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Composed by Georges Bizet
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Leontyne Price, Franco Corelli, Mirella Freni, Robert Merrill
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan
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seductive Carmen.
Leontyne Price is a highly seductive Carmen, her warm and
husky sound and her sensuous way with words and music are
beguiling - here is a woman worth losing your head over!
Mirella Freni, by contrast, is all pure tone and sweetness,
a delightful Micaela. Franco Corelli is a superb Don Jose,
thrillingly sung. Robert Merrill has all the vocal qualities
to portray the swaggering Escamillo. It must be noted that
none of the singers are especially apt with the french lan-
guage but with such glorious vocalism it is a minor distrac-
tion. Beautifully conducted and excellent sound.
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Simply thrilling.
This recording must be rated amongst the best. Beautiful orchestral sound, extraordinary voices. I admit, that it isn't much in French or "Spain" style like Berganza/Abaddo. Leontyne Price portrays very interesting and gorgeously sung Carmen. Her intentional usage of chesty tones in Habanera makes it sound different, original and thrilling; optional high notes are full and secure. Tereza Berganza's very fine and stylish performance is somewhat less thrilling than Price's. Correli's singing is superb. Nobody sounds so plausible when murdering Carmen. His portrayal of the progress of Don Jose's character is not so delicate like Carreras' (Baltsa/Karajan) or Domingo's (Berganza/Abaddo) but again it is more thrilling and entertaining. Mirella Freni as Micaela can't be compared to anyone. Her sweet and ravishing tones are pleasure to listen to, no one is so moving, innocent - the best sung Micaela ever. Another great plus for this recording is Herbert von Karajan and Vienna Philharmonic. Sound of VPO needn't further recommendations - the music is fresh, brilliant and clear; the tempi are perfect. If you want to enjoy style go for Berganza/Abaddo, but if you want to feel the drama, voices and music this recording is the best.
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Bellini - Norma / Maria Callas, Ludwig, Corelli, Zaccaria, Teatro alla Scala, Serafin
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Callas, The Greatest Opera Singer? She Has My Vote!
Some people have a funny view of perfection. In Opera, for instance, if you rate musicality, vocal range, characterization, power, beauty, intelligence, and the concept of the entire role as important elements. Then, for me, Callas is the greatest or most perfect singer of the recorded era! (O.K. her voice is not beautiful, but what a voice; who else could/can integrate all that other stuff on such a sublime level?) She gave us definitive versions or interpretations that almost all other sopranos have to contend with; La Traviata, Tosca, Aida, Turandot, Un Ballo in Maschera, Anna Bolena, Lucia, La Sonnabmbula, and etc. Do you wish you had a recording of her Fidelio in Athens? You bet. And I don't think it's controversial to claim that her Norma is her greatest role, and she unleashes on us a monumental portrait of a warrior Priestess.
Parenthetically, another plus about Callas' recordings/performances is that it's difficult to find a set that doesn't have a stellar cast and a great conductor. (I could do without the conductor involvement with all the Price/Leinsdorf collaborations, alas.)
This Norma is fantastic, from everyone concerned, conductor, soloists, and chorus. The conducting is brilliant, sensually intense and Serafin has an eye/ear for the structure of the whole work. The duets and trios are cataclysmic and the last is act heart wrenching. Zaccaria the bass, what a beautiful big sound, and his legato line is a marvel. Ludwig's voice sounds fresh, warm, and rich, and her acting is tender and dramatic. The young Corelli blazes passionately with a beautiful ringing voice. His sound reminds me of a perfect blend of Pavarotti and Domingo, but he is more exclamatory, Mediterranean bravado personified. And Callas is, in a word, formidable! And I mean as an artist, not only the size of her voice!
Several years ago, I made a cross-world move, and I wanted to go with as little luggage as possible. I sold, for almost nothing, some four hundred Classical and Opera CD's, you should have been there! But I took with me only five pieces, almost the perfect deserted island scenario, one of the works was Turandot with Mehta conducting, the other was this Norma! This version of Norma is the one to have.
Another version is a live recording with Callas (in the best form I have ever heard her), Simionato, Del Monaco, and Zaccaria all red hot, at La Scala, in 1955. Complete with an idiot in the audience shouting BRAVA TEBALDI after Casta Diva, then hold on and just listen to the sparks, more like a blow torch, or guided missiles fly from there on out! WOW!
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Great Carmen!
This is, as my title suggests, a great Carmen. Price is simply thrilling as Carmen, though not French, obviously. Corelli's French is deplorable as usual, however his voice filled with something that I don't think has ever been posessed before. Mirella Freni's light Micaela is extremely enjoyable. Karajan has, as usual, great confidence at the podium. The final scene is especially great- Don Jose's last lines are amazing- and Price's anguished moan is also interesting after she has been stabbed. A great Carmen.
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Leontyne and Karajan!
This is a great recording, thanks to Karajan and Leontyne Price! Herbert von Karajan surely displayed his discriminating musical aptitude in spotting the possibilities in Leontyne Price early on; HE is the maestro responsible for assembling from her gifts a great Mozart soprano, among other things. Their musical relationship was long and fruitful, and this Carmen bears out the lasting brilliance of that unique artistic fusion. Price is stupendous in this mezzo role: believable, fired up, and tonally, a singer 'just come into her own' - a perfect combination! Listening to her Butterfly and her Carmen, I can't help feeling that early Price is the very best Price we have. Karajan's opera sensibilities are in full sway- what majesty in his approach to the score's insistent fire! As to the other principals, Franco Corelli as Don Jose and Mirella Freni as Michaela - perhaps the less said the better. Corelli overstates the case as usual, though the singing is robust and technically accomplished, if not beautiful. For elegance in this tenor role, I've heard none finer (or more undervalued!) than Neil Shicoff, Jessye Norman's partner in her recorded-only version. In my view, Freni is just the most methodical singer, always has been; reliable but generic. She seems to manage barely a glance at her one important aria, and it's a shame since it's such a fine piece of writing. Under Karajan the Vienna Philharmonic partners both opera and singers magnificently; only Bernstein has managed to coax from this superb orchestra the magic that Karajan does, and that magic is generously arrayed here. If you love Bizet's opera, don't hesitate to get this version. You can't beat it!
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Las personas que aparecen en esta serie de fotografías, forman parte de mi cuadrilla.
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Giuseppe Verdi's masterful Aida is carried much more by the music than by the story line (enslaved Ethiopian princess loves Egyptian general, wins him away from Egyptian princess, gets him to betray his country, and then elects to die with him). The splendid arias and choruses, and the pathos and heroic bombast of Verdi's score are unmatched. Here, Black Dog Opera Library offers a highly affordable and reasonably comprehensive guide to the production. The volume contains an interesting and well-written essay, lots of pictures, the libretto in both English and Italian, and a complete recording of the opera on compact disc.
The energetic recording, made by EMI/Angel Records in 1967 and remastered for release on CD in 1979, offers the laser-voiced Aida of Birgit Nilsson, abandoning her Nordic Strauss-Wagner mantle in favor of the more Italianate vocalism of the Ethiopian princess. If it's not her very best role, the power that Nilsson brings to the part is impressive. This recording would be worth owning simply for the outstanding contribution of tenor Franco Corelli, who is at the top of his form as a clarion-voiced Radames. The fine Amneris and Amonasro of mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry and baritone Mario Sereni, respectively, are also standouts. Zubin Mehta conducts his soloists, the chorus, and the orchestra of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma with youthful enthusiasm.
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A Valuable Collection Piece.
Brilliant voices of Birgit Nilsson, Franco Corelli with Orchestra e Coro Del Teatro dell' Opera di Roma under Zubin Mehta. A marvelous studio recording without audience noises. A number of stage photos of major performances and introduction of Verdi and the writing of AIDA.
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