Bizet: Carmen

This notable recording followed immediately on from the famous Faggioni production at the 1977 Edinburgh Festival, a staging finely observed enough still to remain with those who were there.... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Release Date: 7th Mar 2005
Catalogue No: 4775342
Label: DG
Series: Originals
Length: 2 hours 36 minutes

Bizet: Carmen

2:36:38

$53.90

$68.60

Jean Lainé (speaker), Robert Lloyd (bass), Teresa Berganza (mezzo-soprano), Stuart Harling (baritone), Plácido Domingo (tenor), Yvonne Kenny (soprano), Patrick Criswell (chorus master), John McCarthy (chorus master), Alicia Nafé (mezzo-soprano), Ileana Cotrubas (soprano), Jean Lainé (tenor), Leslie Fyson (baritone), George Main (speaker), Richard Amner (baritone), Geoffrey Pogson (tenor), Sherrill Milnes (baritone), Gordon Sandison (baritone)
London Symphony Orchestra, Watson's George College Boys' Chorus, Ambrosian Singers
Claudio Abbado
Recorded: 1977-09-12
Recording Venue: St. John's, London

Overture (Prelude)

3:31

$1.10

$1.40

Introduction: "Sur la place chacun passe"

2:09

$1.10

$1.40

Regardez donc cette petite (Moralès, Les Soldats, Micaela)

4:09

$1.10

$1.40

Avec la garde montante (Choeur des Gamins)

2:34

$1.10

$1.40

Repos! (Zuniga, Moralès, Don José)

0:45

$1.10

$1.40

Allons! Allons! (Zuniga, Choeur des Gamins)

1:37

$1.10

$1.40

Dites-moi, brigadier? (Zuniga, Don José)

1:06

$1.10

$1.40

La cloche a sonné (Les Jeunes Gens, Les Soldats, Les Cigarières)

5:12

$1.10

$1.40

Mais nous ne voyons pas la Carmencita (Les Soldats, Les Jeunes Gens)

0:45

$1.10

$1.40

"Quand je vous aimerai?" - "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" (Havanaise) (Carmen, Choeur)

4:49

$1.10

$1.40

Carmen, sur tes pas, nous nous pressons tous (Les Jeunes Gens, Les Cigarières, Don José)

2:24

$1.10

$1.40

"Monsieur le brigadier?" - "Parle-moi de ma mère!" (Micaela, Don José / Don José, Micaela)

1:41

$1.10

$1.40

Votre mère avec moi sortait de la chapelle (Micaela, Don José)

2:19

$1.10

$1.40

Ma mère, je la vois.. (Don José, Micaela)

2:24

$1.10

$1.40

"Que son fils l'aime et la vénère" - "Eh bien, eh bien!" (Don José, Micaela / Zuniga)

4:04

$1.10

$1.40

Au secours! (Les Cigarières, Zuniga, Les Soldats)

3:19

$1.10

$1.40

"Voyons, brigadier..." - "Tra la la la..." (Zuniga, Don José, Carmen / Carmen, Zuniga, Les Cigarières, Un Soldat, Don José)

4:14

$1.10

$1.40

Chanson et Duo: "Près des remparts de Séville"

4:29

$1.10

$1.40

Le lieutenant!... Prenez garde. (Don José, Zuniga, Carmen)

2:06

$1.10

$1.40

Entracte (between Act I & II)

1:47

$1.10

$1.40

Les tringles des sistres tintaient (Carmen, Mercédès, Frasquita)

5:06

$1.10

$1.40

Vous avez quelque chose à nous dire (Zuniga, Pastia, Frasquita, andrès, Mercédès, Carmen)

1:15

$1.10

$1.40

"Tout est bien alors" - "Vivat! vivat le toréro!" (Carmen, Zuniga / Choeur, Zuniga, Mercédès, Frasquita, Escamillo, Carmen, Andrès, Pastia)

1:31

$1.10

$1.40

"Votre toast... je peux..." - "Toréador, en garde" (Escamillo , tout le monde , Pastia , Zuniga , Carmen / Choeur, Frasquita, Pastia, Dancaire,

8:00

$1.10

$1.40

Nous avons en tête une affaire! (Dancaire, Frasquita, Mercédès, Remendado, Carmen)

4:49

$1.10

$1.40

"Amoureuse... ce n'est pas une raison" - "Halte-là! Qui va là?" (Dancaire,Remendado,Frasquita,Mercédès, Carmen / Don José,Mercédès,Frasquita,Dancaire,Carmen)

2:33

$1.10

$1.40

Je vais danser en votre honneur (Carmen, Don José)

5:41

$1.10

$1.40

La fleur que tu m'avais jetée (Don José)

4:15

$1.10

$1.40

Non, tu ne m'aimes pas! (Carmen, Don José)

4:01

$1.10

$1.40

Holà! Carmen! Holà! (Zuniga, Don José, Carmen, Dancaire, Remendado, Les Bohémiens)

3:31

$1.10

$1.40

Suis-nous à travers la campagne (Frasquita, Mercédès, Dancaire, Remendado, Les Bohémiens, Les Bohémiennes)

1:48

$1.10

$1.40

Entracte (Between Act II & III)

3:00

$1.10

$1.40

Écoute, compagnon, écoute! (les Contrebandiers, Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen, Don José, Dancaire, Remendado)

4:40

$1.10

$1.40

Halte! nous allons nous arrêter ici! (Dancaire, Remendado, Don José, Carmen)

1:29

$1.10

$1.40

"Mêlons!" / "Mêlons!" / "Coupons!" (Frasquita, Mercédès)

3:20

$1.10

$1.40

Carreau! Pique!... La mort! (Carmen)

3:20

$1.10

$1.40

Parlez encore, parlez, mes belles (Frasquita, Mercédès, Carmen)

0:49

$1.10

$1.40

Eh! bien, j'avais raison. (Dancaire, Carmen, Remendado, Frasquita, Mercédès, Don José)

0:30

$1.10

$1.40

Quant au douanier, c'est notre affaire! (Carmen, Mercédès, Frasquita, Les Bohémiennes, Les Bohémiens, Dancaire, Remendado)

3:07

$1.10

$1.40

Nous y sommes (Le Guide, Micaela)

0:43

$1.10

$1.40

Je dis que rien ne m'épouvante (Micaela)

4:50

$1.10

$1.40

"Mais... je ne me trompe pas..." - "Je suis Escamillo, toréro de Grenade." (Micaela, Escamillo, Don José / Escamillo, Don José)

3:42

$1.10

$1.40

Holà, José! (Carmen, Escamillo, Dancaire, Don José, Les Contrebandiers, Les Contrebandières)

3:00

$1.10

$1.40

Halte! quelqu'un est là qui cherche à se cacher. (Remendado, Carmen, Dancaire, Don José, Micaela, Choeur)

5:07

$1.10

$1.40

Entr'acte

2:10

$1.10

$1.40

Choeur: "A dos cuartos!"

2:23

$1.10

$1.40

Les voici! voici le quadrille! (Choeur)

3:51

$1.10

$1.40

Si tu m'aimes, Carmen (Escamillo, Carmen, Frasquita, Mercédès)

3:19

$1.10

$1.40

"C'est toi!" "C'est-moi!"

9:24

$1.10

$1.40

About
Reviews
Explore

About

Studio recording, 1977

Reviews

2010

This notable recording followed immediately on from the famous Faggioni production at the 1977 Edinburgh Festival, a staging finely observed enough still to remain with those who were there. In it Berganza declared her aim of rescuing the role from bad traditions and from its insults to Spanish womanhood. Her reading was restrained, haughty, but no less attractive and haunting for that. She developed the character, as she does on the recording, from carefree gypsy to tragic woman and, in doing so, is scrupulous in her obedience to Bizet's notes, rhythms and dynamics. Nothing is exaggerated yet nothing is left out in this sensuous but never overtly sensual portrayal, bewitchingly sung.
Maybe you don't feel the full engagement of her emotions in her entanglement with José, but better a slight reticence than overacting.
Migenes, on the Maazel set, is more immediately seductive, and occasionally more varied in tonal colouring, but Berganza is the more subtle artist. She works in keen rapport with Abbado, who brings clarity of texture, Mediterranean fire and intense concentration to the score.
You may find more elegance, more Gallic wit in, say, Beecham's famous EMI set, but only Maazel of other conductors comes near Abbado's emphasis on close-knit ensemble and histrionic strength – and both their sets come as the result of experience of 'real' performances.
Domingo benefits here, as on the Maazel in the same way, being more involved in affairs. Like his Carmen, he sometimes lacks variety of colour in his singing, but its sheer musicality and, in the last two acts, power, count for much. Sherrill Milnes is at once virile and fatuous as Escamillo should be. Cotrubas makes a vulnerable, touching Micaëla. The dialogue is heavily foreshortened compared to rival sets. Abbado chooses some of the questionable Oeser alternatives, but – apart from the one in the finale – they aren't disturbing. The recording is first-rate.

Bizet: Carmen

Downloads

Contents