Product Details

• Actors: Grace Bumbry, Jon Vickers, Justino Díaz, Mirella Freni, Olivera Miljakovic
• Directors: Herbert von Karajan
• Format: Classical, Color, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: French (DTS 5.1), French (PCM Stereo)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, German, French
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Deutsche Grammophon
• DVD Release Date: June 14, 2005
• Run Time: 164 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0007P0LN4
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #62,094 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  #7 in	Movies & TV > Musicals & Performing Arts > Classical > By Performer > Freni, Mirella
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  #32 in	Movies & TV > Musicals & Performing Arts > Classical > By Performer > Karajan, Herbert von

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Bizet's tale of the fiery gypsy and her naive, ultimately murderous lover, is an operatic staple but few versions boast such well-acted, brilliantly sung leading roles. Grace Bumbry's Carmen is a beautiful, witty temptress, amused at the deliriums she induces. Bumbry's facial expressions and body movements help create a nuanced character, and her singing is compelling, especially effective in the big moments; the Habanera done with languorous flirtatiousness, the Seguedilla entrancing.

One of opera's greatest singing actors, Vickers portrays the unworldly soldier of Act One before morphing into the tortured hero torn between love and duty of Act Two and finally, the insane outlaw of the finale. He and Bumbry strike sparks in the tavern scene and his "Flower" aria is the vocal and emotional highlight, begun in a throaty half-voice and building into an overwhelmingly intense cri de coeur. Mirelli Freni's Micaela, the village girl Don Jose abandons for Carmen, acts and sings her arias with vocal beauty and charm to burn. Justino Diaz is a straightforward Escamillo in a part that wants more flair and self-centered smugness. Smaller roles are adequately done.

Herbert Von Karajan directed and conducts. He's seen during the Prelude and the entr'actes in his closed-eyes mode of conducting. This Munich-made film is based on 1967 Salzburg Festival performances. It's without obvious lip-synch problems, but busy camera work indulges in many meaningless close-ups, including a shoe-top view of von Karajan's hands. Not as cohesive as Kleiber's DVD or Levine's MET production, but a must-have for Bumbry and Vickers. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Karajan's Carmen finally on DVD... Excellent effort from Deutsche Grammophon, July 6, 2005

By	dooby - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

The 1967 film of Karajan's Salzburg production of Carmen is finally on DVD. This marked the first time Bizet's opera was recorded on film. For those who may be unfamiliar with it, this is not recorded at the Salzburg Festival, nor is it even a live recording. It is a filmed memento of the production which first premiered at the 1966 Salzburg Festival and was restaged for the 1967 festival with a slight change of cast. Karajan was notorious for avoiding live recordings. He wanted the kind of perfection in his recordings which could only be achieved in the studio. The music was recorded at the Sofiensaal in Vienna and the filming itself took place in Munich, Germany. It is a lip-synched performance but very well done. Production values are very high. The staging is superb, from the sumptuous sets, to the gorgeous costumes, to the huge supporting cast which even included riders on horseback.

There are several differences between the original festival production and the film version. Karajan managed to assemble some of the finest forces available for the festival. For the film itself he went even further, bringing in the venerable Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vienna State Opera Chorus and Children's Chorus to replace the original Salzburg Festival Orchestra and Chorus. He changed the line-up of singers several times until he was satisfied he had the right mix. He even imported the Ballet de España, preferring them for authenticity over the traditional Staatsoper ballet.

A still young Grace Bumbry is in full bloom here as the sultry, fiery Carmen. Jon Vickers does an excellent job spanning the emotional spectrum from shy young soldier to jealous lover to enraged murderer. Mirella Freni with her wonderfully expressive voice is simply enchanting as the kind, noble-hearted Micaëla. She outshines everyone else here and tends to steal every scene she is in. And of course you get to see long stretches of Karajan himself, in the Prelude and the three Entr'actes, eyes perpetually closed, seemingly in bliss as he conducts the Vienna Philharmonic in the darkened orchestra pit. The effect is to give the impression that we are watching a live performance. And that performance is without question a glorious triumph.

As a note of interest, Karajan performs the older version of Carmen using the sung recitatives written by Ernest Guiraud. He would later re-record Carmen for Deutsche Grammophon (with Baltsa, Carreras, Van Dam, Ricciarelli & the BPO) using the longer 1964 Oeser Critical Edition with its expanded music and Bizet's original spoken dialogue. Bumbry, Vickers and Freni would also go on to record the newer version with spoken dialogue under Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. But this is the only occasion when the principal participants would come together and as an historical document, old or new, it is to be treasured. Another peculiarity of this production is Karajan's inclusion of music from Bizet's "L'Arlésienne", including the famous showstopping Farandole for the extended Spanish Dance sequence at Lillas Pastia's tavern. This was obviously meant as a showcase for the Ballet de España and they acquit themselves admirably.

This film was shot in 1.37:1 aspect ratio (fullscreen). The brilliant colors of the costumes and sets are caught in full technicolor splendor. Deutsche Grammophon has either gotten hold of a pristine print or has taken the trouble of restoring it for DVD. It looks superb. There is almost no dirt or nicks to speak of. The picture is crystal clear and sharp. The colors really leap out. A lovely transfer overall. Sound is in the original uncompressed PCM stereo along with a new DTS 5.1 remix. The sound is good, although a mite aggressive. I personally prefer the plain old stereo. There are 53 cuing tracks but unfortunately no direct access via the menu - you need to read the track contents from the booklet. The original French libretto, along with English and Spanish translations are available as optional subtitles. This is an altogether outstanding production of Carmen which more than holds its own against later cinematic versions.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dream cast, March 15, 2006

By	C. Boerger (Columbus, OH USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Herbert von Karajan was certainly an ambitious devil. Not content with being a great conductor, he insisted on "dabbling" in film, making a series of opera movies. This Carmen is one of them, and it proves the conductor to be quite talented as a visual artist. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have a cast this good, which is as close to perfect as you are likely to get.

The film itself is lovely to look at. The costumes are beautiful, the sets spacious and realistic, and quite gritty(appropriate, considering the setting and earthy subject matter), and the use of camera angles is revealing of character, glorious during some of the crowd scenes, frequently imaginative. The scene in the first act where the gypsy girls sit on the steps of the cigarette factory and languidly sing is colorful, artistically staged, worthy of a painting. The way Escamillo connects with his female admirers during the Toreador Song is well staged. The flamenco and ballet scenes(inserting music from L'Arlesienne) are choreographed superbly. And of course the closeups of Carmen at her most seductive or Don Jose at his most angst-ridden are priceless. One caveat, the film is dubbed, but the quality of the dubbing is very professional, most of the time it's hardly noticeable, rarely is it distracting.

On to the singing actors. John Vickers has his detractors, but I am not one of them. Critics suggest that his voice is not beautiful enough, but I find no evidence of this, particularly in this performance. His Flower Song is heart-rending, enough to melt the heart of any Carmen. His Don Jose has a soul, a wounded soul in fact, loyal(in love at least) to a murderous fault while aware of its own weaknesses. It's a mesmerizing performance.

Mirella Freni has the correct ingenuous beauty, as well as the vocal chops to pull off a ravishing performance as Micaela. It's not a large role for such a big name, but Freni makes it large through the sheer force of her lung power. Her act three aria is among the opera's, and this film's, highlights.

Justino Diaz is a suave, handsome Escamillo with a powerful baritone voice. The Toreador song is sometimes difficult to pull off, with singer and orchestra competing for center stage, but Diaz olds his own against the forces of the Weiner Philharmoniker.

As for Grace Bumbry, what can you say? Her Carmen is absolutely smoking HOT!!!! Not only is her Carmen among the best I've ever heard, it is probably THE best I have ever seen. Instead of playing Carmen as an oversexed mankiller, she brings layers of intelligence and sophistication to the role, which not only makes her character more logical, it makes the unfolding of events more logical as well, and, as a result, this is probably the most thoroughly satisfying Carmen from my experience. Simply astonishing!

Von Karajan and his orchestral forces give a vital interpretation of the score, slow at times but always involving. I noticed only one cut, in the final duet between Carmen and Don Jose. Overall, the sound quality is very good. From an aural standpoint, you aren't likely to find a better Carmen anywhere.

Nor from a visual standpoint. The filmmaking is surprisingly good, and the video transfer is superb, bringing a brightness and purity to the colorful images.

Highly recommended.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Carmen, June 25, 2005

A Kid's Review

Deutsche Grammophone, a record label and now a terrific Opera-on-DVD label, has outdone themselves recently. This Carmen on film, of a Salzburg Festival production, is just one of many currently released operas on DVD by the DG label - on the market now are Cavelleria Rusticana/I Pagliacci starring Placido Domingo, Tosca starring Domingo and Raina Kabainskava, the Domingo-Mirella Freni Madame Butterfly and the Otello starring Jon Vickers and Mirella Freni. This is hands down the most perfect Carmen. I would love to see a newer staged production similar to this one. Thanks to fine art direction/cinematography (and lovely Technicolor) this 1967 production is a dream come true and a fine document to the artists who poured their hearts into this opera- the magical and illustrious conductor Herbert Von Karajan (who throughout conducts the orchestra with his eyes closed and quite confidently and passionately)mezzo soprano Grace Bumbry in her youngest and earliest captured Carmen in a performace that is to this date unsurpassed, tenor Jon Vickers as a strong, passionate and obscessed Don Jose, Mirella Freni as a noble and lovely Micaela and baritone Justino Diaz as a handsome and magnetic Escamillo. The set design, though not elaborate or lavish as a Zefferelli production, is authentically and quintessentially Spanish and charming. Costumes are also top-notch- men in tailored shirts and pants, women looking like Gypsies and Bumbry has fine eye-pleasaing costumes which show off her figure and cleavage. The white gown in the Lilas Pastias scene is lovely as is the red gown she wears in the last act at the bullfight. The houses look Mexican in design, there's even a guitar hanging on a wall. Very beautiful.

Grace Bumbry gives it her all as Carmen. She performs the character with nuance, playfulness and ease- as if she's having fun in the role. "Habanera" and "Seguidilla" and the Gypsy Song and Dance sequence are all executed with great flair. Bumbry is Carmen, immersed in the character right to the skin. Her reading of the Death Card aria is expressive and grand. She has real chemistry with Jon Vickers. He is the most convincing Don Jose to me. He has a strong, robust voice and masculine appearance, and he goes from shy soldier to enamored admirer of Carmen to possessive and crazed with jealousy. When he stabs Carmen, it comes as no surprise, and Carmen knew it was coming too. This is a fine production and we will never again see the likes of it. It is impressive in every single way. Please go out and buy this and other Deutsche Grammophone operas on DVD. Thanks Deutsche Grammophone! Keep up the outstanding work!