Bizet Carmen

Overview

This spectacular opera film was taped in 1967 and is based on the 1966 Salzburg Festival production directed by Herbert von Karajan himself, who also conducts the fabulous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The production features the three greatest exponents of their respective roles at the time: Grace Bumbry’s magnificently seductive-toned Carmen, Mirella Freni’s ineffably lovely, touching Micaëla and Jon Vickers’s thrillingly manic-depressive Don José. On its release the film was hailed by Die Presse, (Vienna) as a “unique artistic event”, while Le Monde felt that Karajan’s production brought “a whole new dimension” to the opera, “combined with a magisterial interpretation”. A classical and utterly dramatic approach to probably the world's most beloved opera – Karajan’s Carmen is as much a delicacy for opera fans as it is a perfect starter for newcomers.

Cast

Grace Bumbry

Carmen

Jon Vickers

Don José

Mirella Freni

Micaëla

Justino Díaz

Escamillo

Julia Hamari

Frasquita

N/A

Olivera Miljakovic

Mercédès

N/A

Robert Kerns

Moralès

N/A

Anton Diakov

Zuniga

N/A

Kurt Equiluz

Dancaïre

N/A

Milen Paunov

Remendado

N/A

Mariemma

Dancer at Lilas Pastia's Cortijo