Bizet: Carmen

Bizet: Carmen

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

Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra

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

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

4:09

Chorus of Street-Boys. Avec la garde montante

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

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

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

2:25

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

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

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, London Symphony Orchestra, Ileana Cotrubaș, Claudio Abbado

2:24

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

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

4:03

Au secours!

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

4:14

Seguidilla. Près des remparts de Séville – Tais toi!

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

4:29

Finale. Le lieutenant! Prenez garde!

Plácido Domingo, London Symphony Orchestra, Teresa Berganza, 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

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

5:05

Dialogue. Vous avez quelque chose a nous dire?

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

1:15

Vivat le toréro!

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

1:31

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

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

8:00

Quintet. Nous avons en tête une affaire

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

4:48

Halte-là! Qui va là?

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

2:26

Je vais danser en votre honneur

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

5:40

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

London Symphony Orchestra, Plácido Domingo, Claudio Abbado

4:14

Non, tu ne m'aimes pas!

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

3:59

Finale. Holà! Carmen! Holà!

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

3:33

Suis-nous A travers la campagne

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

1:50

Intermezzo (Entracte After Act II)

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

3:00

Sextet & Chorus. Ecoute, compagnons, écoute

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

4:39

Halte! nous allons nous arrêter ici!

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

1:30

Trio. Mêlons! Coupons!

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

3:20

Carreau! Pique! La mort!

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

3:19

Parlez encore, parlez, mes belles

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

0:50

Dialogue. Eh! bien?

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

0:30

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

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

3:08

Dialogue. Nous y sommes

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

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, Claudio Abbado, Sherrill Milnes, Ileana Cotrubaș, Plácido Domingo

3:42

Finale. Holà, holà José!

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

5:09

Aragonaise (Entracte After Act III)

London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

2:10

Chorus. A deux cuartos!

Jean Lainé, John McCarthy, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Amner, 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, Teresa Berganza, Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra

3:19

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

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

9:23

Georges Bizet

Composer
Sherrill Milnes

Baritone, Baryton
Teresa Berganza

Mezzo-Soprano
The Ambrosian Singers

Coro, Chorus, Choir
Claudio Abbado

Conductor

Rainer Brock

Recording Supervisor, Producer, Executive Producer
Michel Glotz

Producer
Renate Kupfer

Producer
Günther Breest

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
Günter Hermanns

Balance Engineer
Rainer Höpfner

Recording Engineer
Reinhild Schmidt

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer
Joerg Iwaschuta

Recording Engineer
Volker Martin

Recording Engineer