Bizet: Carmen

Bizet: Carmen

Ileana Cotrubaș, Teresa Berganza, The Ambrosian Singers, Sherrill Milnes, Claudio Abbado, Plácido Domingo, 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, Stuart Harling, Claudio Abbado

2:09

Scene & Chorus (Cont.) Regardez donc cette petite

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

4:09

Chorus of Street-Boys. Avec la garde montante

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

2:34

Melodrama. Repos! . Une jolie fille

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

0:49

Allons! Allons!

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

1:33

Dialogue. Dites-moi, brigadier

Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, 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

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

4:49

Carmen, sur tes pas

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

2:25

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

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

1:41

Duet. Votre mère avec moi sortait de la chapelle

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

2:20

Duet. Ma mère, je la vois

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

2:24

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

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

4:03

Au secours!

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

3:19

Voyons, brigadier – Tra la la la

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

4:14

Seguidilla. Près des remparts de Séville – Tais toi!

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

4:29

Finale. Le lieutenant! Prenez garde!

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

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

5:05

Dialogue. Vous avez quelque chose a nous dire?

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

1:15

Vivat le toréro!

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

1:31

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

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

8:00

Quintet. Nous avons en tête une affaire

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

4:48

Halte-là! Qui va là?

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

2:26

Je vais danser en votre honneur

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

5:40

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

London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Plácido Domingo

4:14

Non, tu ne m'aimes pas!

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

3:59

Finale. Holà! Carmen! Holà!

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

3:33

Suis-nous A travers la campagne

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

1:50

Intermezzo (Entracte After Act II)

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

3:00

Sextet & Chorus. Ecoute, compagnons, écoute

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

4:39

Halte! nous allons nous arrêter ici!

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

1:30

Trio. Mêlons! Coupons!

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

3:20

Carreau! Pique! La mort!

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

3:19

Parlez encore, parlez, mes belles

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

0:50

Dialogue. Eh! bien?

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

0:30

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

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

3:08

Dialogue. Nous y sommes

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

0:44

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

London Symphony Orchestra, Ileana Cotrubaș, Claudio Abbado

4:52

Duet. Je suis Escamillo

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

3:42

Finale. Holà, holà José!

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

3:00

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

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

5:09

Aragonaise (Entracte After Act III)

Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra

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

3:19

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

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

9:23

Georges Bizet

Composer
Ileana Cotrubaș

Soprano
Teresa Berganza

Mezzo-Soprano
The Ambrosian Singers

Coro, Chorus, Choir
Sherrill Milnes

Baritone, Baryton

Rainer Brock

Recording Supervisor, Producer, Executive Producer
Renate Kupfer

Producer
Michel Glotz

Producer
Günther Breest

Producer
Gernot Westhäuser

Recording Engineer
Joachim Niss

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer
Rainer Brock

Recording Engineer
Karl-August Naegler

Tonmeister, Balance Engineer
Wolf-Dieter Karwatky

Recording Engineer
Rainer Höpfner

Recording Engineer
Reinhild Schmidt

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer
Joerg Iwaschuta

Recording Engineer
Günter Hermanns

Balance Engineer
Volker Martin

Recording Engineer