Bizet: Carmen

Bizet: Carmen

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

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

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

4:09

Chorus of Street-Boys. Avec la garde montante

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

2:34

Melodrama. Repos! . Une jolie fille

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

0:49

Allons! Allons!

Watson's George College Boys' Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra, Patrick Criswell, 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

London Symphony Orchestra, The Ambrosian Singers, 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, Ileana Cotrubaș, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

2:20

Duet. Ma mère, je la vois

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

2:24

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

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

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

5:05

Dialogue. Vous avez quelque chose a nous dire?

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

1:15

Vivat le toréro!

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

1:31

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

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

8:00

Quintet. Nous avons en tête une affaire

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

4:48

Halte-là! Qui va là?

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

2:26

Je vais danser en votre honneur

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

5:40

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

Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, 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!

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

3:33

Suis-nous A travers la campagne

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

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

4:39

Halte! nous allons nous arrêter ici!

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

1:30

Trio. Mêlons! Coupons!

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

3:20

Carreau! Pique! La mort!

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

3:19

Parlez encore, parlez, mes belles

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

0:50

Dialogue. Eh! bien?

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

0:30

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

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

3:08

Dialogue. Nous y sommes

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

0:44

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

Claudio Abbado, Ileana Cotrubaș, London Symphony Orchestra

4:52

Duet. Je suis Escamillo

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

3:42

Finale. Holà, holà José!

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

3:00

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

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

5:09

Aragonaise (Entracte After Act III)

London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

2:10

Chorus. A deux cuartos!

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

2:22

March & Chorus. Les voici!

Claudio Abbado, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra

3:51

Si tu m'aimes, Carmen

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

3:19

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

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

9:23

Georges Bizet

Composer
Rodion Shchedrin

Composer
Teresa Berganza

Mezzo-Soprano
The Ambrosian Singers

Coro, Chorus, Choir
Claudio Abbado

Conductor

Rainer Brock

Recording Supervisor, Producer, Executive Producer
Günther Breest

Producer
Michel Glotz

Producer
Renate Kupfer

Producer
Karl-August Naegler

Tonmeister, Balance Engineer
Rainer Brock

Recording Engineer
Gernot Westhäuser

Recording Engineer
Joachim Niss

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer
Wolf-Dieter Karwatky

Recording Engineer
Rainer Höpfner

Recording Engineer
Joerg Iwaschuta

Recording Engineer
Günter Hermanns

Balance Engineer
Volker Martin

Recording Engineer
Reinhold Schmid

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer