Habanera has been interpreted in various ways, but it’s doubtful many have been able to equal this effort in terms of hilarity.
It comes from the Polish cabaret act Mozart Group. While bouncing a ping pong ball in time with the music, the violinist manages to perform an impressive pizzicato of the famous melody from Bizet’s opera Carmen.
And if that’s not enough, he even enhances the Habanera rendition with some vocals. Now that’s an impressive skill set!
Mozart Group is a string quartet that seeks to display a more humorous side to performing. They point out on their website that they exist “despite the sober formality of great concert halls, despite the boredom of classical musicians’ life.” The quartet has been together since 1995 and performs around the world.
Few composers have been immune from the comedy treatment meted out by Mozart Group. They have reinterpreted compositions by their namesake, Wolfgang Amadeus, and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, which as you can see in this clip they transform into a bluegrass-inspired fiddle tune, among other things.