Bizet: Carmen

Bizet: Carmen

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

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

Ileana Cotrubaș, Stuart Harling, 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

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

0:49

Allons! Allons!

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

1:33

Dialogue. Dites-moi, brigadier

London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Plácido Domingo, 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

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

4:49

Carmen, sur tes pas

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

2:25

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

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

1:41

Duet. Votre mère avec moi sortait de la chapelle

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

2:20

Duet. Ma mère, je la vois

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

2:24

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

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

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

4:29

Finale. Le lieutenant! Prenez garde!

London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Plácido Domingo, 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

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

5:05

Dialogue. Vous avez quelque chose a nous dire?

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

1:15

Vivat le toréro!

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

1:31

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

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

8:00

Quintet. Nous avons en tête une affaire

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

4:48

Halte-là! Qui va là?

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

2:26

Je vais danser en votre honneur

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

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!

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

3:59

Finale. Holà! Carmen! Holà!

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

3:33

Suis-nous A travers la campagne

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

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

4:39

Halte! nous allons nous arrêter ici!

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

1:30

Trio. Mêlons! Coupons!

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

3:20

Carreau! Pique! La mort!

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

3:19

Parlez encore, parlez, mes belles

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

0:50

Dialogue. Eh! bien?

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

0:30

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

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

3:08

Dialogue. Nous y sommes

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

3:42

Finale. Holà, holà José!

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

3:00

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

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

5:09

Aragonaise (Entracte After Act III)

London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

2:10

Chorus. A deux cuartos!

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

2:22

March & Chorus. Les voici!

Claudio Abbado, The Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra

3:51

Si tu m'aimes, Carmen

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

3:19

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

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

9:23

Georges Bizet

Composer
The Ambrosian Singers

Coro, Chorus, Choir
Ileana Cotrubaș

Soprano
Sherrill Milnes

Baritone, Baryton
Claudio Abbado

Conductor

Rainer Brock

Recording Supervisor, Producer, Executive Producer
Günther Breest

Producer
Michel Glotz

Producer
Renate Kupfer

Producer
Rainer Brock

Recording Engineer
Karl-August Naegler

Tonmeister, Balance Engineer
Gernot Westhäuser

Recording Engineer
Joachim Niss

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer
Wolf-Dieter Karwatky

Recording Engineer
Günter Hermanns

Balance Engineer
Joerg Iwaschuta

Recording Engineer
Rainer Höpfner

Recording Engineer
Reinhild Schmidt

Recording Engineer, Editing Engineer
Volker Martin

Recording Engineer