Search - Georges Bizet, Pierre Dervaux, Giulietta Simionato :: Bizet: Carmen

Jose was the role of Corelli's debut and the one he performed most often. Here he is in his early prime, sounding like a hungry animal in a cage, the voice brilliant and full of core and bite. Yet he also is plaintive, particularly in the final scene. Throughout it he finds an extraordinary number of vocal colors. His desperation at the end is chilling.By this time he had expunged nearly all trace of the flicker vibrato characteristic of his tone at the beginning of his career. But his sound still had a baritonal tinge that lessened later, particularly after he undertook high roles, such as Raul in Ugonotti and Poliuto, and lyric ones, such as Rodolfo and Romeo.Simionato (as often in real life) is haughty, knowing, tough. Freni's tone is young, warm and feminine. Guelfi swaggers engagingly. (Stefan Zucker, Bel Canto Society)