Search - Kostas Paskalis, Georges Bizet, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos :: Bizet: Carmen (Highlights)

Get the complete recording!

R. J. Claster | Van Nuys, CA United States | 05/26/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the best sung and conducted Carmens I have heard, but get the complete opera recording on the EMI Black Dog Series for less than 18 dollars, for, unlike other recordings, they squeeze it onto two discs. Moreover, it is packaged in a booklet which, in addition to the libretto and plot synopsis, gives you a lot of information about the background and genesis of this opera, and also contains a number of pictures of noted exponents of the principal roles. Furthermore, this is the first recording to include the spoken dialogue that was intended for it as an opera-comique, and there is no better trio than Bumbry, Vickers and Freni, who were all in peak vocal form at the time of this recording (1970). In particular, Vickers digs deeper into the role of Don Jose than Domingo ever did with his more externalized approach. Finally, De Burgos conducts with real intensity and fire and the sound is quite good. This definitely has to be the best bargain available by far for recordings of Carmen."

Highlights Are Fine But The Whole Opera Is Better

R. J. Claster | 08/31/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Grace Bumbry and Jon Vickers are undeniably the greatest interpretors of Don Jose and Carmen. This cd contains highlights from the 70's performances of the two singers. Bizet's Carmen is easily the most recognizable opera in the world. Because there is such a tradition around it, there have been so many excellent mezzo-sopranos who have mastered the role, including Maria Callas at the end of her life, Marylin Horne and most recently Susanna Guzman. But Grace Bumbry's voice is full of fire, mischief and seduction, as evident in the arias that have made Carmen herself opera's sexiest woman "Habanera" "Seguidilla" and other songs including the Gypsy Song. Jon Vickers is a dramatic, intense Don Jose, and Mirella Freni, although lower in the vocal talent range on this recording, does a passable Micaela. The Spanish music is full of flavor, especially striking are the bullfight music and its chorus and the ever famous finale. I seriously suggest you hear the whole opera, and in my opinion, the finest Carmen out there is the rarest- Black Dog Opera Library contains audio books with two cd's and the libretto. Grace Bumbry, Jon Vickers, Mirella Freni, Kostas Paskalis (Escamillo). There is no doubt that Burgos is the most apt conductor of Bizet's score for the opera. Listen to the intensity and fatalism of the fate theme, played in a subtle, psychotic wind-down as Carmen and Don Jose confront for the last time, as well as the overture, duet music between Micaela/Don Jose and Carmen/Don Jose, the preludes, and the ensemble music (two ensemble finales- at the end of the second act and the scene before the bullfight). I hope you find this review helpful."

Very enjoyable

zhaow | 09/08/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"this is an enjoyable version of carmen. bumbry has a dark, sultry voice that's well suited for this gypsy vixen. and when she's on - and this is most of the time - she's hot. but there are times when she seems a little aloof, and her voice doesn't have the all the colors that callas has (but who does?), so she doesn't bring quite as much insight to the role. still, a good interpretation. her don jose is the excellent jon vickers. at first, i was skeptical that his heldentenor voice was right for this mama's boy, but vickers turns down the volume and turns up the heat. his trademark acting abilities are on full display here. his might not be the most beautifully sung jose, it is the most characterful. too bad vickers and callas never recorded carmen together. that would have been THE carmen for the ages! freni is ok as micaela. her diction is fine and she's in fresh, youthful voice, but she sometimes sounds like she's singing puccini and not bizet, a problem that's made worse by her distinctly italianate voice. a light lyric soprano, or a lyric soprano like ileana cotrubas would be more suitable for this role. the escamillo here does a workmanlike job, not particularly suave and the voice a little undersized, but still serviceable. the conducting is idomatic and non-obtrusive. you hear all the colors and the lines are clean. a tres french performance which is what you want.on the whole, an enjoyable carmen. maybe not the best, but it's worth hearing for bumbry's carmen and vickers' jose."