Bizet: Carmen [Box set]

Georges Bizet (Composer), Herbert von Karajan (Conductor), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Paris Opera Choir (Performer), Katia Ricciarelli (Performer), Heinz Zednik (Performer), José Carreras (Performer), Agnes Baltsa (Performer), Alain Pilard (Performer), Alexander Malta (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Paris Opera Choir, Katia Ricciarelli, Heinz Zednik, José Carreras, Agnes Baltsa, et al.
• Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Herbert von Karajan
• Composer: Georges Bizet
• Audio CD (November 17, 1983)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B000001G4J
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #41,940 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

If you're going to start with one opera, make it Carmen. It's full of memorable melodies, fascinating situations, and gripping drama. Herbert von Karajan and his colleagues give a polished account that revels in the beauty and color of the score. --Ted Libbey

Product Description

No Description Available.
Genre: Classical Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 17-NOV-1983

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars L'Amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle..., June 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bizet: Carmen (Audio CD)

I fully agree with Ted Libbey: this marvelous recording can be a perfect introduction to the world of opera. Maestro Von Karajan achieves his trademark perfection with the Berliners and with the cast of ideal singers for Biset's masterpiece. Baltsa is simultaneously playful, witty, self-indulgent, and dangerous Carmen. She has a very long vocal phrase; and what a fiery rendition of "Les tringles des sistres tintailent"! Jose Carreras shows Don Jose's character development extremely well, from ardent and passionate, ready-to-leave-everything young soldier to a man obsessed; gradually you begin to believe Don Jose could kill. His Flower Song is very gentle and tender, as opposed to the war-cries often displayed by others. The final scene is so vividly acted, I had "tingles down my spine". Katia Ricciarelli is fully "at home" with a role of angel-like Micaela, her 1st Act duet with Carreras is one of the most beautiful things one could ever hear. Van Dam brings out everything we like to see in Escamillo: single-mindedness, arrogance, and swagger. Karajan uses an interesting orchestral arrangement of the Toreador Song before "Tout d'un coup, on fait silence..." making you imagine the pause just before the bull charges. He also slows it down a bit, increasing the tension throughout and the last chords of it are like wineglasses clashing triumphantly together. Supporting roles are taken by some impressive vocal powers, including Jane Barbie and Gino Quilico. Digital recording and great liner notes made this set more preferable to me than the celebrated Solti set, although that one too has great singing and conducting. Nothing else comes close. Btw, there is a Carmen video featuring Baltsa and Carreras, also from DG, fantastically sang and recorded.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars C'est Magnifique!..., August 27, 2010

By 

Sébastien Melmoth (Hôtel d'Alsace, PARIS) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bizet: Carmen (Audio CD)

*
Sometimes it's interesting to `objectify' operatic works by auditing them simply as `pure' music--apart from any visual or theatrical considerations: after all, the genre of oratorio is virtually equivalent to a concert performance (i.e., unstaged reading) of an opera.

And so music aficionados at home may enjoy recordings of operas for their musical entertainment value alone.
(Of course it helps to know the characters and plot.)

In any case, for rich mellifluous musical sound Karajan's Carmen (1983) fits the bill in terms of gorgeous orchestral sound and satisfying vocalizations: mon Dieu!--can there be anything as ecstatic, pure and lovely as the Act I No. 6 duet `Tu la verras!' (`You will see her!') between Micaëla and Don José?

The closely-miked spoken dialogue between numbers is in very idiomatic well-pronounced French lending a modernistic aura to the production.

Karajan's tempi throughout are most gratifying: not too brisk yet precisely maintained--(Bizet's score has rhythmic interest aplenty and need not be rushed).

Admirable though Abbado's Carmen (1978) is, Karajan's reading here is incomparable.

(Now for visual/theatrical interest, `tis doubtful anyone can exceed the world's reigning Carmen--the stunning Elina Garanca.)
*
Karajan's Bizet's L'Arlesienne Bizet: L'Arlesienne / Carmen Suites
Gould's Bizet's Variations Chromatiques Glenn Gould's First Recordings of Grieg & Bizet
Graham Johnson's Bizet's Mélodies Songs by Bizet
Bernstein's Bizet's C-major Symphony Bizet: Symphony No. 1; Offenbach: Gaite Parisienne
*

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Karajan's 2nd Carmen: His Best. Powerful!!!!, March 8, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Bizet: Carmen (Audio CD)

Agnes Baltsa [Carmen] ** José Carreras [Don José] ** José van Dam (baritone) [Escamillo] ** Katia Ricciarelli [Micaëla] ** Christine Barbaux (soprano) [Frasquita] ** Jane Berbié (soprano) [Mercédès] ** Alexander Malta (bass) [Zuniga] ** Mikael Melbye (baritone) [Moralès] ** Gino Quilico (baritone) [Le Dancaïr] ** Heinz Zednik (tenor) [Le Remendado] ** Michel Marinpouille (tenor) [Andrès] ** Berlin Philharmonic ** Herbert von Karajan (conductor]

There is no doubt in my mind that this studio recording is by far the most powerful Carmen I've ever heard. This 80's recording captures both the lush, beautiful musicality of this opera-comique and the intense visceral "verisimo" drama, thanks to the efforts of Karajan and his illustrious Berlin forces and the great singing from Agnes Baltsa, Jose Carreras, Katia Ricciarelli and Jose Van Dam.

Karajan had previously recorded Carmen in the 70's, in a more dramatic, overblown fashion when he conducted the Vienna Phil with the voices of Leontyne Price and Franco Corelli. Although that recording has its individual merit, it was not really his best effort. He had scored greater success with Grace Bumbry in the lead role and Jon Vickers as Don Jose, productions he conducted at the Salzburg Festival in the late 60's. In the 80's he was a white-haired old man, the image many younger music lovers remember him from after seeing videos and recording covers he was in fact experiencing the last phase of his career before his death in the late 80's. He is nevertheless a supremely gifted conductor, masterful and able to bring out the best from his orchestra. The Berlin is actually better than the Vienna Phil in his earlier recording with Leontyne Price. The Berlin forces weave great music, capturing the colorful slices of life in this steamy, sordid opera. Yes, it is of the "grand opera" and verisimo vein and not the more simplistic, opera-comique Carmen but it is absolutely powerful in its wake. Karajan has never done a better job. It is his second recorded Carmen and his best.

Each of the singers bring a vitality and nuance to their performance and sing with the freshness of their prime. It is not surprising to find Jose Carreras and Katia Ricciarelli in the same cast. Theses two worked well together and recorded and performed operas throughout the 80's, even carrying out an affair together. Ricciarelli and Carreras as Don Jose and Micaela sing with glorious harmony, making their romance all the more tragic because Don Jose rejects the purity of her love and destroys himself in his passionate relationship with the temptress Carmen. Their duet in the beginning feels prolonged but that's a great thing because their voices are so beautiful to hear together.

From the beginning, Jose Carreras sings with a darker voice. He understands that Don Jose becomes obscessed with Carmen and develops a psychosis. It is a rich, powerful and masculine voice, albeit darker and edgier than even Jon Vickers and Placido Domingo. He sings everyting with great passion, despite the fact that his voice may not have done what he may have wanted it to. He is somehow, strangely, through sheer force of will, the best Don Jose, the most dramatically satisfying. His detractors and critics claim he was in bad vocal shape, at least in regards to his age (he was past his prime, he had been operated for leukemia, etc) and worse, his Don Jose has been called "melodramatic, hysterical". I whole-heartedly disagree. Carreras sings with so much integrity to the character's essence that he single-handedly blows all other contenders away. I've heard them all- Franco Corelli (in the Leontyne Price recording) Placido Domingo (in the Berganza recording and the Obraztsova, and Migenes movies) and Jon Vickers (in the recording and film with Grace Bumbry). His tenor voice is right on target for the darker side of Don Jose. He is passionate, yet lyrical in the first part and by the climatic finale he is understandably pushed to the edge. There is definate chemistry between Carreras and Baltsa and they would also make a film of the Metropolitan Opera stage production, which is wonderful. Please give Carreras a chance. He is the best Don Jose I've ever heard.

Ricciarelli is a very nuanced, soulful Micaela, bringing passion and grandeur to the role, instead of singing the role like a shrinking violet. This Micaela is willing to fight to get her man back from Carmen. In this way, she is a lot like Mirella Freni, who also sang a feistier Micaela. Ricciarelli is in great vocal form, and her rendition of "Je Dis" is beautiful and heart-felt. Those who have criticized her for what they feel is forced singing didn't really listen to the recording. She is mannered, she is mellow and in control. She has a genuinely dramatic way of singing, but then again, I've already made the comparison to Mirella Freni, whose Micaela is also dramatic. Quite frankly, this is the way Micaela should be sung. She is still a soprano, usually the lead in an opera and Ricciarelli understands that if she doesn't impress in the few moments she has in the opera, then she is letting the mezzo-soprano take all the glory. Ricciarelli is wonderful here and Micaela is one of her greatest roles, despite the fact she moved on to sing heavier roles like Tosca, Leonora, Aida and Turandot. She is probably better in the subdued lyrical roles then the heavier roles.

Jose Van Dam's Escamillo is dark, "butch" and strongly sung. He has a sharp musical intelligence and recognizes that Escamillo is also not the star but has his moments of radiance. He sings the famous Toreador Aria with great gusto and power. Karajan's slow conducting and colorful orchestration allows his few moments in the opera to really burst with maximum energy. Upon hearing Jose Van Dam's Escamillo, one can understand why Carmen jilts the now lackluster Don Jose. Van Dam is absolutely superb.

Last but certainly not least, there is Agnes Baltsa's Carmen. She was born to sing this role. It is a Carmen of several levels- she is playful (listen to how she slides her voice in the Habanera and Seguidilla) she is feminine but wordly. If she sounds mature and not youthful this is still to her credit. Carmen is a wordly, experienced libertine. Baltsa lives the character in ever scene. She sings with great power and beauty. The Death Card Aria has a tragic quality to it and she sings with a resigned spirit, acknowledging her fate. More than any other mezzo-soprano who has sung Carmen on record, to my knowledge, she really acts the hell out of that final scene. She is singing with grand flair, dramatic to the point she is boiling over with rage. Listen to how she emotes when she declares "Libre Elle Nee e Libre elle Morra" (I was born free and I shall die free!) and "E Bien! Frappe-Moi Donc, Or Lassez Ma Passe! (Very Well Then! Kill Me! Or Let Me Pass!). Finally, she nearly cracks her voice with the high, anguished cry of "C'este Autefrois Que Tu Me Vais Donne - TIENS!!!" (This ring you once gave me - TAKE IT!!!). Both Carreras and Baltsa take the trophy when it comes to dramatically belting out this famous scene in opera.


Once upon a time I thought that Jon Vickers and Grace Bumbry were the greatest Carmen/Don Jose interpretors. I don't believe that anymore after hearing Jose Carreras and Agnes Baltsa.