Bizet: Carmen

Bizet: Carmen

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

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

2:09

Scene & Chorus (Cont.) Regardez donc cette petite

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

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

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

0:49

Allons! Allons!

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

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, Claudio Abbado, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra

4:49

Carmen, sur tes pas

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

2:25

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

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

1:41

Duet. Votre mère avec moi sortait de la chapelle

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

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

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

4:03

Au secours!

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

3:19

Voyons, brigadier – Tra la la la

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

4:14

Seguidilla. Près des remparts de Séville – Tais toi!

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

4:29

Finale. Le lieutenant! Prenez garde!

Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, 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

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

5:05

Dialogue. Vous avez quelque chose a nous dire?

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

1:15

Vivat le toréro!

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

1:31

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

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

8:00

Quintet. Nous avons en tête une affaire

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

4:48

Halte-là! Qui va là?

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

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, Claudio Abbado, Plácido Domingo

4:14

Non, tu ne m'aimes pas!

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

3:59

Finale. Holà! Carmen! Holà!

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

3:33

Suis-nous A travers la campagne

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

1:50

Intermezzo (Entracte After Act II)

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

3:00

Sextet & Chorus. Ecoute, compagnons, écoute

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

4:39

Halte! nous allons nous arrêter ici!

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

1:30

Trio. Mêlons! Coupons!

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

3:20

Carreau! Pique! La mort!

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

3:19

Parlez encore, parlez, mes belles

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

0:50

Dialogue. Eh! bien?

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

0:30

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

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

3:08

Dialogue. Nous y sommes

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

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

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

3:42

Finale. Holà, holà José!

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

3:00

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

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

5:09

Aragonaise (Entracte After Act III)

Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra

2:10

Chorus. A deux cuartos!

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

2:22

March & Chorus. Les voici!

Claudio Abbado, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra

3:51

Si tu m'aimes, Carmen

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

3:19

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

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

9:23

Georges Bizet

Composer
Claudio Abbado

Conductor
Plácido Domingo

Tenor
The Ambrosian Singers

Coro, Chorus, Choir
Sherrill Milnes

Baritone, Baryton

Rainer Brock

Recording Supervisor, Producer, Executive Producer
Günther Breest

Producer
Renate Kupfer

Producer
Michel Glotz

Producer
Karl-August Naegler

Tonmeister, Balance Engineer
Gernot Westhäuser

Recording Engineer
Joachim Niss

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer
Rainer Brock

Recording Engineer
Wolf-Dieter Karwatky

Recording Engineer
Joerg Iwaschuta

Recording Engineer
Günter Hermanns

Balance Engineer
Rainer Höpfner

Recording Engineer
Reinhild Schmidt

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer
Volker Martin

Recording Engineer