Operas Complete Composer Music : Bizet: Carmen

Bizet: Carmen

£11.66

  1. Overture (Prelude) - London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  2. Introduction: Sur la place chacun passe - Stuart Harling, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, The Ambrosian Singers, John McCarthy
  3. Regardez donc cette petite (Moralès, Les Soldats, Micaela) - Stuart Harling, Ileana Cotrubas, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, The Ambrosian Singers, John McCarthy
  4. Avec la garde montante (Choeur des Gamins) - London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Watson s George College Boys Chorus, Patrick Criswell
  5. Repos! (Zuniga, Moralès, Don José) - Robert Lloyd, Stuart Harling, Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  6. Allons! Allons! (Zuniga, Choeur des Gamins) - Robert Lloyd, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Watson s George College Boys Chorus, Patrick Criswell
  7. Dites-moi, brigadier? (Zuniga, Don José) - Robert Lloyd, Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  8. La cloche a sonné (Les Jeunes Gens, Les Soldats, Les Cigarières) - The Ambrosian Singers, John McCarthy, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  9. Mais nous ne voyons pas la Carmencita (Les Soldats, Les Jeunes Gens) - The Ambrosian Singers, John McCarthy, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  10. Quand je vous aimerai? - L amour est un oiseau rebelle (Havanaise) (Carmen, Choeur) - Teresa Berganza, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, The Ambrosian Singers, John McCarthy
  11. Carmen, sur tes pas, nous nous pressons tous (Les Jeunes Gens, Les Cigarières, Don José) - Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, The Ambrosian Singers, John McCarthy
  12. Monsieur le brigadier? - Parle-moi de ma mère! (Micaela, Don José / Don José, Micaela) - Ileana Cotrubas, Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  13. Votre mère avec moi sortait de la chapelle (Micaela, Don José) - Ileana Cotrubas, Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  14. Ma mère, je la vois.. (Don José, Micaela) - Plácido Domingo, Ileana Cotrubas, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  15. Que son fils l aime et la vénère - Eh bien, eh bien! (Don José, Micaela / Zuniga) - Plácido Domingo, Ileana Cotrubas, Robert Lloyd, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  16. Au secours! (Les Cigarières, Zuniga, Les Soldats) - Robert Lloyd, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, The Ambrosian Singers, John McCarthy
  17. Voyons, brigadier... - Tra la la la... (Zuniga, Don José, Carmen / Carmen, Zuniga, Les Cigarières, Un Soldat, Don José) - Robert Lloyd, Plácido Domingo, Teresa Berganza, Richard Amner, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, The Ambrosian Singers, John McCarthy
  18. Chanson et Duo: Près des remparts de Séville - Teresa Berganza, Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  19. Le lieutenant!... Prenez garde. (Don José, Zuniga, Carmen) - Plácido Domingo, Robert Lloyd, Teresa Berganza, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  20. Entracte (between Act I & II) - London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  21. Les tringles des sistres tintaient (Carmen, Mercédès, Frasquita) - Teresa Berganza, Alicia Nafé, Yvonne Kenny, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  22. Vous avez quelque chose à nous dire (Zuniga, Pastia, Frasquita, andrès, Mercédès, Carmen) - Robert Lloyd, George Main, Yvonne Kenny, Jean Lainé, Alicia Nafé, Teresa Berganza, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  23. Tout est bien alors - Vivat! vivat le toréro! (Carmen, Zuniga / Choeur, Zuniga, Mercédès, Frasquita, Escamillo, Carmen, Andrès, Pastia) - Teresa Berganza, Robert Lloyd, Alicia Nafé, Yvonne Kenny, Sherrill Milnes, Jean Lainé, George Main, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, The Ambrosian Singers, John McCarthy
  24. Votre toast... je peux... - Toréador, en garde (Escamillo , tout le monde , Pastia , Zuniga , Carmen/ Choeur, Frasquita, Pastia, Dancaire, - Sherrill Milnes, George Main, Robert Lloyd, Teresa Berganza, Yvonne Kenny, Gordon Sandison, Geoffrey Pogson, Alicia Nafé, Jean Lainé, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, The Ambrosian Singers, John McCarthy
  25. Nous avons en tête une affaire! (Dancaire, Frasquita, Mercédès, Remendado, Carmen) - Gordon Sandison, Yvonne Kenny, Alicia Nafé, Geoffrey Pogson, Teresa Berganza, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
  26. Amoureuse... ce n est pas une raison - Halte-là! Qui va là? (Dancaire,Remendado,Frasquita,Mercédès, Carmen/Don José,Mercédès,Frasquita,Dancaire,Carmen) - Gordon Sandison, Geoffrey Pogson, Yvonne Kenny, Alicia Nafé, Teresa Berganza, Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

This is a super performance, slightly outside the common mould. In 1977, when this was recorded, Claudio Abbado was a great opera conductor, filled with sharp insights and a nice sense of the architecture of whole operas. He always seemed to know where he was going, and his ability to build to climaxes was second to none. Abbado has a rather elegant Carmen here in the smallish-voiced, introspective Teresa Berganza, a gorgeous singer who patently refuses to force her voice or her character into vulgarity. It s a fine reading. Placido Domingo is at his best in both intimate and maniacal moments, and Ileana Cotrubas s Micaela almost makes us care about this sappy little gal. Sherrill Milnes s Escamillo has plenty of swagger and voice. Berganza s subtlety combined with the wild passions of those around her make this a very good Carmen indeed. --Robert Levine

Sound quality? - Not too impressed with the quality of the recording... I was really hoping for something MUCH better than that. If someone could recommended a brilliant audio recording of Carmen that would be just fantastic. This one lets me down I think. The singing is top-drawer though.

Great performances all round! - I have the highlights of this on casette and cannot find a more satisfying version of Carmen.It was exceptionally well cast. Domingo (Don Jose) and Milnes (Escamillo)are both fabulously in full voice and Ileana Cotrubas the most moving Micaela I have ever heard. The greatest applause though must go to Teresa Berganza who really sings the title role to perfection with hot-blooded Spanish passion but also a confidence which commands our respect and sympathy, retaining musicality in every last note. I really do hope that Deutsche Gramaphon will re-release this because it well deserves another opportunity.

The best Carmen! - Berganza and Domingo are superb in this reading, as Carmen and Don Jose this couple have not been equalled. Berganza has a very special voice, some people believe Callas Carmen to be the best characterised but Berganza has a more brilliant tone and is very very spanish sounding. Domingo is magical as Don Jose, he is perhaps the very finest tenor of his generation in this repertoire and he sings with considerable style and fluency. Milnes and Cotrubas are very special also.Abbado really gets to the soul of Bizet s music with the LSO and the pre digital sound is warm and clear. A perfect set.




Bizet: Carmen