Page "Georges Bizet" Paragraph 18

In the summer of 1859 Bizet and several companions travelled in the mountains and forests around Anagni and Frosinone.

They also visited a convict settlement at Anzio ; Bizet sent an enthusiastic letter to Marmontel, recounting his experiences.

In August he made an extended journey south to Naples and Pompeii, where he was unimpressed with the former but delighted with the latter: " Here you live with the ancients ; you see their temples, their theatres, their houses in which you find their furniture, their kitchen utensils ..." Bizet began sketching a symphony based on his Italian experiences, but made little immediate headway ; the project, which became his Roma symphony, was not finished until 1868.

On his return to Rome Bizet successfully requested permission to extend his stay in Italy into a third year, rather than going to Germany, so that he could complete " an important work " ( which has not been identified ).

In September 1860, while visiting Venice with his friend and fellow-laureate Ernest Guiraud, Bizet received news that his mother was gravely ill in Paris, and made his way home.