Bizet: Carmen

Bizet: Carmen

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

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

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

2:09

Scene & Chorus (Cont.) Regardez donc cette petite

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

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

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

0:49

Allons! Allons!

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

1:33

Dialogue. Dites-moi, brigadier

Claudio Abbado, Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, 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

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

2:25

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

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

1:41

Duet. Votre mère avec moi sortait de la chapelle

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

2:20

Duet. Ma mère, je la vois

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

2:24

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

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

4:03

Au secours!

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

3:19

Voyons, brigadier – Tra la la la

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

4:14

Seguidilla. Près des remparts de Séville – Tais toi!

London Symphony Orchestra, Plácido Domingo, 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)

Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra

1:48

Chanson bohème. Les tringles des sistres tintaient

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

5:05

Dialogue. Vous avez quelque chose a nous dire?

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

1:15

Vivat le toréro!

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

1:31

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

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

8:00

Quintet. Nous avons en tête une affaire

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

4:48

Halte-là! Qui va là?

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

2:26

Je vais danser en votre honneur

Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Teresa Berganza, 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!

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

3:59

Finale. Holà! Carmen! Holà!

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

3:33

Suis-nous A travers la campagne

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

1:50

Intermezzo (Entracte After Act II)

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

3:00

Sextet & Chorus. Ecoute, compagnons, écoute

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

4:39

Halte! nous allons nous arrêter ici!

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

1:30

Trio. Mêlons! Coupons!

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

3:20

Carreau! Pique! La mort!

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

3:19

Parlez encore, parlez, mes belles

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

0:50

Dialogue. Eh! bien?

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

0:30

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

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

3:08

Dialogue. Nous y sommes

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

0:44

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

Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra, Ileana Cotrubaș

4:52

Duet. Je suis Escamillo

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

3:42

Finale. Holà, holà José!

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

3:00

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

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

5:09

Aragonaise (Entracte After Act III)

London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

2:10

Chorus. A deux cuartos!

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

2:22

March & Chorus. Les voici!

The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

3:51

Si tu m'aimes, Carmen

Alicia Nafé, Claudio Abbado, Sherrill Milnes, London Symphony Orchestra, Yvonne Kenny, 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
Rodion Shchedrin

Composer
London Symphony Orchestra

Orchestra, Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra
Ileana Cotrubaș

Soprano
The Ambrosian Singers

Coro, Chorus, Choir

Rainer Brock

Recording Supervisor, Producer, Executive Producer
Günther Breest

Producer
Renate Kupfer

Producer
Michel Glotz

Producer
Gernot Westhäuser

Recording Engineer
Joachim Niss

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer
Karl-August Naegler

Tonmeister, Balance Engineer
Rainer Brock

Recording Engineer
Wolf-Dieter Karwatky

Recording Engineer
Joerg Iwaschuta

Recording Engineer
Günter Hermanns

Balance Engineer
Rainer Höpfner

Recording Engineer
Reinhold Schmid

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer
Volker Martin

Recording Engineer