Product Details

• Actors: Barry McCauley, Maria Ewing, Marie McLaughlin, David Holloway
• Directors: Peter Hall
• Format: Classical, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Kultur Video
• DVD Release Date: September 27, 2005
• Run Time: 175 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000ARXF2S
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #129,212 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Carmen is one of the few indisputable masterpieces of its time to be composed for a small theater and Glyndebourne provides a heaven-sent backdrop for this sizzling Peter Hall production. "Bizet's score sounds miraculous in this theatre. " FINANCIAL TIMES. The accent is on stark realism and dramatic intensity. An electrically vivid Carmen is portrayed by Maria Ewing ".a rare combination of gifted singer and outstanding actress" SUNDAY TELEGRAPH. Bizet's famous Spanish gypsy is matched with the sentimental Don José of Barry McCauley ".an American tenor of real promise.a thrilling Don José" OBSERVER. Bizet's famous score includes such favorites as the Habanera, The Flower Song, The Toreador's Song and perhaps the most famous overture of all opera. "The London Philharmonic under Bernard Haitink is honouring every treasurable detail of Bizet's enchanting score" INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

72 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best... Get it even if you are "not interested in opera", December 3, 2005

By 

Karl May (Golden, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Georges Bizet - Carmen / Peter Hall, Bernard Haitink, Maria Ewing, Barry McCauley, London Philharmonic, Glyndebourne Festival Opera (DVD)

This is not a "music professional's review". Carmen is theater, Carmen is about human nature, about jealousy, about life. Perhaps the most popular opera ever. It can be presented and performed in many different ways. This performance, this presentation is the best. Not just as an opera, but perhaps one of the best performances in the recorded performing arts.

One does not have to be an opera-lover to enjoy this Carmen. It is like the first Star Wars movie - an instant classic - with one difference. This one has one superb actress in it - Maria Ewing.

She is Carmen from the first appearance to the end. Of course, she can sing, but what really counts is that she can act. She is perfect for the role. To be clear about this: I am not just praising Carmen, Bizet's opera. It can be performed badly, or questionably - just three weeks ago (November 2005) I saw a performance in Denver that was mediocre at best - mostly because of the somewhat weird ideas in directing, trying to be original... But this Carmen is unique: it has everything.

Is this something your children can see? Yes. My daughters, thankfully, have seen over and over this one (in the VHS tape edition) since they were about five.

I probably never recommended anything as a "you should buy this one", but this is it. It is very good news that finally this performance is available on DVD. Even if you never saw an opera, or never want to see one, get this DVD, and you will be glad you got it.

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars searing, blazing Carmen, May 20, 2006

By 

Robert Baksa "composer" (new york state) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Georges Bizet - Carmen / Peter Hall, Bernard Haitink, Maria Ewing, Barry McCauley, London Philharmonic, Glyndebourne Festival Opera (DVD)

There are marginally better sung Carmens than this production but this performance features all the music Bizet wrote without the added recitatives by another hand. The result is that the motivation of the characters is made clearer and the plotline strengthened. This production was not filmed before an audience but the action is nonetheless limited to a small stage area...a great plus in my estimation. I do not enjoy operas that are "opened up" and later dubbed, no matter how skillfully accomplished. Operas are designed to be sung on a stage to an audience, not in the great outdoors. It is a particular form the limits of which should be respected. The acting in this performance is supurb in every role. I have seen several Carmens in my time but none has struck me as being as effective as this one. I have not seen Ewing's later performance but all things considered, I would not hesitate recommending this version to anyone.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Carmen wants to die, April 23, 2006

By 

Viewer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Georges Bizet - Carmen / Peter Hall, Bernard Haitink, Maria Ewing, Barry McCauley, London Philharmonic, Glyndebourne Festival Opera (DVD)

The interpretation is unique.
Other singers portray Carmen as a joyful little creature, like a flower, and the dramatic climax reaches when Jose kills that flower who is so in love with life.
Here Maria Ewing puts on the alternative - her Carmen is depressive. It seems that from the beginning she is in search for the one who will finally kill her, hence replacing the tragedy of her death by the tragedy of Jose who killed her.

Her singing is also unconventional. Her voice is of moderate size (which is appropriate), and gets stronger in the top - the opposite of most mezzo-soprano Carmens.
She actually resembles a soprano. She transposed some notes in the second act an octave higher to reach first the high B natural and then the high C at the act's end.
She makes use of her more than usual high voice (for a Carmen) and sings the middle A flat (first A above the middle C) which apears near the end of her passage in the famous cards-trio with her chest voice.
All can I say about her performance is "BRAVO"!!!
She, the stage-directing, the colorful orchestral playing and the supportive choir are enough to rate this DVD five stars.

The other main roles aren't so terrific though:
McCauley and McLaughlin acts very well, but lack the convenience in the high register so important for their parts. Instead, they sound strained and uneasy.
Great Don Jose and Micaela are to be found in Domingo and Esham in Rosi's film.

Holloway is really bad, both vocally and visually. His bottom is weak and his low B flat fades in his great entrance-aria.
Raimondi in Rosi's film is far superior.

Nevertheless, Carmen is the dominant figure, and for her it's definitely worth the cost.