As opposed to what Offenbach saw as the predictable plotlines of the Italian opera buffa, the composer claimed that opéra comique demonstrated the French love of wit and mischief as well as a greater variety of forms. In 1856 the composer Jacques Offenbach published an extensive guide to the tradition, which he considered distinctively French. Thus opéra comique should not be considered a distinct genre but rather a procedure involving the juxtaposition of lyrical and spoken sections. Nevertheless, it is important to note that most French composers, obsessed with the accurate labeling of their works, did not feel that the term was widely applicable. It was not until the early 19th century that the term was consistently used in its modern sense, that is, to denote a French opera with newly composed music and spoken dialogue. One of the earliest French works demonstrating the influence of opera buffa was Le devin du village of 1752 composed by the famous philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau. The French composers were not slavish imitators, however, and utilized spoken dialogue à la Molière and simpler strophic arias (the French word is "air") approximating popular song. This work led to a rather embittered dispute over the proper aesthetics of musical theater, and had a profound influence on French operatic composition.
The year 1752 saw the introduction of a third influence on opéras comiques when a touring Italian troupe brought the highly successful opera buffa La serva padrona by Pergolesi to Paris. The latter in particular was famous for lampooning middle-class foibles while combining vocal music, dance and dialogue featuring witty repartee. During the course of its development, opéra comique drew on many influences, most prominently vaudeville and the comédie-ballets of Molière (that is, a combination of a comic play with ballets in between the acts). The term opéra comique originated in the 18th century and designated a stage work consisting of pre-existing tunes and spoken dialogue.
It was at the Opéra-Comique that the premiere of Bizet's Carmen took place, and this opera should be viewed as participating, albeit not always comfortably, within the parameters of the tradition of opéra comique. The Opéra presented French grand opera and attracted the upper class the Opéra-Comique drew members of the middle class and presented lighter works, loosely referred to as "opéras comiques." Each theater staged works stemming from a specific operatic tradition and catering to a specific audience. In 1872, when Georges Bizet received the commission that would result in the composition of Carmen, there were two subsidized opera houses operating in Paris: the Opéra and the Opéra-Comique.
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