Bizet: Carmen

Bizet: Carmen

Ileana Cotrubaș, Claudio Abbado, Plácido Domingo, The Ambrosian Singers, 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, Stuart Harling, Claudio Abbado

2:09

Scene & Chorus (Cont.) Regardez donc cette petite

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

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, Stuart Harling, Claudio Abbado, 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

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

2:25

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

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

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

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, Claudio Abbado, Plácido Domingo, 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, Plácido Domingo, Teresa Berganza, 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!

Teresa Berganza, Plácido Domingo, 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

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

5:05

Dialogue. Vous avez quelque chose a nous dire?

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

1:15

Vivat le toréro!

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

1:31

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

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

8:00

Quintet. Nous avons en tête une affaire

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

4:48

Halte-là! Qui va là?

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

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

3:59

Finale. Holà! Carmen! Holà!

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

3:33

Suis-nous A travers la campagne

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

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

4:39

Halte! nous allons nous arrêter ici!

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

1:30

Trio. Mêlons! Coupons!

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

3:20

Carreau! Pique! La mort!

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

3:19

Parlez encore, parlez, mes belles

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

0:50

Dialogue. Eh! bien?

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

0:30

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

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

3:08

Dialogue. Nous y sommes

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

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

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

3:42

Finale. Holà, holà José!

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

3:00

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

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

5:09

Aragonaise (Entracte After Act III)

London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

2:10

Chorus. A deux cuartos!

Jean Lainé, Leslie Fyson, John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Amner, 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, Sherrill Milnes, Teresa Berganza, Claudio Abbado, Yvonne Kenny, London Symphony Orchestra

3:19

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

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

9:23

Georges Bizet

Composer
Ileana Cotrubaș

Soprano
Claudio Abbado

Conductor
Plácido Domingo

Tenor
The Ambrosian Singers

Coro, Chorus, Choir

Rainer Brock

Recording Supervisor, Producer, Executive Producer
Günther Breest

Producer
Renate Kupfer

Producer
Michel Glotz

Producer
Rainer Brock

Recording Engineer
Gernot Westhäuser

Recording Engineer
Joachim Niss

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer
Karl-August Naegler

Tonmeister, Balance Engineer
Wolf-Dieter Karwatky

Recording Engineer
Joerg Iwaschuta

Recording Engineer
Rainer Höpfner

Recording Engineer
Günter Hermanns

Balance Engineer
Volker Martin

Recording Engineer
Reinhold Schmid

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer