Customer Reviews

Bizet: Carmen

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4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

There are several great versions of Carmen. Others include de los Angeles and Beecham, Maazel with Domingo and Maginnes, and even the old recording with Fritz Reiner has something to recommend it. However, this recording has to be on the top of any list.

The role fits Callas to a T. Pretre does a wonderful job conducting, and Gedda is excellent. But it is Callas' ability to get into the skin of the character and radiate Carmen's sexuality and unpredictability, as well as her despair and desparation, that makes this version special.

So if you want to own just one version, and you must have the finest modern sound, get the Maazel. On the other hand, if you want the most interesting conducting, get the Beecham. But if you want the most interesting Carmen, get this one. Serious opera lovers who understand that the fullest appreciation of a work comes from hearing different excellent versions will eventually buy all three.

I am a Callas fan but I don't run to her recordings based on just the fact that she's singing on them; for me all my favorite opera recordings have to bring the characters to life in ways that I can understand them, musically, dramatically and psychologically. Callas, for me, doesn't beat out other great singers for every possible operatic characterization; she does, however, beat them out with Carmen. Yes her voice here is a bit rife with Callas-prone idiosyncracies, some breaks... I've heard this performance called "ragged"; however after owning this version, all other Carmens I've listened to have sounded bland and missing something necessary. Callas's so-called "ragged" voice (very often gorgeous sounding) conjures up a breathtakingly husky portrait of the alluring gypsy; her crooning and fiery flashes are all tremendously exciting. Her mocking tones are beautifully understated; sharply angry sometimes, sexy another, but never raucous or coarse. I hate a vulgar Carmen. It is wonderful to hear what a great vocal actress can make of this complex character -- Callas never just "stands and sings" a melody, she involves herself in the psychology of the music, and here, with Carmen, it really pays off. There are two other elements in this recording which make it my unmatchable Carmen. Nicolai Gedda is perfectly paired as her Don Jose. I know it's just me... and a weird theory, but while I've occasionally been disappointed in his Italianate performances, his voice somehow takes on layers of deep golden beauty when he sings in the French language (his Faust and Hoffmann portrayals are unparalleled)... full of ardent heroism and melting passion... Gedda sometimes leaves the realm of men and sounds like a god. This Don Jose is close to being the best possible on record. His scenes with Callas are knock-outs musically. And then my final reason for worshipping this recording is Pretre's interpretation of the music. His conducting brings out so much of the sensuality in the music... it's beautiful and vivid. Pretre understands Carmen, the woman and the story. It's true that there are other fine Carmen recordings out there... most notably the magnificent Thomas Beecham version with a silvery De Los Angeles and again a marvelous Gedda (though his chemistry with Callas is more gripping); however I just donated that version to my library after realizing I somehow always needed a Callas/Pretre fix after listening to it. This is really quite a Carmen performance; an all-around wonderful recording.

There are so many Carmen-recordings, every mezzo, contralto and even sopranos attempted it, even coloratura-sopranos like Patti (The only flop in her illustrious career) and Sills (Sadly miscast, she was better in Massenet) tackled the role. Yet the truly great Carmens can be counted on one, well, maybe two hands. The earliest recording, featuring dramatic soprano Emmy Destinn is amazing but not in great sound (Obviously). The next great Carmen would be Rise Stevens, in a rather unknown studio-recording. I prefer her live-recording by a long shot. A seductive, dark mezzo of rarely matched beauty. After this Victoria de los Angeles takes the crown. The Spanish Falcon-soprano, who was also a sublime Charlotte (Only Vallin was even greater) was an elegant, velvet-like, seductive gypsy with cold elegance. A very refined portrait of a character that has been portrayed as a slut way too often. The most fabulous Italian Carmen is without a doubt Giulietta Simionato whose live-recordings with di Stefano and Corelli thrill, excite and seduce with their fire, lust and passion. And then came Maria Callas, a Greek soprano whose repertoire was that of a true soprano sfogato, anything from belcanto to Wagner's Isolde and Brünnhilde could be found there. She had been approached to do Eboli, Carmen, Dalilah, Marie (!) and other roles she sadly never sang on stage. Callas describes Bizet's Carmen vs. the original Carmen as described in Prosper Merimee's novel. Her Carmen has elements of both. The independent lust for freedom, the way she drives men to insanity cruelly, how she uses and manipulates them with her charms only to abandon them after a short time. Escamillo, her last lover clearly states that Carmen's "love" is short-lived. And that is what we hear in Callas' portrayal. When obeyed she oozes charm and sexual energy, when opposed or held she breathes fire. Her Carmen finds her man's weakness and thrusts her vocal dagger into it without mercy and when she has won him over at last she purrs like a kitten. Her habanera is not a song for men, it is the philosophy of her life without a care in the world. She defies life and death and Callas, who sounded so light and tender as Amina sounds dark, luscious and haunting here. Her segeduilla has the nature of the heartless seductress. For her freedom she is willing to do anything. As she says later when someone askes her why she's in love with him: "He's a pretty boy and he pleases me!". In the gypsy song we hear one of the hottest scene ever recorded in the studio. Callas' fierce "Tralala!" is almost orgasmic. Imagine her, the dark beauty that she was, dancing this scene! In the love-scene she first toys with him, when he has to obey the bugle-call she mocks him, tortures him. This is responded to with Don José's flower-song, one of the sweetest arias imaginable. But Carmen is not satisfied. He must come with her! Notice how Callas' sounds dangerously fierce, yet warm and smooth on "La libérté!". As we hear the third act only a shadow of her desire remains. She sounds positively annoyed with him and when Escamillo comes her voice blooms to new beautiful heights despite the forlorn, even sad tone of the card-aria before where Carmen sees her own death in the cards. Act four contains some of the most glorious singing Callas ever recorded. Observing the tenderness in the short love-duet with Escamillo I assume that Carmen is truly in love for the first time. There is no danger in her voice, just love. But the confrontation with Don José who went with his former friend and fiance to console his dying mother had to come. In this duet we hear Callas at her wildest, proudest and most defying. She treats him coldly, the only time we hear a glint of feeling is in her confession of loving Escamillo. The more Don José begs, threatens or cries, the colder and distant Callas' Carmen becomes. When he kills her after Carmen throwing the ring into his face there is a void, everything sounds so forlorn and tragic with Carmen gone forever. Callas may not be a natural mezzo like Stignani, Cossotto or Baltsa but she, like Price after her and Ponselle before her brought a unique, fatally charming character to life. Being surrounded not only by the best Don José on records, Nicolai Gedda, but also by the shamefully underrated Giuot as Michaela whose warm, sweet and innocent soprano is made for Michaela and the brilliant Massard, the fabulous Rigoletto and Athanael from the Rigoletto and Thais recordings with the divine Renee Doria nothing can go wrong. Pretre conducts with verve and elegance, the sound is absolutely glorious. Do not miss this Carmen, it's an amazing experience!

Honestly, with the popularity of this opera, you would imagine the horrendously huge number of female singers tackling the role of Carmen. With that legion of capable artists, you would also assume that they would be able to do it properly. However, great Carmens are rare. There are only a few of those who can feel the passion of the role, and then again there are only a handful of those who are Carmen. Callas was such a Carmen, and nearing the end of her short but extremely illustrious career, you will find a Carmen shaded will colors of hate, of passion, of character, of pure defiance. You can listen to this recording, and you will also find a woman lost in her own romantic confusion, in her inability to find solace in the arms of a person whom she could truly love. That was Carmen the enchantress, and that also reflected Callas the woman very well. With her top slowly leaving her, this would have been the perfect time to record the role, especially with the perfection she achieved with her middle and lower voices. She may not be the natural mezzo, but she truly was a natural Carmen. And, with the combined efforts of the brilliant George Pretre, the amazing Nicolai Gedda (perfect Don Jose), and Jane Berbie, along with the skill of the French Orchestra and Chorus, this undoubtedly is THE Carmen of all Carmens. Her Habanera is unforgettable, the Le fleur que tu m'avais jetee is sung to perfection, and the Chanson Boheme could never be bettered by any other singer. If you don't like Callas, you still should put this in your collection or I would probably burn you a copy and give it to you anyways for the sake of you listening to a MUST in any collection.

"Carmen" is a great opera to start one's introduction to the magical world that is opera. Georges Bizet wrote an opera with cohesive dramatic tension, finely-delineated characters, wonderful music, and pulsing energy. "Carmen" is truly a masterpiece. No wonder it is one of the most performed operas in the world's opera houses.

Maria Callas is one of the greatest sopranos of the past century. On this recording, we can see why. She is Carmen. There is none of the annoying bitchiness or overdone sexual flirtatiousness in her portrayal of the fiery, independent Gypsy that one gets so often with other interpreters of the role. Her phrasing is marvellous. Her French is surprisingly good. Not every "r" is rolled but that can be forgiven due to the fact that Callas was not a native French speaker. I wish there had been spoken dialogue included in this recording. It would have been a joy to hear Callas speaking French.

Callas does a great job with Carmen's ear-pleasing melodies. The "Habañera" is done at a faster pace than most other versions. It seems more appropriate with fast tempo than with the slow, ponderous tempo that one finds so often on other recordings. Callas' voice had deteriorated greatly by 1964, the year this recording was made. However, this opera's music rarely strains her voice. Carmen's mezzo-soprano tessitura is negotiated comfortably by Callas. Her dark voice and its strong chest register lend a haunting quality to the "Habañera" that seems perfectly appropriate. Her toying with Don José's emotions is totally convincing. Her rendition of the "Bohemian Dance" is very well done. Her trill in that aria is fake but who cares? Carmen is not a coloratura role. Callas' control of emotions is amazing. She never overacts in this role, which is a role that is too often acted in an overly melodramatic way. Her anger and defiance in the last scene are examples of her great mastery of vocal acting.

Gedda is an excellent Don José. He sings with honeyed tone and superb French diction. When he sings in French, he can do no wrong, unlike when he sings in Italian. He makes some very beautiful sounds. His sincere, dedicated singing makes his portrayal of the love-struck Don José totally convincing. His high notes in his big aria are very beautiful and well done.

The other singers do a fine job singing in their native tongue. Prêtre does a wonderful job conducting. He uses faster tempo than is normally heard in recordings of this opera, but he is totally correct in his decision to do so. Bizet's music sounds better and much more exciting when it is played fast than when it is played slow.

With Callas, one gets the sense that they are actually hearing the character Bizet and Merimee created: a proud, sensual gypsy. With so many other opera singers, we get a prettily sung generalization of the character. Others may have more vocal sheen, but with Callas the character comes alive as in no other recording.

Sonics and supporting cast are quite good. Gedda is a sweet-sounding Don Jose; not as interesting as his leading lady, but a beautifully sung portrayal. Guiot and Massard fill out Michaela and Escamillo very well. It's a strong cast by any measure. But the real reason for getting this set is Callas. She presents the character in a myriad of moods and colors so one can see why all men are so attracted to her. It's a shame the original opera comique version (with dialogue) was not in vogue at the time of this recording as it would have been fascinating to hear Callas speak Carmen as well as sing it.

I have several versions of "Carmen" which all have something going for them: Price/Karajan, Stevens/Reiner, Resnick/Pritchard, and Horne/Bernstein. But I find myself going back to Callas if I want to really believe in this fascinating woman.

All this controversy about one of the greatest singers that ever lived is really amusing. When I heard her singing this I thought she was made to sing Carmen. This dark, seductive voice is perfect for the sexy gypsy. And Gedda, Giuot and Massard are absolutely amazing in their roles. Pretre conducts with fire, the sound is awesome. In one word: Essential!

Bizets CARMEN is a love story with intriuging characters who love and betray. The heroine is CARMEN a worker in a cigartte factory who suduces a young officer only to betray him. The music is of love, and suduction as well as hatred and venom. Bizet's Opera is my favorite, this work was the first Opera that I listened to in its entirety. It changed my views on music and opened my mind to the diversity of music.

Maria Callas is the perfect Carmen. She is the most talented soprano since the introduction of sound recording and CARMEN I would argue is her best role. Callas suduces you with her voice. Each not entwines you with each phrase and note. You are in love with her from here first aria. I am at a loss for words to describe her voice. It is one of those things you need to hear for yourself.

If you are looking to by your first Opera CARMEN will not be disapointed. For the collector this is a must.

While I am not myself a devout Maria Callas fan, I do enjoy some roles which she uniquely interpreted and dramatically brought to life in a way that no one in her time was doing. She raised the bar high for all subsequent sopranos after the 60's(offically the decade she could not really sing with the bravura that made her famous). No opera lover can avoid hearing about her in any record store or opera house. She is the subject of discussion by the most hardcore opera connoisseurs. I genuinely enjoy Callas in following role: Norma (her absolute best and the role she sung the most number of times making her the owner of the role really) Medea (an intensely passionate Greek-fire role that she called upon her ancestry to interpet) La Sonnambula's Amina (beautifully moving role) and Tosca (brilliantly dramatic and passionate. As Carmen, however, she is only so-so. I think that this recording should not be anyone's first Carmen. This is a Carmen of an acquired taste, and moreover, a Carmen enjoyed strictly by Callas afficionados. I don't mean to put Callas down, as an artist she had integrity and commitment despite her perfectionism and diva antics. Her French diction is slurred and not elegant or even effectively dramatic. She is singing the French a la Italian opera, she struggles in the last word "fear" in her confrontation with Don Jose at the end of the last act - "I was warned you'd come here, I was even told to fear for my life but I'm brave and I am not afraid...she has an odd tremble at the word fear. The Habanera is not suited for her voice, neither is the Segudilla or her erotic dance and song for Don Jose -"Je vais danser en votre honeur". As Carmen, she comes off as too mature, too controlled and even too conservative. Carmen is young, wild, liberal, rebellious, defiant, dramatic. An older woman could never interpret Carmen as well as a younger one. Callas should have deigned to sing the role on stage early in her career and recorded it while she was still in her prime. Even if Carmen is out of a soprano's repertoire, Callas should have showed off her versatility by singing it anyways like so many sopranos did after her - Leontyne Price sang Carmen, Beverly Sills even sang Carmen in the 50's when she was still an obscure singer, and most recently soprano Angela Gheorghiu sung Carmen. My favorite Carmen on record and stage - Grace Bumbry. She's the best.

Callas fans will enjoy her in a role that was even too rare for her, and a role she loathed. It's interesting to notice how even a role she wouldn't do on stage (she called it vulgar) she sounds brilliant and very into the part. She is an older Carmen in this recording made in the 60's. Tenor Nicolai Gedda is doing a terrific job as Don Jose. He plays the role well, coloring his normally lyric voice to suit the darker character full of jealousy and possession of Carmen. They sound great together and there is tension between them right from the start. This was Callas' last recording, and again that makes this recording valuable. The next time Callas sung was in a series of farewell concerts, including one terrible one in Japan, and then she was gone forever. But her legacy lives on in dozens of recordings, especially under EMI, with whom she had an extensive contract.

I have to say that Callas' Carmen is the most alluring, sexy and seductive operatic chick ever! She sounds fabulous as a mezzo, Carmen suited her well in this time of her career. Sadly she never performed it on stage. Gedda is still the best Don José on records and Giuot and Massard are fabulous, and unlike other more "famous" singers they sound French and idiomatic. Callas, who spoke French fluently, sounds absolutely glorious! Thumbs up!