Bizet - Carmen / Levine, Baltsa, Carreras, Metropolitan OperaRating:
Release Date: 12 December, 2000 Retail Price: $29.98 OUR Price: $26.99 You SAVE: $2.99! Cast: |
Bizet - Carmen / Levine, Baltsa, Carreras, Metropolitan Opera Reviews
Carreras shines in "Carmen"
If you are relatively new to opera as I am, Baltsa's performance of Carmen may have to grow on you - as it did on me - but you'll have no trouble admiring and appreciating Carreras' Don Jose character right away. (The role is one of his specialties.) Back to Baltsa: You'll have to get over her physical apperance -Carmen is supposed to be 17!- as a temptress
and then you will enjoy her portrayal. Magnificent voice!
Samuel Ramey is dripping with confidence as Escamillo, the bullfighter, and his voice is really nice.
Leona Mitchell's voice is less than perfect in this live performance, but it is a voice I would be greatful to own.
She is a sweet Micaela, (The girl who loves Don Jose) and is rather convincing in her big aria in act 3.
There is a wonderful supporting cast, although some of the older women in the Met chorus will gross you out in their 'cigarette-girl' costumes in Act 1!
And now what the Carreras fans are waiting for: How was Carreras in this performance? It would take an entire book of positive adjectives to describe his stellar, passionate performance. Here you will find a great artist -in real life on the brink of being diagnosed with leukemia- singing his heart and soul out with fire, urgency, and love. He puts everything into this role and the audience -you & I- are richly rewarded!
Conclusion: Don't miss this one!!!
Carreras and Baltsa are stealing the show
At first I have to say that a lot of operas often happen to have a wonderful tenor and a really bad soprano or vice versa. This is absolutely not the case here. Both mezzo soprano Agnes Baltsa and tenor José Carreras are doing a brilliant job with both their singing and acting. I think they both have a stage presence that very few can beat. Agnes Baltsa possesses a crystal clear voice, but she can also belt if that's what it takes to make the final outcome more believable. José Carreras' voice contains so much beauty; it's full of emotions, sensual and with that irresistible hint of honey. Like Baltsa he can also sacrifize beauty to enhance his performance.
Agnes Baltsa is just so sensual as Carmen it's no wonder Don José is powerless against her. I love the scene in first act where they spot each other for the first time and Don José is trying his best not to show any interest in Carmen who is surrounded by a crowd of eager men, but still we see him watching her out of the corner of his eye and Carmen is putting on a display trying to attract his attention. The way she's taking the rose from down her cleavage and throwing it on Don José is most seductive. And he's obviously overwhelmed by this woman so full of sex-appeal. The sweet and innocent Michaela doesn't stand a chance compared to the wild and seductive Carmen. Baltsa's singing is beautiful; it's filled with her usual energy and involvement and I just love her version of "pres de ramparts de Seville". And in "non, tu ne m'aime pas" she's so persuasive that it's no wonder José almost is giving in to her pleas about him leaving the army.
José Carreras is perfect as Don José. Some reviewers have claimed that his acting is a bit wooden, but I disagree. He's playing a naïve and shy, young man falling in love for the first time and by the way, he's also a soldier and they hardly go dancing all around the place. Like always Carreras is pouring his heart and soul into his singing. Even if this performance was very close to his leukaemia treatment I think he sounds wonderful. Just listen to the "flower aria" that's sung with such emotion and ends up like a gentle love song. (And I would have sacrificed a lot to be Carmen, having Carreras looking at me the way he did that moment...) He's also outstanding in the final act where Don José ends up killing Carmen. They both are, actually. Don José is at first trying his best to persuade her into coming back to him, because he's still in love with her. And his rage at the end is very understandable, because I think we all can identify with him when he realizes that he has ruined his life because of her and in the end she refuses him. His cry (Ma Carmen, adorée) after having killed Carmen makes my hair stand on end. It comes from the very deepest of his soul. During curtain call you will see Carreras completely drained of emotion. And I feel almost the same after having watched this version of Carmen. The final 10-15 minutes of this opera are worth the price of the dvd alone.
Leona Mitchell is a very sweet, but slightly nervous Michaela. Escamillo is portrayed by a brash Samuel Ramey. He has a rich, dark voice and his singing is very good. But even so, if I was Carmen I would stick to Don José. The rest of the supporting cast are excellent and they all make this version of Carmen very enjoyable. If you like me, happen to like Baltsa and Carreras I wouldn't hesitate buying the dvd.
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