“I am convinced that within some ten years or so Carmen will be the most popular opera in the world!” – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, 1878
Undoubtedly the most popular French opera, Carmen is also one of the most celebrated in the entire repertoire. It’s a pity that its composer, Georges Bizet, did not live to see the success of his work, as he died suddenly a few months after its unsuccessful premiere. Full of beloved melodies, Carmen is an opera that is frequently performed and recorded by opera houses and labels alike, making it almost impossible to include every major recording in this guide. The role of Carmen is the most sought after in the mezzo-soprano repertoire. It’s so coveted, in fact, that some of the greatest sopranos of all time have attempted the role of the Sevillian gypsy, with mixed results. The other principal roles – Don José (tenor), Micaëla (soprano) and Escamillo (baritone) – are also highly sought after by top singers, as they feature some of the most popular music in the operatic canon.
Carmen originally premiered as an opéra-comique – a form similar to the German Singspiel, in which spoken dialogue is interwoven with musical numbers. However, a later version with recitatives, orchestrated by composer Ernest Guiraud, replaced the spoken dialogue and became the standard way of performing the opera until the 1960s. This practice not only deviated from Bizet’s original intention, but also diminished the work’s uniqueness as one of the few opéras-comiques to enter the standard operatic repertoire. For this reason, recordings that preserve the original spoken dialogue are generally preferred.
FLAWED RECORDINGS WITH SOME REDEEMING QUALITIES
This 1928 version, heavily cut and correctly conducted by Elie Cohen (Divine Art), is worth listening to for Don José alone: Georges Thill, the best French tenor of the first half of the 20th century. His legato and phrasing are impeccable, and his French style is perfectly suited to the role. Although the rest of the cast is decent enough, Thill is the only good reason to listen to this recording.
RCA’s 1951 recording with Fritz Reiner at the podium is precise and academically conducted, but lacks emotion and nuance, which at times limits the soloists. Risë Stevens sings Carmen correctly, though her voice lacks some youth, but Reiner’s inexpressive conducting dulls her usually galvanic characterisation of the role. The very underrated Jan Peerce is an accomplished José, but like Stevens, his reading of the role is constrained by the conductor. Licia Albanese seems to be the only one to escape Reiner’s shackles, delivering one of the best Micaëlas on record. Robert Merrill’s Escamillo is very well sung but lacks in interpretation.
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos conducts the work for Warner/EMI (1969) correctly at first, but later robs it of coherence with his inconsistent and often nonsensical tempo choices. Grace Bumbry’s Carmen is sensual and fiery, but her unusually unstable voice detracts from her performance. Mirella Freni does well as Micaëla, though she is not as convincing here as in other recordings, and Kostas Paskalis barely gets through Escamillo. This would be an unremarkable recording were it not for Don José: Jon Vickers. The Canadian tenor portrays the role almost to perfection, full of nuance, expression and musicality. He is one of the few who sings the final B♭ of the flower aria beautifully in pianissimo, as it should be, rather than tastelessly belting it out in forte. His heroic voice, combined with his compelling characterisation and deep understanding of the role, makes him one of the best Don Josés in recorded history.
Lorin Maazel’s is certainly an interesting attempt to do something different with the opera (RCA 1970). The American conductor experiments a lot with tempo, with varying results – sometimes the opera sounds introspective and intellectual, at other times it just feels sluggish. The first thing one notices about this recording is the cast: Anna Moffo (Carmen), Franco Corelli (José), Helen Donath (Micaëla) and Piero Cappuccilli (Escamillo) form an ensemble that you wouldn’t normally associate with Bizet’s work. The opera writer London Green jokingly described this cast as “the Merry Widow as Carmen, Sophie as Micaëla, Turiddu as Don José and Macbeth as Escamillo”. The problem isn’t that their usual roles are so different from Carmen‘s, but that they don’t seem to want to adapt to what Bizet demands of the characters – except for Helen Donath’s Micaëla.
GOOD RECORDINGS TO HAVE
André Cluytens’s 1950 recording (Naxos) is notable for its authenticity – an all-French cast, the orchestra and chorus from the same company that premiered the work 75 years earlier, the spoken dialogue and a conductor specialising in French music who leads the performance with speed and ease, wisely ignoring the misguided verismo approach to Carmen that was rampant at the time. The singers themselves are not the highlight of this version, but the way they work as an ensemble brings the recording to life. Their voices are lighter than what we are used to for Carmen today, but they are authentic to Bizet’s style.
Herbert von Karajan’s first studio attempt (RCA, 1963) is characterised by his energetic reading of the work, which suits the Vienna Philharmonic well. As with Maazel’s 1970 recording, the cast – with the exception of Freni – is not exactly suited to Carmen’s style, but this time they seem to be making a greater effort to conform to Bizet’s conception of the characters. Corelli, while still lacking some characterisation, sounds better here – and not just vocally – than in the Maazel recording. There is a similar improvement with Merrill, who lacked interpretation in the Reiner version, but delivers a gripping Toreador here. In one of her first major studio opera recordings, Mirella Freni portrays a Micaëla full of youth and emotion. The main attraction, however, is the American soprano Leontyne Price, whose interpretation is full of nuance, energy and fire, making it highly convincing, even if her French diction is not the strongest.
Decca’s 1963 recording features Thomas Schippers at the podium, whose reading is similar to Karajan’s in terms of energy but with an even more impulsive and breathless tempo. This approach works well for the opéra-comique aspects of the work but is less effective in the more dramatic sections. Regina Resnik’s Carmen is full of layers and very well acted vocally, but her voice sometimes sounds too coarse. Mario Del Monaco has a wonderful heroic voice, but his Don José is too brash and one-dimensional. He captures the character’s heroism well, but José is more complex than that—he is frustrated, at times pathetic, and Del Monaco fails to convey those aspects of the role. Joan Sutherland’s Micaëla is well sung, if somewhat emotionless, and Tom Krause’s Escamillo is highly inconsistent.
Herbert von Karajan’s second studio attempt at the opera (Deutsche Grammophon, 1982) stands in stark contrast to his recording some 20 years earlier, as is often the case when the Austrian maestro revisits a work after decades. This version is less vibrant and spirited, tending towards the intellectual and Germanic – sometimes to an excessive degree – an approach appropriately supported by the Berlin Philharmonic. At times Karajan even seems to overshadow the soloists, favouring the orchestra over the singers. Katia Ricciarelli’s Micaëla is a little unsteady, and José van Dam does relatively well as Escamillo in what is somewhat of a signature role, though he does not sound as strong here as in other recordings. Agnes Baltsa’s Carmen is well sung and acted, as is José Carreras’ Don José, who, much like Vickers, characterises the role – not in voice but in interpretation – almost to perfection, managing to sing the high B♭ of the flower aria pianissimo as intended.
Michel Plasson’s Carmen is arguably the best-conducted version in the entire discography (Warner/EMI). His stylistic choices work exceptionally well, and the sheer Frenchness of the orchestra, chorus and supporting cast makes the recording sound fantastic. Angela Gheorghiu, a fantastic Micaëla in an earlier recording for Sinopoli, adds her name to the risky list of sopranos who have attempted Carmen. Although her voice is not entirely suited to the role – her struggles with the lower register are evident – she manages to pull it off convincingly, as she has always been a fantastic singing actress. Roberto Alagna excels as José, a role well suited to his voice, which he delivers with immense passion at the beginning of the opera, knowing exactly how to change his demeanour as his character evolves and unravels. His chemistry with Gheorghiu shines through the recording for obvious reasons. Inva Mula’s Micaëla and Thomas Hampson’s Escamillo are average at best, detracting from the overall quality of the recording.
GREAT LIVE OPTIONS
This live recording from the 1967 Salzburg Festival, conducted by Karajan (Orfeo), is essentially a superior version of the Frühbeck de Burgos studio recording discussed earlier. Karajan’s musical direction works very well, striking a middle ground between his energetic 1963 version and his rigid 1982 attempt, making this his most balanced interpretation of the work. Three of the four principal soloists from the Frühbeck de Burgos recording are present: Grace Bumbry, much improved here, Jon Vickers, whose José remains outstanding, and Mirella Freni, always a convincing Micaëla. The newcomer is Puerto Rican bass-baritone Justino Díaz, who delivers one of the finest Escamillos in recorded history – elegant yet fierce, and more willing to explore the character than many who have attempted the role.
Live from Covent Garden, this 1973 recording (Opera d’Oro) features Sir Georg Solti at the podium. His thrilling interpretation of the work, though often crashing through its more nuanced and emotional moments, is theatrically vibrant and highly effective. The casting is first-rate: Shirley Verrett’s Carmen is sensual and direct, Plácido Domingo’s José, one of his signature roles, is beautifully sung and acted. Kiri Te Kanawa’s Micaëla is sensitive and delicate, yet strong, making it one of the best on record, and José van Dam’s Escamillo, full of elegance, is as reliable as ever.
This is the audio version of a highly acclaimed DVD recording from the Vienna State Opera, conducted by the elusive Carlos Kleiber (Golden Melodram, 1978). His reading of the work, precise and relentless, leaves little room for respite with its breakneck pace. Elena Obraztsova takes on the role of Carmen, and while she initially struggles with the character’s required sensuality in Acts I and II, her stunningly dramatic mezzo-soprano shines in Acts III and IV. Plácido Domingo delivers another first-rate Don José, leaving the Vienna audience with sore hands from clapping for nearly three minutes after his Flower Aria. Isobel Buchanan and Yuri Mazurok appropriately complete the cast as Micaëla and Escamillo.
EXCELLENT CHOICES
Sir Thomas Beecham’s recording for Warner/EMI (1958-59) has long been regarded as the reference for Carmen, and rightly so. The English maestro, himself a Francophile, follows in Cluytens’ footsteps by conducting the work as it was meant to be heard. While Carmen is a deeply dramatic opera with a tragic ending, its lighthearted and humorous moments are equally essential, and Beecham balances both aspects masterfully. Spanish soprano Victoria de los Ángeles is an iconic Carmen, full of colour, texture and distinction, with every word meticulously sung. Her low register is solid, her high notes effortless, and her interpretation so natural that it is hard to believe the role was not written for her vocal type. Nicolai Gedda shatters the notion that José should only be sung by dramatic tenors, taking an intellectual, nuanced approach and navigating the psychological challenges of the role with ease. Janine Micheau’s Micaëla is well sung but lacks some freshness in tone, while Ernest Blanc is a fine Escamillo. The main drawback of the recording is the use of Ernest Guiraud’s orchestral recitatives rather than the original opéra-comique spoken dialogue.
Georges Prêtre’s 1964 recording for Warner/EMI is similar to Beecham’s, especially in the overpowering personality of its leading singer, Maria Callas. La Divina, who never sang the role on stage, takes a similar approach to Victoria de los Ángeles, portraying a Carmen full of character and nuance, but even more aggressive and dominant. Her interpretation is so convincing that the vocal flaws she was beginning to develop at the time can be overlooked. Nicolai Gedda’s introspective Don José is as great as in Beecham’s recording, while Andréa Guiot as Micaëla and Robert Massard as Escamillo are good enough to complement the cast. Prêtre’s musical direction is nowhere near as interesting as Beecham’s, but provides solid support for the singers. Like Beecham’s version, this recording uses Guiraud’s orchestral recitatives, to its detriment.
Claudio Abbado conducts this version of Carmen for Deutsche Grammophon in 1977 with great dynamism and transparency, even if it sometimes seems a little superficial. Teresa Berganza takes on the title role, a challenge for her as it is radically different from the Mozartian and Rossinian roles on which she has built her career, and she approaches it with the utmost intelligence. Carefully sung, her interpretation offers an unusually reflective take on the character that works remarkably well, even if the more carnal and straightforward aspects of Carmen are sometimes missed. Plácido Domingo’s José is clever and youthful as ever, Ileana Cotrubaș delivers a Micaëla full of fragility that rivals that of Freni and Te Kanawa, and Sherrill Milnes as Escamillo is fantastic, if a little brash.
This recording for Erato, conducted by Lorin Maazel (1983), serves as the soundtrack for Francesco Rosi’s acclaimed film version of Carmen. Perhaps for this reason, it is probably the most theatrical recording of the work. Julia Migenes’ Carmen is brilliantly imaginative and seductive, even if her voice is sometimes not quite big enough for the role. Similarly, Faith Esham’s Micaëla conveys deep emotion, though her voice is sometimes too thin. Plácido Domingo gives his best Don José on record – vocally precise while delving deeply into the character’s pathos and psychology. Ruggero Raimondi surprises as one of the best Escamillos in the discography; a bass with a distinctly baritonal tone, his voice is perfectly suited to the role. In addition, his outstanding ability as a singer and actor lends the character a smoothness and, at times, a playfulness that the role usually lacks. Although this version isn’t always musically perfect, it’s a truly immersive way to experience Carmen.
TOP RECOMMENDATION
My first choice for a Carmen recording is Sir Georg Solti’s for Decca in 1975. The conducting is exactly what you would expect from Solti – exciting, dashing and vibrant – at times overpowering the work’s playfully flirtatious and nuanced moments, but still outstanding. Tatiana Troyanos’ Carmen is the antithesis of Berganza’s intellectual gypsy: unapologetic, straightforward and deeply seductive, an approach perfectly suited to Solti’s interpretation of the opera. Domingo’s José is, as always, fantastic – less introspective than in the Maazel recording, but more in the vein of the previously discussed Solti live and Abbado sets. Kiri Te Kanawa delivers one of the best Micaëlas on record, while José van Dam’s sometimes overly refined Escamillo is the best he ever recorded.
