 Bizet 's next major assignment came from Carvalho , who was now managing Paris ' Vaudeville theatre and wanted incidental music for Alphonse Daudet 's play L 'Arlésienne . When the play opened on 1 October the music was dismissed by critics as too complex for popular taste . However , encouraged by Reyer and Massenet , Bizet fashioned a four @-@ movement suite from the music , which was performed under Pasdeloup on 10 November to an enthusiastic reception . In the winter of 1872 – 73 , Bizet supervised preparations for a revival of the still @-@ absent Gounod 's Roméo et Juliette at the Opéra @-@ Comique . Relations between the two had been cool for some years , but Bizet responded positively to his former mentor 's request for help , writing : " You were the beginning of my life as an artist . I spring from you " . 
