# Favourite Carmen on DVD



## Il Pirata (Nov 26, 2010)

Which of these is your favourite Carmen DVD?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Il Pirata said:


> Which of these is your favourite Carmen DVD?
> 
> 1) Amparan / Corelli (1958)
> 2)


Amparan / Corelli (1958) - Is this on DVD?

Here's my favorite










Now, seriously, I think the available Carmens on DVD are not very good, at least the one's I've seen.

This one is decent, in spite of less than stellar singing - but with a lot of panache and good acting:










I'm curious about this one (I haven't seen it yet) because of Antonacci (and there's also Kaufmann and Papano):










I saw the new Met production in a movie theather and thought that Elina Garanca was great as Carmen, surprisingly. She is usually shy and ackward and doesn't do well in concert appearances, but on stage she seems to have incorporated the character and she delivered a very sexy performance:


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## danslenoir (Nov 24, 2010)

I've only seen a couple but I like the Antonacci/Kaufman production; I saw a revival production of that at the ROH a couple of years ago and enjoyed it a lot.

Missing from your list is the Glyndeborne 2002 production with Anne Sofie von Otter as Carmen.










It's quite a unique version...and although she sings pretty damn well, I'm not sure I find her a very convincing Carmen. Her tomboyish Carmen is crude, vulgar even, and I prefer my Carmens with a bit more femininity. Well worth a watch, though.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

danslenoir said:


> I've only seen a couple but I like the Antonacci/Kaufman production; I saw a revival production of that at the ROH a couple of years ago and enjoyed it a lot.
> 
> Missing from your list is the Glyndeborne 2002 production with Sofie von Otter as Carmen.
> 
> ...


von Otter as Carmen? That woman is not sexy at all!

Hey, here is a curiosity. This is not Bizet's opera, but rather Mérimé's story (no singing) which adds several elements to the plot we know from the opera (the opera cut off some parts from the original story, and those parts are in this film - e.g., Carmen was married and her husband shows up):


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> I saw the new Met production in a movie theather and thought that Elina Garanca was great as Carmen, surprisingly. She is usually shy and ackward and doesn't do well in concert appearances.


She did just fine in this concert I think. And it also has (among many other goodies) Anna doing a great Casta Diva.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> She did just fine in this concert I think. And it also has (among many other goodies) Anna doing a great Casta Diva.


Yep, of course I own this one! Anna is spectacular. Remember what she did when she kicked her shoes away? By comparison, poor Elina seems very shy (although she does sing well). Elina is a beautiful woman with a very good voice and exquisite musical education. She just needs to become less inhibited and let out her sex appeal.


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## Il Pirata (Nov 26, 2010)

Ah yes I left out the von Otter, and also (yet) another Ewing at Earl's Court...they only allow 10 though. The Amparan / Corelli is on DVD. I own one. Its sung in Italian, typical of those days...lip-synched, like the Bumbry and Migenes. BTW do you prefer a mezzo Carmen or a soprano one?


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## Herkku (Apr 18, 2010)

I cannot vote, because Anne Sofie von Otter's Carmen happens to be my personal favourite! It's true that she is a very unconventional Carmen, but that's exactly why I like it. She seemingly enjoys every minute of it, and it shows. And as a singer, she is second to no one.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

I like both Ganranca/Alagna and Migenes/Domingo. I like Baltsa just fine on the cd recording under Karajan, but she just isn't sexy enough on the DVD under Levine. On cd I also like de Los Angeles/Gedda.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> Yep, of course I own this one! Anna is spectacular. Remember what she did when she kicked her shoes away? By comparison, poor Elina seems very shy (although she does sing well). Elina is a beautiful woman with a very good voice and exquisite music education. She just needs to become less inhibited and sexier.


Any woman would feel intimidated and shy standing next to Anna. Anna could out-charisma Callas. She wouldn't out-charisma Renée though.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> Any woman would feel intimidated and shy standing next to Anna. Anna could out-charisma Callas. She wouldn't out-charisma Renée though.


Sure, but Elina is shy when she's on her own as well. I've seen a number of concerts with her in different situations - with and without Anna, with other singers, by herself, and I've watched a documentary about her life (two hours long, very interesting). She is definitely a shy woman in her real life, and seems kind of intimidated when she performs in a recital. When she is on stage, however, she seems to get into the role and be able to let go of her inhibitions. That's why I believe that the recital Elina and the operatic stage Elina seem like two different women. I've mentioned this before in another thread, but I'll mention it again: when Draculette dropped out of the new Met production of Carmen because she didn't want to be on stage with her ex-husband, Elina was called to replace her, and a reporter asked her if she would be a good Carmen. She replied "Everybody is wondering whether the cold blonde of the North will be able to do Carmen, but I think I will be OK." Indeed, she seemed another person in this role. But then, after the role she appeared in other recitals and naturally people wanted her to sing arias from Carmen; she did, but seemed anemic again.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Il Pirata said:


> Ah yes I left out the von Otter, and also (yet) another Ewing at Earl's Court...they only allow 10 though. The Amparan / Corelli is on DVD. I own one. Its sung in Italian, typical of those days...lip-synched, like the Bumbry and Migenes. BTW do you prefer a mezzo Carmen or a soprano one?


Oh wow. I looked it up on Amazon.com but couldn't find it. Maybe it's out of print.

I prefer a mezzo Carmen, in my opinion when she has a darker voice it goes better with her sultry personality.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> Any woman would feel intimidated and shy standing next to Anna. *Anna could out-charisma Callas*. She wouldn't out-charisma Renée though.


No no...........a thousand times no! 

I have many times here mentioned my favorite Carmen currently is AC Antonacci so my vote is well known

The Migenes/Domingo Carmen is probably best DVD available but since it is oop and very expensive not fair to vote for that and tempt big spenders like Alma.....


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

DarkAngel said:


> No no...........a thousand times no!


I had a feeling you were gonna say that. :lol:


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## Il Pirata (Nov 26, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> I like both Ganranca/Alagna and Migenes/Domingo. I like Baltsa just fine on the cd recording under Karajan, but she just isn't sexy enough on the DVD under Levine. On cd I also like de Los Angeles/Gedda.


Oh on CD.... my favourite is the Callas, followed by the Troyanos, Baltsa and Verrett. Berganza's too sweet to be Carmen. Resnik's Carmen didn't work for me, nor did Horne's.

The Munich Carmen this year starred Kaufmann and Garanca-- What a combination! If they also have d'Arcangelo as Escamillo and Netrebko as Micaela it would be perfect!


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Il Pirata said:


> Oh on CD.... *my favourite is the Callas*, followed by the Troyanos, Baltsa and Verrett. Berganza's too sweet to be Carmen. Resnik's Carmen didn't work for me, nor did Horne's.


Yes yes...........a thosand time yes! :lol:

Maria's first and only recording of Carmen, one of her last recordings made when she was already past her prime but still delivered a performance never surpassed


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> Yes yes...........a thosand time yes! :lol:
> 
> Maria's first and only recording of Carmen, one of her last recordings made when she was already past her prime but still delivered a performance never surpassed


Of course, she was spectacular on that one, it's a pitty that she never did it on stage.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Il Pirata said:


> and Netrebko as Micaela it would be perfect!


Do you think Anna would accept the lesser role of Micaela? Probably not, at her stage of stardom I don't think she'll be doing any opera in which she is not the main leading female. OK, she did do Antonia in Les Contes d'Hoffmann but that opera doesn't really have a leading female, it has four of them in equal grounds. But Micaela although very interesting is clearly a secondary role with very short stage, probably beneath Anna at this point in her career.

Oh, and welcome to the forum.:tiphat:


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> Of course, she was spectacular on that one, it's a pitty that she never did it on stage.


It is tragic......

There is precious little existing video footage of Callas other than a couple TV shows and recitals, we do however have the Tosca segment staged for ROH audience again at the very end of her career, but what little footage we have does not diminish her status at all and indeed confirms it, priceless!

Tosca


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> It is tragic......
> 
> There is precious little existing video footage of Callas other than a couple TV shows and recitals, we do however have the Tosca segment staged for ROH audience again at the very end of her career, but what little footage we have does not diminish her status at all and indeed confirms it, priceless!
> 
> Tosca


I think there is video footage of her recording sessions of Carmen. I've seen it. I have a DVD documentary on her life that has fragments of the recording sessions. I wonder if it is available in full, probably not.


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## Herkku (Apr 18, 2010)

I haven't heard Victoria de los Angeles as Carmen, but she seems to me kindness and good-heartedness personified. Accordingly, I have doubts of her being able to express the defience and rebelliousness required.

Callas is another matter, and I have listened to her complete Carmen recording. Even with the remains of her voice she is very convincing in the role.

Of the versions listed in the poll, I have watched Baltsa and Antonacci. I agree, Baltsa is better when listened to only. I had hoped a lot from Antonacci, but was left strangely cold.

Garanca interests me very much. I just haven't got around to acquiring it yet.

And, definitely a mezzo! Leontyne Price and Jessye Norman have recorded it, but they do have exceptional ranges. Norman sounded quite out of place, Price I haven't heard. Oh, Callas... She probably didn't have much of her top register left by the time. OK, I checked, and she seems to have sung Tosca and even Norma the next year (-65).


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## Il Pirata (Nov 26, 2010)

Herkku said:


> I haven't heard Victoria de los Angeles as Carmen, but she seems to me kindness and good-heartedness personified. Accordingly, I have doubts of her being able to express the defience and rebelliousness required.
> 
> Callas is another matter, and I have listened to her complete Carmen recording. Even with the remains of her voice she is very convincing in the role.
> 
> ...


I agree about de los Angeles, too sweet, like Berganza!
Antonacci was fine but not spectacular. But she fared vocally better than Ewing on the earlier ROH DVD with Lima as Don Jose. Nonetheless, Ewing's acting was riveting as usual (to me at least).

The Garanca DVD was overall not that good cos she was the only outstanding singer. Alagna is clearly past his prime.

As for Callas, yes she should have contemplated a career as a mezzo instead of still doing Norma at that point. Tosca was fine, but the 1965 Paris Norma was a major disaster and precipitated her retirement.


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## Il Pirata (Nov 26, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> I think there is video footage of her recording sessions of Carmen. I've seen it. I have a DVD documentary on her life that has fragments of the recording sessions. I wonder if it is available in full, probably not.


There's an EMI DVD documenting her singing the Habanera and Seguidilla at the 2nd Hamburg concert I think....


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## Il Pirata (Nov 26, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> Do you think Anna would accept the lesser role of Micaela? Probably not, at her stage of stardom I don't think she'll be doing any opera in which she is not the main leading female. OK, she did do Antonia in Les Contes d'Hoffmann but that opera doesn't really have a leading female, it has four of them in equal grounds. But Micaela although very interesting is clearly a secondary role with very short stage, probably beneath Anna at this point in her career.
> 
> Oh, and welcome to the forum.:tiphat:


Thanks!

Oh but Anna was in the billing for the Vienna Carmen as Micaela early this year, singing with Garanca and Villazon before the latter two were forced to cancel their appearances. So it didn't happen. Perhaps it was Anna's way of relaxing in between heavier roles?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Il Pirata said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Oh but Anna was in the billing for the Vienna Carmen as Micaela early this year, singing with Garanca and Villazon before the latter two were forced to cancel their appearances. So it didn't happen. Perhaps it was Anna's way of relaxing in between heavier roles?


Well, OK, then, I stand corrected. I guess Anna is a simple woman who is not prone to prima donna behavior. So, good for her that she doesn't mind it when she isn't the star.


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## Herkku (Apr 18, 2010)

You guys are incorrigible (I hope it's the proper word), but very entertaining!


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Herkku said:


> You guys are incorrigible (I hope it's the proper word), but very entertaining!


:lol:

Right for both


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