 and a tessitura from B-flat3 to E-flat4. Its time signature is common time (4
4), its key is F minor with the refrain in F major. The tempo indication is allegro molto moderato, =108. Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Moralès, Zuniga and the chorus join for the repeat of the refrain.