Bizet: Carmen

Bizet: Carmen

The Ambrosian Singers, Ileana Cotrubaș, Claudio Abbado, Plácido Domingo, Teresa Berganza, Sherrill Milnes, London Symphony Orchestra

1978

At the 1977 Edinburgh Festival, Claudio Abbado conducted a production of Carmen that has entered legend, with a cast that still looks (and sounds) like a wonderful dream. Tenor Plácido Domingo is at the height of his youthful lustre as Don José, and the great Spanish mezzo Teresa Berganza brings matchless pride and poise to the title role. This studio recording has the electricity of a live performance; Abbado and the London Symphony Orchestra play with fire as well as precision, and from the sunny opening scenes to the genuinely terrifying denouement, the story of José’s doomed love for the free-spirited Carmen pulls you in and never lets you go. If you’ve ever wondered why Carmen is one of the world’s most popular operas: this is why.

Prelude. Allegro giocoso – Andante moderato (Fate Motive)

London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

3:30

Scene & Chorus. Sur la place chacun passe

John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Stuart Harling

2:09

Scene & Chorus (Cont.) Regardez donc cette petite

Stuart Harling, John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Ileana Cotrubaș

4:09

Chorus of Street-Boys. Avec la garde montante

Watson's George College Boys' Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

2:34

Melodrama. Repos! . Une jolie fille

Stuart Harling, Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Robert Lloyd

0:49

Allons! Allons!

Patrick Criswell, Watson's George College Boys' Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Robert Lloyd

1:33

Dialogue. Dites-moi, brigadier

London Symphony Orchestra, Plácido Domingo, Claudio Abbado, Robert Lloyd

1:06

Chorus of Cigarette Girls. La cloche a sonné

The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

5:11

Chorus. Mais nous ne voyons pas la Carmencita

The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

0:44

Quand je vous aimerai? – Habanera. L'amour est un oiseau rebelle

Teresa Berganza, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

4:49

Carmen, sur tes pas

John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Plácido Domingo, Claudio Abbado

2:25

Monsieur le brigadier?. Duet. Parle-moi de ma mère!

London Symphony Orchestra, Ileana Cotrubaș, Plácido Domingo, Claudio Abbado

1:41

Duet. Votre mère avec moi sortait de la chapelle

Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Ileana Cotrubaș, Claudio Abbado

2:20

Duet. Ma mère, je la vois

London Symphony Orchestra, Ileana Cotrubaș, Plácido Domingo, Claudio Abbado

2:24

Duet (Cont.) Que son fils l'aime et la vénère

Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Ileana Cotrubaș, Robert Lloyd

4:03

Au secours!

Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra, John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, Robert Lloyd

3:19

Voyons, brigadier – Tra la la la

Plácido Domingo, Teresa Berganza, John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Amner, Claudio Abbado, Robert Lloyd

4:14

Seguidilla. Près des remparts de Séville – Tais toi!

Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Teresa Berganza, Claudio Abbado

4:29

Finale. Le lieutenant! Prenez garde!

Plácido Domingo, Teresa Berganza, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Robert Lloyd

2:07

Les dragons d'Alcala (Entracte After Act I)

London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

1:48

Chanson bohème. Les tringles des sistres tintaient

Alicia Nafé, Yvonne Kenny, London Symphony Orchestra, Teresa Berganza, Claudio Abbado

5:05

Dialogue. Vous avez quelque chose a nous dire?

London Symphony Orchestra, George Main, Jean Lainé, Claudio Abbado, Alicia Nafé, Yvonne Kenny, Teresa Berganza, Robert Lloyd

1:15

Vivat le toréro!

Jean Lainé, London Symphony Orchestra, Alicia Nafé, George Main, Yvonne Kenny, Claudio Abbado, Sherrill Milnes, Teresa Berganza, John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, Robert Lloyd

1:31

Toreador's Song. Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre – Dialogue

Yvonne Kenny, Gordon Sandison, Alicia Nafé, Sherrill Milnes, Claudio Abbado, George Main, London Symphony Orchestra, Jean Lainé, John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, Geoffrey Pogson, Teresa Berganza, Robert Lloyd

8:00

Quintet. Nous avons en tête une affaire

Alicia Nafé, Geoffrey Pogson, Gordon Sandison, Teresa Berganza, Yvonne Kenny, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

4:48

Halte-là! Qui va là?

Geoffrey Pogson, Plácido Domingo, Alicia Nafé, London Symphony Orchestra, Yvonne Kenny, Gordon Sandison, Teresa Berganza, Claudio Abbado

2:26

Je vais danser en votre honneur

London Symphony Orchestra, Plácido Domingo, Teresa Berganza, Claudio Abbado

5:40

La fleur que tu m'avais jetée "Flower Song"

London Symphony Orchestra, Plácido Domingo, Claudio Abbado

4:14

Non, tu ne m'aimes pas!

Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra, Plácido Domingo, Teresa Berganza

3:59

Finale. Holà! Carmen! Holà!

Teresa Berganza, Geoffrey Pogson, John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, Gordon Sandison, London Symphony Orchestra, Plácido Domingo, Claudio Abbado, Robert Lloyd

3:33

Suis-nous A travers la campagne

Yvonne Kenny, Alicia Nafé, Geoffrey Pogson, Gordon Sandison, London Symphony Orchestra, John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, Claudio Abbado

1:50

Intermezzo (Entracte After Act II)

Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan

3:00

Sextet & Chorus. Ecoute, compagnons, écoute

Alicia Nafé, Geoffrey Pogson, John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Gordon Sandison, Teresa Berganza, Plácido Domingo, Yvonne Kenny, Claudio Abbado

4:39

Halte! nous allons nous arrêter ici!

Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Gordon Sandison, Teresa Berganza, Geoffrey Pogson, Claudio Abbado

1:30

Trio. Mêlons! Coupons!

London Symphony Orchestra, Alicia Nafé, Yvonne Kenny, Claudio Abbado

3:20

Carreau! Pique! La mort!

Yvonne Kenny, Alicia Nafé, London Symphony Orchestra, Teresa Berganza, Claudio Abbado

3:19

Parlez encore, parlez, mes belles

Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra, Yvonne Kenny, Alicia Nafé, Teresa Berganza

0:50

Dialogue. Eh! bien?

Geoffrey Pogson, Teresa Berganza, London Symphony Orchestra, Plácido Domingo, Alicia Nafé, Gordon Sandison, Yvonne Kenny, Claudio Abbado

0:30

Ensemble. Quant au douanier, c'est notre affaire!

Geoffrey Pogson, Alicia Nafé, John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, Yvonne Kenny, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Gordon Sandison, Teresa Berganza

3:08

Dialogue. Nous y sommes

Ileana Cotrubaș, Jean Lainé, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

0:44

Je dis que rien ne m'épouvante "Micaëla's Aria"

Ileana Cotrubaș, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

4:52

Duet. Je suis Escamillo

Ileana Cotrubaș, Plácido Domingo, Sherrill Milnes, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

3:42

Finale. Holà, holà José!

London Symphony Orchestra, John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, Plácido Domingo, Claudio Abbado, Sherrill Milnes, Gordon Sandison, Teresa Berganza

3:00

FInale (Cont.) Halte! quelqu'un est là qui cherche a se cacher

John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Plácido Domingo, Gordon Sandison, Ileana Cotrubaș, Geoffrey Pogson, Teresa Berganza, Claudio Abbado

5:09

Aragonaise (Entracte After Act III)

London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

2:10

Chorus. A deux cuartos!

John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Amner, Jean Lainé, Leslie Fyson, Claudio Abbado

2:22

March & Chorus. Les voici!

The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

3:51

Si tu m'aimes, Carmen

Yvonne Kenny, Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra, Alicia Nafé, Sherrill Milnes, Teresa Berganza

3:19

Finale. Duet & Final Chorus. C'est toi!

Plácido Domingo, Teresa Berganza, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

9:23

Georges Bizet

Composer
Rodion Shchedrin

Composer
The Ambrosian Singers

Coro, Chorus, Choir
Ileana Cotrubaș

Soprano
Claudio Abbado

Conductor

Rainer Brock

Recording Supervisor, Producer, Executive Producer
Günther Breest

Producer
Michel Glotz

Producer
Renate Kupfer

Producer
Rainer Brock

Recording Engineer
Karl-August Naegler

Tonmeister, Balance Engineer
Gernot Westhäuser

Recording Engineer
Joachim Niss

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer
Wolf-Dieter Karwatky

Recording Engineer
Joerg Iwaschuta

Recording Engineer
Volker Martin

Recording Engineer
Günter Hermanns

Balance Engineer
Rainer Höpfner

Recording Engineer
Reinhild Schmidt

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer