{"title":"Georges Bizet","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-highlights-karajan-price-et-al-232701","title":"Bizet: Carmen Highlights \/ Karajan, Price, Et Al","description":"\"Very grand... Price is a highly dramatic Carmen, Mirella Freni contributes a most sensitively sung Micaëla, and Corelli sounds glorious...\" -- BBC Music Magazine [reviewing the complete version,  \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.arkivmusic.com\/classical\/album.jsp?album_id=6685\"\u003eRCA 39495\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \"Karajan's RCA version, made in Vienna in 1964, owes much to Leontyne Price's seductive, smoky-toned Carmen... Robert Merrill sings with gloriously firm tone, while Mirella Freni is enchanting as Micaëla.\" -- The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs \u0026amp; DVDs [2003\/4 edition, reviewing RCA 39495]\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Sony Masterworks","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44626943508714,"sku":"090266019021","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4316633-3140051.jpg?v=1778221229"},{"product_id":"bizet-larlesienne-carmen-suites-bramall-slovak-po-225622","title":"Bizet: L'arlésienne, Carmen - Suites \/ Bramall, Slovak Po","description":"BIZET: Carmen Suites Nos. 1 and 2 \/ L'arlesienne Suites Nos.","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44625598644458,"sku":"730099506120","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/126513.jpg?v=1778345829"},{"product_id":"bizet-symphony-in-c-jeux-denfants-95228","title":"Bizet: Symphony In C - Jeux D'enfants","description":"BIZET: Symphony in C Major \/ Jeux d'enfants","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44625598447850,"sku":"730099402729","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/127127.jpg?v=1778346981"},{"product_id":"bizet-g-carmen-opera-highlights-sung-in-german","title":"Bizet, G.: Carmen [Opera] (Highlights) (Sung in German)","description":"Bizet, G.: Carmen [Opera] (Highlights) (Sung in German)","brand":"Berlin Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44711029833962,"sku":"782124203023","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1400943.jpg?v=1778329201"},{"product_id":"bizet-g-carmen-suites-nos-1-and-2-symphony-in-c-major","title":"Bizet, G.: Carmen Suites Nos. 1 and 2 \/ Symphony  in C Major","description":"Classical Music","brand":"Bella Musica","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44711386022122,"sku":"4014513000446","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2373698.jpg?v=1778312015"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-highlights","title":"Bizet: Carmen (Highlights)","description":"Bizet's opera Carmen was first produced at the Opera-Comique in Paris in 1875. The French genre of opera-comique had arisen in the eighteenth century as a Gallic counterpart of the Italian opera buff, injecting an air of contemporary realism into operatic form. The success of operetta in the nineteenth century offered a challenge to the form, which retained the characteristic of the German Singspiel, spoken dialogue taking the place of the recitative of opera serial or French grand opera, but increasingly lacked power or conviction. Carmen, in it's original version with spoken dialogue, derived largely from Prosper M�rim�e's novel on which the opera was based. Created something of a scandal, and opened the way to a new form of opera. While nineteenth century French audiences at the Opera-Comique might find in Micaela a recognizable character, Carmen, a vicious outcast from decent society, was not the ideal heroine for popular family entertainment.","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44711393198314,"sku":"730099572729","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/126932.jpg?v=1778341067"},{"product_id":"carmen-4","title":"BIZET: CARMEN","description":"I send up a loud 'Ole'. This is a kind of gramophonic miracle which one never ought to take for granted. What a shock of pleasure it is when recognised'","brand":"WARNER CLASSICS","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44932250730730,"sku":"190295472313","price":21.69,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3833360-2586070.jpg?v=1778376297"},{"product_id":"carmen-1965","title":"CARMEN","description":"2014 Maria Callas remastered series reissue. With this Abbey Road 24-bit 96kHz remaster, engineers returned to the original master tapes, bringing new clarity \u0026amp; brilliance to her legendary studio recordings. Towards the end of Callas's career, there were many rumours that she was planning to perform Carmen on stage. This was never to be, but Carmen became her penultimate complete recording of an opera - and her only complete recording of a French opera. With Georges Pretre, one of her favored conductors, and the ever-stylish Nicolai Gedda as her Don Jose', she captured every facet of the role. As Gramophone said when the set was first released: 'Hers is a Carmen to haunt you. '","brand":"WARNER CLASSICS","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44932252106986,"sku":"825646341108","price":18.56,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2777073_5f76702c-b968-4395-9bfd-b36bba3f71aa.jpg?v=1778371573"},{"product_id":"la-divina-the-best-of-maria-callas","title":"La Divina - The Best of Maria Callas","description":"Maria Callas is credited with changing the history of opera. Known as La Divina, she continues to fascinate as a supreme artist, but also as a woman and an icon of style. Her interpretations were as compelling for their dramatic truth as for their musical integrity. Her voice, with it's extraordinary range, was as distinctive as her infallible sense for a phrase. A magnetic presence, she brought operatic heroines to vivid life, magically shaping and colouring her tone, and making insightful use of the text of the libretto.","brand":"WARNER CLASSICS","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":45862025724138,"sku":"5054197664915","price":18.56,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4243804-3040126.jpg?v=1778371015"},{"product_id":"four-hands-alexandre-tharaud-friends","title":"Four Hands - Alexandre Tharaud \u0026 Friends","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis was something I'd had in mind for a long time...\" says pianist Alexandre Tharaud, \"to put together an album for the sheer pleasure of it, in collaboration with dear friends and paying tribute to the wonders of the piano duet repertoire.\" The aptly named 4 Hands offers 18 tracks, each just a few minutes in length, each featuring Tharaud sharing a piano keyboard with a different partner. The repertoire ranges wide - from Bach to Glass by way of such composers as Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Fauré, Satie, Debussy, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, and Piazzolla. 15 of Tharaud's fellow performers are celebrated pianists - among them the late Nicholas Angelich, Mariam Batsashvili, Bertrand Chamayou, David Fray, Víkingur Ólafsson, and Beatrice Rana. The other three, all stars in their musical fields, are shown in a new, pianistic light: cellist Gautier Capuçon, countertenor Philippe Jaroussky and singer-songwriter Juliette. \"The piano duet is one of life's miracles,\" continues Tharaud. \"First and foremost, it is the most intimate way of playing chamber music... It was a joy to record this album... If hearing these pieces prompts people to buy some sheet music and enjoy playing duets together - just as we did in the recording studio - then I will have achieved my aim.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"ERATO","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":45862047154410,"sku":"5054197933523","price":17.28,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4336814-3179537.jpg?v=1778370664"},{"product_id":"bizet-giordano-ponchielli-rossini-verdi-rarities-8007068124220","title":"Bizet, Giordano, Ponchielli, Rossini \u0026 Verdi: Rarities","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen opera singers go from their standard repertoire into something new, from the stage to the recording studio or simply from one performance to another, the results may be better or worse, a great achievement or a great disappointment. None of which ever troubled Ettore Bastianini, whose renowned confidence in his own vocal and mental powers would not allow for those all too human failings which other performers may suffer in such circumstances. His authenticity and renown had their origins on stage of course, yet once he had taken that experience into the recording studio, a return to live performance often brought gains in authority and expressive power. The present series of previously unreleased recordings proves this admirably and they are all the more remarkable because they are certainly not the sort of material with which Bastianini felt most at home, (that was always a thoroughly Romantic repertoire, hence dominated by Verdi).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bongiovanni","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012430876906,"sku":"8007068124220","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4182380-2962418.jpg?v=1778243094"},{"product_id":"rebelle","title":"Rebelle","description":"To mark the 150th anniversary of Bizet's death and the premiere of his immensely popular Carmen, Alpha Classics and Le Palazzetto Bru Zane now pay tribute to Celestine Galli-Marie, the singer who created the title role. A remarkable actress and singer, she created sixteen roles in fifteen years at the Opera-Comique, including Ambroise Thomas' iconic Mignon and Jacques Offenbach's Fantasio. Eva Zaicik is delighted to take on the roles created by such a colourful artist: 'Celestine embodied a certain idea of artistic and feminine rebellion. Her voice, charisma and unique theatrical approach brought to life characters who were free, complex and often struggled with the norms of their time.' Supported superbly by Pierre Dumoussaud and the Orchestre National de Lille, the French mezzo not only brilliantly embodies characters created by Bizet, Massenet, Offenbach and Thomas but also breathes new life into arias by Paladilhe, Poise, Deffes, Masse, Guiraud, Cohen and Grisar.","brand":"Alpha","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012439036138,"sku":"3701624511282","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4402457-3323968.jpg?v=1778199205"},{"product_id":"golden-age","title":"Golden Age","description":"This captivating new release from PENTATONE celebrates the glittering world of 19th-century opera and the timeless beauty of the golden age of bel canto. Featuring music by Gaetano Donizetti, Gioacchino Rossini, Georges Bizet, Leo Delibes, and Giuseppe Verdi, the album showcases soprano Erin Morley and tenor Lawrence Brownlee two of today's most exciting voices joined by the Munchner Rundfunkorchester under the baton of conductor Ivan Repusic. Together, they bring fresh brilliance to the French and Italian repertoire with performances that balance vocal agility, lyrical finesse, and emotional power.    This carefully curated collection of operatic gems highlights iconic duets and arias that continue to resonate with modern audiences through their passion, beauty, and dramatic flair. It marks an exciting PENTATONE debut for both Lawrence Brownlee and Ivan Repusic, while Erin Morley returns following her acclaimed performance in the label's recording of Handel's Alcina (2024). The Munchner Rundfunkorchester also makes a welcome return, having previously appeared on PENTATONE's release of Gordon Getty's Plump Jack (2012).","brand":"PENTATONE","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012445819114,"sku":"8717306264006","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4446484-3422700_d95b8eb4-20b6-4c21-9b88-12a8028455d0.jpg?v=1778210031"},{"product_id":"bizet-gounod-saint-saens-premieres-symphonies","title":"Bizet, Gounod \u0026 Saint-Saens: Premieres Symphonies","description":"Camille Saint-Saens was only fifteen years old when he composed his first symphony in 1850, which is known as his Symphony No. 0 - his official Symphony No. 1 would not arrive for another three years. Gounod was thirty-seven years old when his La nonne sanglante was removed from the repertoire of the Paris Opera by a new director; he swiftly restored his spirits by composing a symphony for the Societe des Jeunes Artistes in March 1855. Bizet, aged seventeen, began work on his Symphony in C major that same year. Gounod's symphony clearly influenced Bizet's work, as Bizet had just completed a transcription of it for piano four hands. This recording marks the beginning of a collaboration between the Alpha Classics label, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo and it's music director Kazuki Yamada, a great lover of the French symphonic repertoire and also music director of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and principal guest conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra and the Seiji Ozawa International Academy.","brand":"Alpha","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012451225834,"sku":"3701624511497","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4433148-3412724_df0f694d-e768-4713-bc3e-25060acae323.jpg?v=1778199395"},{"product_id":"bizet-chabrier-milhaud-ravel-paris-est-une-fete","title":"Bizet, Chabrier, Milhaud \u0026 Ravel: Paris est une fete","description":"From the Second Empire to the Roaring Twenties, Alexandra Soumm, the Orchestre de chambre Pelleas and Benjamin Levy paint a ruffled, nostalgic and swaying portrait of the City of Light, spanning seventy years of music.    This recording, a testament to the musical and human affinities forged over many years between these performers, is also a return to the sources of creative fount, with the first recording of Tzigane in the new �Ravel Edition� and the first recording of the orchestration of Emmanuel Chabrier's Bourree fantasque according to the sketches left unfinished by the composer. From the crinolines of Georges Bizet's adolescence to the wisps of cigar smoke in the dreamy Brazil of Le Boeuf sur le toit, let's immerse ourselves in an era when Paris set the tempo for cosmopolitan, carefree celebrations.","brand":"Fuga Libera","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012458500330,"sku":"5400439008137","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4344152-3187722_5d663afb-36d1-4ad9-b0bb-c7f80b692308.jpg?v=1778232646"},{"product_id":"bizet-l-arlesienne-op-23","title":"Bizet: L’arlesienne, Op. 23","description":"SOMM RECORDINGS is delighted to announce a revelatory new perspective on Georges Bizet's much-loved L'Arlesienne with the re-issue of his complete stage music for Alphonse Daudet's play and a new dramatization of Daudet's original short story by Jon Tolansky. First staged in 1872, L'Arlesienne is, as Tolansky remarks in his illuminating notes, an \"evocative and poignant tale about broken love set in a small Proven�al community\". One that inspired Bizet \"to compose some of the most heartrendingly poignant tones he ever created\". More familiar in the two Suites extracted from the theatrical score, L'Arlesienne is heard here in it's original, complete version, reconstructed by Dominique Riffaud in a rare, 1985 recording by Orfeon Donostiarra and Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse conducted by Michel Plasson. A bonus track features a new adaptation of Daudet's short story, dramatized and narrated by Tolansky, and illustrated by musical excerpts from Bizet's incidental music. The Minuetto from L'Arlesienne was featured on SOMM's Favourite Orchestral Classics by the Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and Iain Sutherland (ARIADNE 5012), hailed \"an exquisite collection\" by Classical Music Daily, while two pieces from Carmen were given a mischievous jazz treatment on the Art Deco Trio's Classical Changes (SOMMCD 0663), declared by Gramophone as \"exemplary\". A noted, widely published and broadcast music commentator and documentary maker, Jon Tolansky's previous SOMM collaborations include Mahler Pioneers (SOMM Ariadne 5022-2), hailed as \"a major addition to the catalogue\" by OperaWire, and the International Classical Music Award-nominated Serge Koussevitzky Conducts the London Philharmonic - Live (SOMM Ariadne 5017-2). More recently his exclusive interview with Ian Partridge was featured in the Gramophone Editor's Choice release of the tenor's Schubert songs accompanied by his sister, Jennifer Partridge, Stimme Der Liebe (SOMMCD 0670).","brand":"SOMM Recordings","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012496969962,"sku":"748871068223","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4337492-3178608.jpg?v=1778201437"},{"product_id":"bizet-djamileh-vasco-de-gama-cantates-musique-chorale-m","title":"Bizet: Djamileh; Vasco de Gama; Cantates; Musique chorale; M","description":"No, Georges Bizet was not only the composer of Carmen, the French opera most frequently performed around the world. In a career spanning less than twenty years, he produced works in every genre: orchestral music, piano pieces, cantatas, operas, songs and more besides. He showed an early mastery of orchestration, and was soon able to give free rein to his taste for orientalism and folklore. This portrait offers a chance to discover works that were never performed during his lifetime, indeed some which had to wait until 2024 for their premiere. Of particular note is the 'ode-symphony' Vasco de Gama, which illustrates the Romantic taste for vast historical epics, and Le Retour de Virginie, a cantata for the Prix de Rome presented by the composer to his teacher in 1855. Piano music and melodies remind us that Bizet was also a sought-after salon composer, whose talent posterity has consecrated in songs like La Coccinelle and Les Adieux de l'h�tesse arabe.","brand":"Bru Zane","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012558737642,"sku":"8055776010205","price":33.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4397850-3315121.jpg?v=1778223045"},{"product_id":"teatro-la-fenice-opera-collection-vol-1","title":"Teatro La Fenice Opera Collection, Vol. 1","description":"Teatro La Fenice has a tradition of opera production that goes back to 1792. This collection brings all of the live atmosphere and drama of six operatic masterpieces from a theatre that has seen more than it's fair share of historic premieres. This set includes the 19th-century romance of Bizet's Les pecheurs de perles, the intense drama of Verdi's Luisa Miller, Britten's hauntingly understated Death In Venice, Massenet's tragic tale of love and redemption in Tha�s, Wagner's final opera Parsifal and Korngold's Die tote Stadt, one of the great operatic successes of the 1920s. An entire century's worth of opera can be seen and heard in these acclaimed productions from Venice's legendary venue.","brand":"Dynamic","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46012572041450,"sku":"8007144380557","price":72.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4365339-3225911_50caa83d-b170-4d79-86cf-d5c4da7ac931.jpg?v=1778212166"},{"product_id":"thomas-jensen-legacy-vol-7","title":"Thomas Jensen Legacy, Vol. 7 \/ Jensen, Tivoli Concert Orchestra, Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra","description":"\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eA magical evening at the Tivoli Gardens! This new compilation features live and studio recordings of light orchestral waltzes and polkas, including the greatest hits of the Danish 'Waltz King', HC Lumbye. Several studio recordings from the 1940s receive their first release on album. Album 2 features a previously unpublished live concert broadcast direct from the Tivoli Gardens, where the people of Copenhagen have enjoyed relaxation and entertainment ever since 1843. Thomas Jensen directs the Tivoli orchestra with the same authority he brought to his classic recordings of Nielsen and Sibelius.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Danacord","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012636889322,"sku":"5709499917008","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4041661-2788587.jpg?v=1778268125"},{"product_id":"bizet-20-songs-op-21","title":"Bizet: 20 Songs, Op. 21","description":"This Ondine debut album by the award-winning Lithuanian mezzo-soprano Justina Gringyte, one of the foremost rising stars of the opera world, and pianist Malcolm Martineau is her first solo album and the complete recording of Georges Bizet's (1838-1875) long-forgotten masterpiece, Vingt Melodies (20 Songs), Op. 21. Year 2025 marks the 150th anniversary of the death of Bizet, one of the greatest French composers of all time. During his short career of little more than twenty years Bizet composed a substantial quantity of music, including 15 operas. Bizet has been compared with Mozart in his sensitivity to the human voice and understanding of it's expressive potential. Several of Bizet's operas predate his twenty songs Opus 21, written between 1854 and 1872. Anyone new to these songs, a collection including many masterpieces, may wonder how music of such consistent quality could be so neglected! Clearly, they must be ranked among Bizet's most representative works.","brand":"Ondine","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012719169770,"sku":"0761195145821","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4442631-3418315.jpg?v=1778192903"},{"product_id":"bizet-reger-schubert-edition-staatskapelle-dresden-vol","title":"Bizet, Reger \u0026 Schubert: Edition Staatskapelle Dresden, Vol.","description":"Karl Bohm and the Staatskapelle of Dresden  Historical Recordings 1937, 1939, 1942  \"I headed the Sachsische Staatskapelle Dresden for nine years - the most wonderful  and meaningful time of my life\", wrote Karl Bohm in 1973 for the 425th anniversary  of the orchestra. He was forty years of age in 1934, when he moved up the Elbe from  Hamburg to assume direction of the Dresden State Orchestra and Opera. There,   his sensitive yet dramatic style of conducting, his vigour and intellectual resilience,   his feel for classical form and unerring sense of tempo (not to mention his strict discipline  and utterly infallible hearing) very soon won the respect and trust of the  musicians and singers in his charge; they did after all represent one of the best orchestras  and most capable opera ensembles in Europe.    Every season, Bohm conducted nearly all the Staatskapelle concerts and about 70  opera performances, setting new standards above all in the Mozart, Wagner and Strauss  repertoire (including the world premieres of Die Schweigsame Frau and Daphne,   the latter work being dedicated to him). In this extraordinarily extensive activity,   he set his stamp on the ensemble, whose guest performances confirmed it's international  ranking. Even in his first year in Dresden, he made recordings in the Semperoper,   which always had to be especially prepared for the purpose. They included  numerous individual symphonic works and items from opera, as well as lavish projects  that were technically difficult to record at the time.","brand":"Profil","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012727361770,"sku":"881488200560","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4363554-3219500.jpg?v=1778199093"},{"product_id":"sarahbanda-colored-lp-version","title":"Sarahbanda (Colored LP Version)","description":"Meet The Sarahbanda - the Cuban band with a twist!    Formed as part of the popular Mozart y Mambo project by Sarah Willis of the Berlin Philharmonic, The Sarahbanda explores the captivating Cuban dance rhythms in a way never heard before. How? By featuring an instrument not typically included in traditional Cuban band music - the French horn. The sound of Sarah�s horn combined with Cuban grooves played by some of Cuba�s most talented musicians creates an exciting and passionate group unlike any other. With their exclusive new arrangements of some of Cuba's best known songs such as Chan Chan and Sandunguera, original compositions by members of the band, and some classical-meets-Cuban surprises, The Sarahbanda brings a whole new sound - fresh, innovative, irresistible and one you simply have to get up and dance to!","brand":"Alpha","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl","offer_id":46012773925098,"sku":"3701624511091","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4362714-3219427.jpg?v=1778232144"},{"product_id":"la-zingarella-through-romany-songland","title":"La Zingarella - Through Romany Songland \/ Isabel Bayrakdarian","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSoprano Isabel Bayrakdarian has travelled far and wide, as an international opera star and an Armenian who was born in Lebanon, immigrated to Canada, and is now settled in southern California. Her life is a journey that informs her new recording, La Zingarella: Through Romany Songland. “The music transcends geography,” she says. “It taps into human nature and unites us all. It’s about freedom of the spirit, about living life without knowing what tomorrow holds. It’s about enjoying every single minute.” Isabel embarked on an album of art songs that draw on Romani melodies – Brahms’ Zigeunerlieder, Dvorák’s Cigánské Melodie, Bizet’s Habanera – and while those appear here, her journey also led to a wealth of recherché gems.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe title track by French composer Maurice Yvain commingles with fellow-operetta composers Franz Lehár (‘Lied und Csárdás’ from Zigeunerliebe), Emmerich Kálmán (‘Heia, heia, in den Bergen’ from The Csárdás Princess) and Victor Herbert (\"Gypsy Love Song\" from \u003cem\u003eThe Fortune Teller\u003c\/em\u003e). \u003cem\u003eTwo South American Gypsy Songs\u003c\/em\u003e by American folk song collector Henry F.B. Gilbert set words by ethnomusicologist Laura Alexandrine Smith, whose book lends the album its subtitle. The ever-adventurous Isabel commissioned new arrangements for the songs on this album, with violin, viola, cello, and piano lending a laser beam lucidity to the music that “has a lot of fire in it,” she says with a glint in her eye.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEWS\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan id=\"ctl00_MainContent_gvReviews_cell7_12_ASPxPopupControl1_ASPxLabel2\" class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003eBayrakdarian reigns supreme here. She is nominally a soprano, but her range extends well below the treble staff. She takes on Liszt’s opening `3 Gypsies’ and the succeeding Brahms and Dvorak sets with assurance, and when she moves on to Sebastian Iradier she cleverly follows his `Habanera’ with Bizet’s, so obviously based on it and so obviously a natural improvement in carrying the opening scale further down. The latter half of the disc is excerpts from operettas: Maurice Yvain’s Chanson Gitane, Franz Lehar’s Zigeunerliebe, Emmerich Kalman’s Czardasfurstin, and Victor Herbert’s Fortune Teller. The distance from Romany originals is greatest here, and yet I hear, not cultural appropriation, but cultural appreciation. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003e-- American Record Guide\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003e\u003cspan id=\"ctl00_MainContent_gvReviews_cell6_12_ASPxPopupControl1_ASPxLabel2\" class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003eBayrakdarian is in fine voice and exuberant high spirits for these mostly high-spirited selections, yet poignant or sensuous when appropriate. This exhilarating cross-cultural excursion is enthusiastically recommended.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dxeBase_PlasticBlue\"\u003e-- The Whole Note (Canada)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Avie Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012784148714,"sku":"822252250626","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4085497-2836718.jpg?v=1778240220"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-2","title":"Bizet: Carmen","description":"In a dreamlike vision of Spain, where scorching sun meets simmering tensions, Carmen embodies a magnetic, defiant figure driven by one desire: to live free. Around her, hearts falter-from Don Jos�, the soldier consumed by obsessive love, to Escamillo, the flamboyant toreador. With Carmen, Georges Bizet created more than an opera; he composed a theatre of human passion, where romantic impulses, wounded pride, and an ominous sense of fate collide. Premiered in 1875 to a reception of near indifference, the work has since claimed it's place as one of the great pinnacles of Western operatic art. This recording, brought to life by an outstanding cast and a sharply defined musical interpretation, captures the full modernity and emotional power of Bizet's score-affirming Carmen as a revolutionary work that remains as vibrant and resonant as ever.","brand":"Château de Versailles Spectacles","offers":[{"title":"CD with DVD","offer_id":46012785492202,"sku":"3760385430713","price":32.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4488773-3517881.jpg?v=1778218202"},{"product_id":"bizet-complete-piano-music-julia-severus-74978","title":"Bizet: Complete Piano Music \/ Julia Severus","description":"As soon as I saw \u003ci\u003eBizet: Complete Piano Music\u003c\/i\u003e listed as                     a new release on the Naxos website, I realized that I had never                     before even thought of Georges Bizet in relation to piano compositions                     or piano music. I listened to the album for the first time with                     trepidation. Was there a reason his piano works had evaded popularity                     for so long? Was there a reason that quick checks of the internet                     revealed only two recorded piano recitals of Bizet prior to                     this one, neither offering the “complete” works?                     \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                    Not all of this music is especially memorable, and none of it                     is profound. But one can safely slot Bizet into the tradition                     of Moszkowski, Paderewski, Mendelssohn, Gottschalk and others                     as a composer of admirable, charming little salon miniatures                     which, one imagines, gave amateurs of the day considerable pleasure                     and provided the composers with respectable calling-cards at                     evening parties. Even in this field, I would not credit Bizet                     with the originality some of those other composers exhibited                     in their works for piano. \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                    Julia Severus has carefully and cleverly programmed her two                     discs here. Each begins with lighter fare, progresses through                     a smart alternation of serious and slight, and ends with one                     of the \u003ci\u003eL’Arlésienne\u003c\/i\u003e suites, arranged for                     piano by the composer. The two nocturnes on CD 1 are reminiscent                     more of Mendelssohn’s \u003ci\u003eSongs without Words\u003c\/i\u003e than                     anything by Chopin, and I prefer the lovely cantabile F major                     to the less-inspired example in D. There are several waltzes                     bathed in the perfume of the salons of Paris. The C major waltz                     really is a clever delight with some surprises in store, although                     the “Grand valse de concert” does not have a main                     tune nearly as hummable as Moszkowski’s work by the same                     title. The three Esquisses include a “Ronde turque”                     which impressed me as sounding quite a lot more authentically                     Turkish than almost any other western piece bearing that title.                     \u003cbr\u003e                        \u003cbr\u003e                    The most dramatic work on CD 1 is \u003ci\u003eVariations chromatiques\u003c\/i\u003e,                     the chromatic passages of which serve up high drama and empty                     virtuosity in equal measure before the piece turns into a rather                     pedestrian, wandering “happy romantic” piece near                     the middle. An ominous ending, consciously imitative of Beethoven,                     barely manages to save it. The four Preludes are refreshing                     and nicely varied in mood, although they add up to just three                     minutes’ worth of music. The two Caprices are rather longer                     and I actually found the first quite interesting in its spicy                     blend of minor mode, sly attitude and stealthy rhythms. Again,                     think of Moszkowski, or perhaps even of a Chopin mazurka. Both                     Caprices sound as if they are just waiting to be orchestrated;                     by contrast, the first \u003ci\u003eL’Arlésienne\u003c\/i\u003e suite                     has been de-orchestrated here, and the beginning of the introduction                     does sound rather naked. In fact, it sounds like a fugue subject                     waiting to be put into counterpoint. The rest of the suite goes                     better; indeed, the minuet and carillons are quite successful                     as piano pieces. \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                    The second CD opens with the longest work in the set: \u003ci\u003eChants                     du Rhin\u003c\/i\u003e, a series of tone-pictures with titles like “Les                     rêves” which lasts for a little over twenty minutes.                     Even this work manages to be cutesy; “La bohémienne”                     is like a Chopin waltz composed by an inebriate. I think Julia                     Severus takes the opening movement a bit too quickly, but the                     others are better - “Les confidences” in particular                     is a well-voiced song begging for words. The most striking moment                     of the \u003ci\u003eMagasin des familles\u003c\/i\u003e comes near the end of the                     “Méditation réligieuse,” when Bizet                     caps off the piece with some unexpected, indeed totally out                     of place, fortissimo chords. Better is the second \u003ci\u003eL’Arlésienne\u003c\/i\u003e                     suite, which succeeds as a piano piece all the way through,                     especially the dance episode in the middle of the Pastorale                     and the dazzling passagework in the center of the final Farandole.                     \u003cbr\u003e                        \u003cbr\u003e                    A few miniatures fill out the remainder of the set, all of them                     from essentially the same “songs without words”                     mold. The only Venetian characteristic I can detect in “Venise”                     is its melancholy mood, something like (one might say, creatively)                     a city reflecting that its best centuries are behind it. A “Romance                     sans paroles” is rather sans interest. The surprisingly                     Latin American “Marine” hints that Julia Severus                     would probably be a great performer of samba, ragtime and composers                     like Gershwin and Ernesto Nazareth. \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                    I was surprised to realize that Bizet had even written piano                     music, so this set counts as a pleasant discovery. That some                     of the works, particularly the waltz in C, nocturne in F, “Marine”,                     and a few excerpts from \u003ci\u003eL’Arlésienne\u003c\/i\u003e, are                     actually very good makes this an even better surprise. Julia                     Severus is reliable and sensitive to the music’s lyricism                     and supplies her own well-written liner-notes, and the recorded                     sound is warm and close. This piano music is generally not too                     special - in fact none of it is “special” except                     maybe the sudden Brazilian turn of “Marine” - but                     all of it is, at a minimum, rather pretty, and “rather                     pretty” is a good thing to be. If you are fond of rather                     pretty piano music, here are two discs full of it waiting to                     be heard.\u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                   – Brian Reinhart, MusicWeb International","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012920135914,"sku":"747313083176","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1806829.jpg?v=1778315930"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-rice-hymel-carydis-blu-ray-212094","title":"Bizet: Carmen \/ Rice, Hymel, Carydis [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2171747\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis production of one of the world’s most popular operas, directed by Francesca Zambello, is a live performance from the Royal Opera House, June 2011. The Royal Opera Chorus and the Orchestra of the \u003cb\u003eRoyal Opera House\u003c\/b\u003e, conducted by \u003cb\u003eConstantinos Carydis\u003c\/b\u003e, are joined by \u003cb\u003eChristine Rice\u003c\/b\u003e as Carmen, \u003cb\u003eBryan Hymel\u003c\/b\u003e as Don Jose, \u003cb\u003eAris Argiris\u003c\/b\u003e as Escamillo, and \u003cb\u003eMaija Kovalevska\u003c\/b\u003e as Micaela.","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013002612970,"sku":"809478071884","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3314776_0046ce79-7cde-4196-bd41-4b94e6642201.jpg?v=1778385229"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-845029","title":"Bizet: Carmen \/ Gardiner, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"https:\/\/www.arkivmusic.com\/products\/bizet-carmen-845028\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eGeorges Bizet died at the tragically young age of 36 while Carmen was still in it's first run, and he never witnessed the huge international acclaim his opera received. Filled with jealousy and passion, the gripping and ultimately tragic narrative of Carmen initially shocked audiences, but with an abundance of memorable tunes, it remains unchallenged as one of the most popular operas ever written. Carmen received it's premiere at the Opéra Comique in Paris in 1875, and this internationally acclaimed production, performed on period instruments, represents a triumphant return to it's home theatre. 'Carmen has never sounded more revolutionary, romantic or thrillingly vibrant' (The Times, London).\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEW\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eMs. Antonacci comes across as a totally convincing Carmen, vocally and dramatically. Her Habanera is spicy, alluring and sung with utter confidence and swagger, while her Second Act Les tringles des sistres tintaient shows her displaying an exotic style quite perfect for this colorful number. Straight through the opera she is consistently excellent, conveying effectively every aspect of the conniving and manipulative side of seductress Carmen’s character. Andrew Richards is splendid as Don José, the soldier hopelessly enamored of Carmen and tortured by her rejections. His Second Act Flower Song (La Fleur Que Tu M’avais Jetée) is sung with tenderness and passion. His dramatic skills are impressive throughout: note how effectively he becomes a different Don José in the final act, degenerating to desperation and finally to a murderous level in answer to Carmen’s final rejection.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eAnne-Catherine Gillet as Micaëla is also quite fine. She has an angelic soprano voice, which is especially beautiful and strong in the upper ranges. In the First Act Parle-moi de ma mere she sings with great passion and arresting innocence. Her Third Act Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante is also quite good even if at moments she veers toward stridency. Nicolas Cavallier as Escamillo is also impressive, and the rest of the cast is very convincing.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eAs suggested above, Sir John Eliot Gardiner and his fine orchestra also deliver stellar work for their part. Gardiner’s tempos are brisk, and the orchestra’s playing is always spirited, precise and full of feeling. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard better phrasing and orchestral playing in any other recorded performance of Carmen. Try the Act II Overture and notice how subtly Gardiner shapes the music as it builds from its demure opening to a lively exotic dance and then transitions right into Carmen’s brilliantly sung Les tringles. Of course, the Prelude at the opera’s outset is brilliantly played too and all the accompaniments throughout the opera are consistently well done.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThe costuming is historically accurate and quite realistic: clothes of the factory workers and smugglers appear worn and sometimes tattered, though Carmen’s attire is usually a cut or so above the others’. I wouldn’t necessarily associate the costuming with Spain but it is nevertheless quite fitting throughout the opera. Sets are rather sparse and the lighting is often faint, leaving dark scenery, which is generally quite effective here.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eStage Director Adrian Noble clearly understands drama and the theater. Here he does not tamper with the essentials of the opera’s story or time period as so many other stage directors have lately done with this and other operas. That said, he does add—with good historical foundation though—a few touches that mostly enhance this production. For example, using the aforementioned Smith’s Edition Peters Urtext, he inserts a scene where Moralès looks out toward the audience and observes an incident along with fellow soldiers to his left and right. He wittily describes its action: a young wife is secretly handed a message from her lover while strolling with her oblivious older husband. This scene is employed instead of a pantomime, which was used in some early performances of Carmen but thereafter abandoned. In any event, this subtle tidbit helps fill out the picture of life in Carmen’s Seville. In the end, Noble’s treatment of Carmen must be judged an imaginative and fresh take on this warhorse opera.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThe camera work, picture clarity and sound reproduction on this Blu-ray disc are excellent. As for the competition on video, not surprisingly it is plentiful. There are two splendid Franco Zeffirelli renditions from the Arena di Verona: one on TDK, from 2003, featuring the brilliant Marina Domashenko as Carmen and led by Alain Lombard; the other is on BelAir Classiques, from 2014, with Ekaterina Semenchuk in the lead and Henrik Nànàsi conducting. Of these two I would favor the earlier one. There is an excellent version, but updated to current times, on Unitel Classica, from 2010, featuring a star-studded cast of Béatrice Uria-Monzon and Roberto Alagna in the leads, and Marina Poplavskaya as Micaëla and Erwin Schrott as Escamillo. But Calixto Bieito’s staging won’t be to everyone’s taste, with its use of Mercedes Benz cars, flat screen televisions, simulated sex scenes and other added features. On purely musical grounds it is excellent and probably the equal of the Gardiner\/Naxos, but it falls short owing to its sometimes wayward and somewhat incoherent production. The Lombard\/TDK features a fine production, but so does this Naxos effort, and in the end its strengths outweigh the others’. \u003cstrong\u003eThe Gardiner\/Naxos would thus be my first choice in video format.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e– MusicWeb International\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Naxos AudioVisual","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013006348522,"sku":"730099012768","price":28.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3953808-2691125.jpg?v=1778388002"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-uria-monzon-alagna-piollet-gran-233306","title":"Bizet: Carmen","description":"Famous and controversial stage director Calixto Bieito presents this raw and evocative interpretation of Bizet’s classic opera, Carmen.; This live production at the Gran Teatre del Liceu emanates a sensual and convincing ambiance full of imagery.; The vocalists in this production are truly second-to-none, and include Beatrice Uria-Monzon as Carmen, Roberto Alagna as Don Jose, Erwin Schrott as Escamillo, and Marina Poplavskya as Micaela.","brand":"C Major Entertainment","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013076898026,"sku":"814337015039","price":22.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3370962.jpg?v=1778286578"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-nanasi-arena-di-verona-orchestra-147691","title":"Bizet: Carmen \/ Nanasi, Arena di Verona Orchestra and Chorus","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2061434\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Georges Bizet’s “Carmen”, one of the world’s most beloved operas and a staple of the operatic since its premiere a mere three months before the composer’s death in June, 1875 was staged at the world-famous Arena di Verona in June, 2014 in an opulent production directed by the flamboyant Franco Zeffirelli and filmed in High Definition. The cast is an international lineup of excellent singers: Russian mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Semenchuk (“This gorgeous mezzo-soprano is gifted with an amazing voice… captivating timbre and good pronunciation… - Operaclick), soprano Irina Lungu ([her] voice has the brightness you associate with most coloraturas, but also bloom and warmth, which are more unusual qualities…” – New York Times), tenor Carlo Ventre (“I regard Ventre as one of the finest spinto tenors singing today.” – Opera Warhorses) and baritone Carlos Álvarez (… ample, virile voice…” – Opera News). Conductor Henrik Nánási leads the Arena di Verona Orchestra and Chorus.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"BelAir Classiques","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013135061226,"sku":"3760115301214","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2969572.jpg?v=1778289646"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-nanasi-arena-di-verona-orchestra-239802","title":"Bizet: Carmen \/ Nanasi, Arena Di Verona Orchestra And Chorus [blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2061433\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Georges Bizet’s “Carmen”, one of the world’s most beloved operas and a staple of the operatic since its premiere a mere three months before the composer’s death in June, 1875 was staged at the world-famous Arena di Verona in June, 2014 in an opulent production directed by the flamboyant Franco Zeffirelli and filmed in High Definition. The cast is an international lineup of excellent singers: Russian mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Semenchuk (“This gorgeous mezzo-soprano is gifted with an amazing voice… captivating timbre and good pronunciation… - Operaclick), soprano Irina Lungu ([her] voice has the brightness you associate with most coloraturas, but also bloom and warmth, which are more unusual qualities…” – New York Times), tenor Carlo Ventre (“I regard Ventre as one of the finest spinto tenors singing today.” – Opera Warhorses) and baritone Carlos Álvarez (… ample, virile voice…” – Opera News). Conductor Henrik Nánási leads the Arena di Verona Orchestra and Chorus.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"BelAir Classiques","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013248930026,"sku":"3760115304215","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2969571.jpg?v=1778389726"},{"product_id":"opera-arias-tenor-gigli-beniamino-boito-a-puccini","title":"Opera Arias (Tenor): Gigli, Beniamino - BOITO, A. \/ PUCCINI,","description":"Classical Music","brand":"IDIS","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013286875370,"sku":"8021945000032","price":16.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2081626.jpg?v=1778295487"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-jordan-von-otter-glyndebourne-festival-256614","title":"Bizet: Carmen \/ Jordan, Von Otter, Glyndebourne Festival","description":"Georges Bizet\u003cbr\u003e  CARMEN \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Moralès – Hans Voschezang\u003cbr\u003e  Micaëla – Lisa Milne\u003cbr\u003e  Don José – Marcus Haddock\u003cbr\u003e  Zuniga – Jonathan Best\u003cbr\u003e  Carmen – Anne Sofie von Otter\u003cbr\u003e  Frasquita – Marty Hegarty\u003cbr\u003e  Mercédès – Christine Rice\u003cbr\u003e  Lillas Pastia – Anthony Wise\u003cbr\u003e  Escamillo – Laurent Naouri\u003cbr\u003e  Le Dancaïre – Quentin Hayes\u003cbr\u003e  Le Remendado – Colin Judson\u003cbr\u003e  Le Guide – Franck Lopez\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Stoke Brunswick School Children’s Chorus\u003cbr\u003e  (chorus master: East Grinstead)\u003cbr\u003e  Glyndebourne Chorus\u003cbr\u003e  (chorus master: Tecwyn Evans)\u003cbr\u003e  London Philharmonic Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e  Philippe Jordan, conductor \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  David McVicar, stage director\u003cbr\u003e  Michael Vale, set designer\u003cbr\u003e  Sue Blane, costume designer\u003cbr\u003e  Paule Constable, lighting designer\u003cbr\u003e  Andrew George, choreographer\u003cbr\u003e  Nicholas Hall, fight director \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at the Glyndebourne Opera House, Lewes, Sussex, 17 August 2002 \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Bonus:\u003cbr\u003e  - Illustrated synopsis\u003cbr\u003e  - Cast gallery\u003cbr\u003e  - Costume design\u003cbr\u003e  - How to fight on stage\u003cbr\u003e  - Choreographing Carmen\u003cbr\u003e  - The music of Carmen\u003cbr\u003e  - The Gardens of Glyndebourne \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Picture format: NTSC 16:9\u003cbr\u003e  Sound format: LPCM Stereo \/ DTS 5.1\u003cbr\u003e  Region code: 0 (worldwide)\u003cbr\u003e  Menu language: English\u003cbr\u003e  Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish\u003cbr\u003e  Running time: 220 mins\u003cbr\u003e  No. of DVDs: 2\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  R E V I E W:\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Carmen can justifiably lay claim to be the world’s most popular opera. As director David McVicar points out in one of the revealing documentary extras on this excellent BBC release, it ‘is probably the first musical, with hit tune after hit tune’. He’s right, but as his own thought-provoking production makes amply clear, it is so much more than that, having deep psychological layers that he teases out very effectively. He has (rightly in my opinion) opted for a colourful, naturalistic production, with costumes and sets all conveying the correct period and general feel; no stylised or ‘concept’ nonsense to distract the viewer. This leaves him clear to get the cast to really act and get under the skin of the complex characters that inhabit the work. This makes for a riveting dramatic experience, with the many famous melodies and set pieces all in proper context. There is an erotic charge running through many of the exchanges of the principals, and McVicar sees sexual frustration as the key to many of these characters’ problems. This may have led to raised eyebrows at Glyndebourne, but it does make a lot of sense, given the ultimate events of the tragedy. He also opts to include the original spoken dialogue rather than the spurious recitatives, another aspect that works remarkably well. It fleshes the story out properly instead of holding up the action until the next big tune, as one might suspect it would.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  So full marks for not messing with Bizet’s general instructions too much. Praise must also be heaped on the London Philharmonic, who respond magnificently to the flamboyant young maestro, Philippe Jordan (any relation to Armin, I wonder?). His energy and physical intensity, which is visibly there for all to see in the hectic, brilliant prelude (where he resembles Escamillo!), communicates through to the orchestra at every turn, and Bizet’s wonderful scoring is heard in all its glory. One could cite numerous examples, but hear particularly the characterful wind solos of the Act 2 Entr’acte, or the beautifully weighted brass chords that punctuate the famous ‘Toreador Song’, helping one to appreciate the harmony afresh. It really is a superb aural-only experience, the Gallic lightness making one understand why Richard Strauss once advised young composers learning orchestration to study Bizet’s scores, not Wagner’s.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  So the reported controversy surrounding this production appears to be wholly related to the central casting. Here we have one of the world’s finest mezzos seemingly cast against type. Anne Sofie von Otter herself admits that she may not be everyone’s idea of the ideal Carmen – \"too tall, Nordic and cool\", as she puts it, and remembering great Carmens of the past (Berganza, de los Angeles, Price, Migenes etc.) she does have a point. All I can say is that she seemed to me wholly convincing, sporting a blazing auburn wig to help with the gypsy look (plus Sue Blane’s magnificent costumes) and acting and singing with such conviction that criticism was all but silenced. McVicar and von Otter have obviously worked on other aspects of the character, and rather than the smouldering wildcat, we get a more mature portrayal of a woman who can, as the director has it \"eat men whole – and laugh while she’s doing it\". She is a woman desperately seeking love, a free spirit that simply needs the right partner. This really does make the final tragedy all the more poignant, because we really believe that she has at last found the right person in Escamillo, but, as the cards tell her, fate has something else in store for her. The famous routines are all superbly choreographed, and she raises a laugh from the audience as she manages the second verse of her ‘Seguidilla’ while lighting a cigar, quite a feat!\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Her Don José, American tenor Marcus Haddock, also gives a multi-layered portrayal, and his character probably develops more than any other. He constantly reminds us that this is a man hiding many demons, not least the fact that he killed a man in a duel, so we begin to realise early on what he is capable of. There is also the shadow of his mother, who we learn wanted him to become a priest (all this is in the invaluable spoken dialogue), so he is an unstable individual. His beautifully sung ‘Flower Song’ is not just a showstopper, but tinged with all the psychological baggage of a haunted man. The final confrontation with Carmen is riveting, with the fatal stabbing ghastly but not in the least melodramatic. This is believable verismo.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  As Escamillo, Laurent Naouri is also encouraged to act with some subtlety, to enjoy his big moments but give us some character insight. Thus his oft-heard ‘Toreador Song’ is punctuated by glances towards Carmen, who responds with knowing eye contact (obviously the camera close-up helps here), and an immediate chemistry is established. His is less a testosterone-fuelled macho man than a virile counterpart to Carmen herself; one can actually believe they would have made a satisfied couple.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Micaëlla, Lisa Milne, is a touch matronly for me, but I suppose we have to believe in her as the saintly sister figure, and while I miss some of the fragility of others in this part, she sings beautifully and makes a good contrast to Carmen. All the smaller parts are taken with real relish, and I particularly liked Jonathan Best’s Zuniga. Costumes, as mentioned, are stunning, with the stage for the final act dominated by black and a symbolic blood red. The dancing is a delight, sexy and energetic, and stage designs (by Michael Vale) atmospheric yet practical.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The extras on the double DVD set are worth having. There are revealing interviews with director and principals, as well as substantial individual features on music, costume, choreography and stage fighting. There is an illustrated synopsis, cast gallery and a ten-minute feature on the famous Glyndebourne garden. Having loaded the discs with the extras, the booklet is devoted to a specially commissioned reworking of the Carmen libretto by Jeanette Winterson, entitled ‘The World Beyond’, a moving and worthwhile updating of the basic story.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Whether you want to fork out for two full price discs may depend totally on your idea of the casting of the eponymous heroine. When this was broadcast last year, some of my colleagues thought von Otter so wrong they couldn’t watch it through to the end. While I accept she may not be what is expected visually, I think it is short-sighted to not see the whole package. Carmen does dominate, but there is an awful lot going on around her, and David McVicar has managed quite the most intelligent, believable opera production I’ve seen for some time. This is ensemble directing at its best. With von Otter (and everyone else, for that matter) in absolutely superb voice, accompanied by gloriously inspired orchestral playing, this is a musical and visual feast. Sue Judd’s subtle camera work helps the television experience. The BBC packaging is first rate, making an altogether outstanding record of a thrilling event.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  -- Tony Haywood, MusicWeb International\u003cbr\u003e  , Reviewing original release, Opus Arte 868","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013310632170,"sku":"809478060116","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2335590.jpg?v=1778291781"},{"product_id":"vocal-recital-gigli-beniamino-giordano-u-mascagni-p","title":"Vocal Recital: Gigli, Beniamino - GIORDANO, U. \/ MASCAGNI, P","description":"Classical Music","brand":"IDIS","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013333209322,"sku":"8021945000964","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2818202.jpg?v=1778311874"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-semperoper-edition-vol-12-1942-863837","title":"Bizet: Carmen (Semperoper Edition, Vol. 12) (1942) \/ Böhm, Dresden State Opera","description":"\u003ctable\u003e  \u003ctbody\u003e  \u003ctr\u003e  \u003ctd\u003eThe present release is a live recording of 1942 from the opera house of the State Theatre of Saxony, the Semperoper, destroyed by bombing three years later and finally reopened in 1985. The opera chorus and orchestra are to be heard performing alongside an outstanding ensemble of soloists under the musical direction of Karl Böhm, then principal conductor in Dresden as successor to Fritz Busch. Sung in German to a text by Julius Hopp, the new production – advertised as being in its 500th performance in mid-June 1942 – was created by Heinz Arnold, then Oberspielleiter (chief production supervisor) and post-war opera director to the Dresden State Opera. Stage sets and costumes (given as Trachten, “outfits”, work clothes or regional dress) were the responsibility of Adolf Mahnke and Richard Panzer. What little has survived as evidence of this historic staging suggests that it was strongly influenced by the Paris premiere. The Hispanic-Moorish elements of the stage façades clearly suggest the architecture of faraway lands. This thrill of the exotic is also to be found in the “outfits” and of course in the music. Georges Bizet thus combined and compared the charm of folklore with the (normally forbidden) deviant behavior of his characters. With their dusky harmonies, these psychologically convincing sequences of tuneful numbers hold the audience under their spell. The performance is an irresistible delight, especially in this realization under a maestro like Karl Böhm.\u003c\/td\u003e  \u003c\/tr\u003e  \u003c\/tbody\u003e  \u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Profil","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013358047466,"sku":"881488160765","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3973030-2734462.jpg?v=1778261002"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-arquez-carignani-vienna-symphony-87636","title":"Bizet: Carmen \/ Arquez, Carignani, Vienna Symphony","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2260948\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eGeorges Bizet‘s captivating music with its Spanish sounds took the world by storm: Carmen‘s Habanera and Seguidilla, like Escamillo‘s Toreador‘s Song, are known to one and all. The French composer‘s most successful opera is staged at Bregenz with a set designed by British artist Es Devlin. She has designed sets for pop stars like Adele, U2, Take That, the Pet Shop Boys and Kanye West. In collaboration with the stage director Kasper Holten, Director of Opera at the Royal Opera House in London, she has also worked at opera houses in Helsinki and Copenhagen, at the Theater an der Wien and the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. For the Danish stage director, this \"opera about destiny and obsession\" centres on \"two people who are treated as outsiders, whose paths cross and who cling to each other in a passionate but unhealthy relationship\". \"In terms of sound and, above all, visual finesse, the Carmen in Bregenz is opulent … and brilliant opera show.“ (Wiener Zeitung) \"The lake-stage in Bregenz is a venue for theatrical spectaculars, and Kasper Holten’s production of Carmen on Es Devlin’s extraordinary set was a knockout.“ (The Telegraph) \"The French singer Gaëlle Arquez proves to be a lucky find. Not only her massive, shimmering mezzo-soprano is convincing, but her high-quality acting skills as well.” (Salzburger Nachrichten)","brand":"C Major Entertainment","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013453238506,"sku":"814337014230","price":22.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3743542.jpg?v=1778397135"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-11","title":"Bizet: Carmen","description":"Bizet: Carmen","brand":"Berlin Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46015563301098,"sku":"885470001197","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1748396.jpg?v=1778378632"},{"product_id":"carmen-larlesienne-suites-842977038422","title":"Bizet: Carmen \u0026 L'Arlésienne Suites \/ Batiz, Mexico Philharmonic","description":"CARMEN \u0026amp; L'ARLÉSIENNE SUITES","brand":"Brilliant Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46015608979690,"sku":"842977038422","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1462458_f059c936-e702-4807-80fa-9ae5e717dad1.jpg?v=1778337961"},{"product_id":"bizet-g-don-procopio-opera","title":"BIZET, G.: Don Procopio [Opera]","description":"BIZET, G.: Don Procopio [Opera]","brand":"Dynamic","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46020003922154,"sku":"8007144604158","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1947111.jpg?v=1778330293"},{"product_id":"bizet-symphony-in-c-jeux-denfants-variations-97339","title":"Bizet: Symphony In C, Jeux D'enfants, Variations Chromatiques \/ West,  San Francisco Ballet Orchestra","description":"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003eBIZET \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12b\"\u003eSymphony No. 1 in C. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eJeux d’enfants. Variations chromatiques \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e(arr. Weingartner) \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e Martin West, cond; San Francisco Ballet O \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e REFERENCE 131 (75:27) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eWhile we rightly lament the deaths of Mozart and Schubert, which came much too early, let us also save a few tears for Georges Bizet, who died at age 36 shortly after having composed what is, arguably, the most popular opera ever written, a piece that was admired by such disparate musical figures as Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Wagner. He also left behind him such charming pieces as \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eJeux d’enfants\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e, the \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eL’Arlesienne\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e incidental music, the Symphony in C, and \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eThe Pearl Fishers. Jeux d’enfants\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e, a suite of 12 brief pieces, was originally composed for piano, four hands. To simplify my task, I’ll give the names in sequence since I will be referring to them again: 1) “L’Escarpolette” (The Swing), 2) “La Toupie” (The Top), 3) “La Poupée” (The Doll), 4) “Les Chevaux de bois” (Hobby Horses), 5) “Le Volant” (The Shuttlecock), 6) “Trompette et Tambour” (Trumpet and Drum), 7) “Les Bulles de savon” (Soap Bubbles), 8) “Les Quatre Coins” (Puss in the Corner), 9) “Colin-Maillard” (Blind Man’s Bluff), 10) “Saute-Mouton” (Leap Frog), 11) “Petit Mari, petite femme” (Little Husband, Little Wife), 12) “Le Bal” (The Ball). Bizet later orchestrated numbers 2, 3, 6, 11, and 12 and named the result the\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003e Petite Suite. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eGiven the ballet origins of this collection, a little history might be appropriate. In 1932, Leonide Massine choreographed \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eJeux d’enfants \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003efor the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, using the five pieces Bizet orchestrated with the rest orchestrated by (I’m guessing here) Sigfrid Karg-Elert. Unfortunately Massine’s autobiography only mentions the sets by Joan Miró—perhaps the name of the orchestrator did not interest him. Antal Doráti did not conduct the opening night, but I assume that as a conductor for the company he was familiar with the arrangement. In 1937, presumably with the limited space of 78s in mind, he recorded 10 of the pieces with the London Symphony Orchestra, omitting numbers 7 and 10, changing the order of two pieces, and making a cut in number one. Though he was quite capable of doing his own arrangements, I am assuming that the five non-Bizet orchestrations were by Karg-Elert. Later, \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eJeux d’enfants\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e was choreographed by George Balanchine (2–8) and Francisco Moncion (9–12) with number one serving as an Overture. One reference book says the non-Bizet pieces were “orchestrated by an unidentified English composer.” Could it have been Roy Douglas? Still later, Balanchine used only numbers 6, 3, 11, and 12 for a \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003epas de deux \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003ecalled \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eThe Steadfast Tin Soldier. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eSeveral conductors have recorded the \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003ePetite \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003eSuite, but I guess this is the first recording of a complete orchestrated \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eJeux d’enfants\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e. On this recording, in addition to the \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003ePetite \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003eSuite excerpts, the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra performs five orchestrations by Roy Douglas and two (\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eL’Escarpolette\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eLa Volant\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e) by Hershey Kay. Whereas Doráti had to concern himself with fitting the music onto 78 sides and sometimes rushed the tempos, Martin West uses the time available to him and the result is moderate, danceable tempos—I particularly like his relaxed way with “Trompette et Tambour.” Throughout, he allows the music’s simple charm to come through. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eI suppose most people are aware of the fact that Bizet’s Symphony in C is a student work, written in 1855 when he was merely 17. Bizet apparently forgot about it, and it did not receive its official premiere until 80 years later when Felix Weingartner led a performance in Basel, Switzerland. Later the music was the basis of one of George Balanchine’s signature ballets, \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eLe Palais de Cristal\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e, eventually simply called \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eSymphony in C\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a recording that does the last movement repeat, but it is used in the choreographed version and West does it. He also does the first movement exposition repeat, which isn’t used in the ballet. Perhaps hearing the piece done by ballet orchestras (usually conducted by Robert Irving) is responsible for my affection for this performance, which is so pleasant and danceable. It is most definitely my favorite recording of the nine that I own (for the record, Ansermet, Beecham, Delacôte, Munch, Pons, Saraste, Stokowski 1 and 2, West) but I wonder if many people will favor it since everyone else takes it faster and skips some of the repeats. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eGiven that Felix Weingartner was the first conductor to lead a performance of the Symphony, it’s not inappropriate to complete the CD with his orchestration of Bizet’s \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eVariations chromatiques\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e, originally composed for piano in 1868. I imagine that Bizet’s piano music, other than \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eJeux d’enfants\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e, hardly gets played at all. He wrote very little of it and, while Weingartner’s orchestration adds a welcome element of color and power, the piece still doesn’t exactly fly. Bizet’s biographer, Winton Dean, wrote, “It seems probable that, though he loved to play genuine keyboard music … his greatest interest in the piano lay in its power beneath his fingers to evoke the different colors of the orchestra….His original music for the piano suffers from a double disadvantage: it is too clumsy to reward the concert pianist and too difficult for the moderate amateur.” Even if one discounts the \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eVariations chromatiques\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e (and some may like it more than I do), that still leaves the CD with an hour of delightful music and music-making. It’s beautifully recorded, too. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-weight:bold\"\u003eFANFARE: James Miller \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Reference Recordings","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46024133378282,"sku":"030911113124","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2292405.jpg?v=1778320346"},{"product_id":"behlcanto","title":"Be(h)lcanto","description":"Tenor Daniel Behle fulfills a heartfelt wish and sings the \"great\" bel canto repertoire. However, he is not accompanied by a symphony orchestra, but by the renowned Alliage Quintet. The idea is as unusual as it is charming: instead of a full opera orchestra, four saxophones and a piano take center stage - sometimes shining velvety soft like strings, sometimes flashing virtuosically like brass instruments. Behle, one of the most versatile tenors of our time, sings arias that every opera lover carries in their heart-and which shine here in completely new colors. Bel canto with a wink, so to speak","brand":"Prospero Classical","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46025296085226,"sku":"4262353970904","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4484340-3505421.jpg?v=1778218717"},{"product_id":"bizet-piano-works-blanchard-75904","title":"Bizet: Piano Works \/ Blanchard","description":"Carmen made Georges Bizet world famous, but he lived only a few months to enjoy the overwhelming success of this opera depicting love and jealousy among hot-blooded Spaniards. A swim in the cold Seine did him in. Today hardly anybody remembers that Bizet also composed piano music. To our good fortune, Johann Blanchard’s inventory of his rarities cabinet has yielded more new discoveries that will make the hearts of music lovers beat faster-while the lastest recording technology will have the same effect on those of audiophiles. Bizet was an outstanding pianist who already at the age of ten enjoyed the privilege of instruction at the Paris Conservatory- including lessons in composition. And so it is not surprising that his works for piano represent the very best of their times. Already the “Grande Valse de Concert” that the sixteen-year-old boldly labeled his Opus 1 and the “Premiere Nocturne” op. 2 composed during the same year display the genuinely orchestral design so typical of Bizet’s piano music.","brand":"MDG","offers":[{"title":"SACD","offer_id":46025390162154,"sku":"760623201863","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3729958_0d92ccee-136c-43e9-af78-4dd0083e10de.jpg?v=1778302019"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-jordan-von-otter-glyndebourne-festival-169094","title":"Bizet: Carmen \/ Jordan, Von Otter, Glyndebourne Festival [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003e*** This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD or HD DVD players. ***\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e David McVicar’s exhilarating production, with Anne Sofie von Otter in the title role, restores the Opera Comique to Bizet’s masterpiece. Philippe Jordan, in his Glyndebourne debut, conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Glyndebourne Chorus and a cast which includes Marcus Haddock, Laurent Naouri and Lisa Milne.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Moralès: Hans Voschezang\u003cbr\u003e  Micaëla: Lisa Milne\u003cbr\u003e  Don José: Marcus Haddock\u003cbr\u003e  Zuniga: Jonathan Best\u003cbr\u003e  Carmen: Anne Sofie von Otter\u003cbr\u003e  Frasquita: Mary Hegarty\u003cbr\u003e  Mercédès: Christine Rice\u003cbr\u003e  Lillas Pastia: Anthony Wise\u003cbr\u003e  Escamillo: Laurent Naouri\u003cbr\u003e  Le Dancaïre: Quentin Hayes\u003cbr\u003e  Le Remendado: Colin Judson\u003cbr\u003e  Le Guide: Franck Lopez\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Glyndebourne Chorus\u003cbr\u003e  London Philharmonic Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e  Conductor: Philippe Jordan\u003cbr\u003e  Stage Director: David McVicar\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at the Glyndebourne Opera House, Sussex, on 17th August 2002.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Plus:\u003cbr\u003e  Illustrated synopsis \u0026amp; cast gallery.\u003cbr\u003e  Costume design.\u003cbr\u003e  Choreographing Carmen.\u003cbr\u003e  How to fight on stage.\u003cbr\u003e  The Gardens of Glyndebourne.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Reviews:\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \"Under the shrewd direction of McVicar, Anne Sofie von Otter gave us a gypsy of mercurial temperament, a tease, a dangerous flirt, and a woman intensely conscious of her sexual magnetism and of her public notoriety.\" -- Daily Telegraph\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \"Violent, passionate, superbly played… Glyndebourne’s Carmen is simply gripping.\" -- The Sunday Times\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Region code: 0 (all regions)\u003cbr\u003e  Picture: 1080i\u003cbr\u003e  Sound: 2.0 \u0026amp; 5.1 Dolby True HD\u003cbr\u003e  Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46025474670826,"sku":"809478070153","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1446683.jpg?v=1778286936"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen","title":"Bizet: Carmen","description":"Beatrice Uria-Monzon, Roberto Alagna, Erwin Schrott, Marina Poplavskaya, Eliana Bayon, and Itxaro Mentxaka star in this Gran Teatre de Licieu production of the Bizet opera conducted by Marc Piollet and staged by Calixto Bieito.","brand":"C Major Entertainment","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025479258346,"sku":"814337010737","price":38.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1664247.jpg?v=1778316914"},{"product_id":"bizet-g-carmen","title":"Bizet, G.: Carmen","description":"Classical Music","brand":"Historic Sound","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46025480470762,"sku":"809730780929","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1033306_e105d1f0-7d2c-4f8c-ac4a-9ec824b4ab21.jpg?v=1778189766"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-jordan-von-otter-glyndebourne-festival-133412","title":"Bizet: Carmen \/ Jordan, Von Otter, Glyndebourne Festival","description":"An exhilarating new Carmen from Glyndebourne. Director David McVicar describes Carmen as \"the first ever musical\", and in his new production, with Anne Sofie von Otter in the title role, Carmen is restored to the original Opera. Comique as Bizet wrote it, stripping away subsequent re-workings which turned it into a grand opera. Philippe Jordan makes his Glyndebourne debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Glyndebourne Chorus and a cast that includes Marcus Haddock, Laurent Naouri and Lisa Milne. This double disc set also includes extensive extra features on costume, dance, characters and the gardens of Glyndebourne.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Extra features include: \u003cbr\u003e  * Costume design\u003cbr\u003e  * How to fight on stage\u003cbr\u003e  * Illustrated synopsis\u003cbr\u003e  * The cast and their characters\u003cbr\u003e  * Choreographing Carmen\u003cbr\u003e  * The Gardens of Glyndebourne\u003cbr\u003e  * Booklet with new short story by novelist Jeanette Winterson\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  PICTURE FORMAT: 16:9\u003cbr\u003e  SOUND: dts Surround\/LPCM Stereo\u003cbr\u003e  SUBTITLES: English\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025600958698,"sku":"809478000587","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/497346.jpg?v=1778345979"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-suites-larlesienne-suites-gonzalez-barcelona-95717","title":"Bizet: Carmen Suites \u0026 L'Arlesienne Suites \/ Gonzalez, Barcelona Symphony","description":"\u003cp\u003eDespite the scandal it created with first staged in 1875, Carmen has subsequently become one of the world’s most popular operas. The love affair at its heart shocked contemporary audiences but the music is imperishably vibrant and exciting- so much so that, after the composer’s death, his friend Ernest Guiraud arranged two suites from the opera. Here the Toreador’s Song and the graphically sensuous Seguidilla and Habanera dances are heard in all their orchestral glory. The two suites from L’Arlesienne containe music of great charm and refined elegance.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46025608528106,"sku":"747313354672","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3740253_24fd06a1-502e-4a1d-8d31-7b25fe65c30f.jpg?v=1778257906"},{"product_id":"bizet-carmen-wd-31","title":"Bizet: Carmen, WD 31","description":"Classical Music","brand":"Urania Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46025618030826,"sku":"8051776571746","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2420659.jpg?v=1778305268"},{"product_id":"carmen-di-stefano-simionato-c","title":"CARMEN: DI STEFANO-SIMIONATO-C","description":"CARMEN: DI STEFANO-SIMIONATO-C","brand":"MYTO Historical","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46025982378218,"sku":"8014399501019","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/614255.jpg?v=1778188960"},{"product_id":"bizet-roma-patrie-overture-tingaud-rte-74925","title":"Bizet: Roma, Patrie Overture... \/ Tingaud, RTE","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe success of Bizet’s opera Carmen has overshadowed the rest of his output, but this fascinating orchestral programme, which includes a number of seldom performed works, reveals more of his talent for writing colourful, atmospheric and melodic music. The Overture in A was Bizet’s first orchestral work and unperformed in his lifetime, while the Marche funèbre was originally the prelude to an opera about love and vengeance, now lost. The dramatic overture Patrie captures the mood following the Franco-Prussian war of 1870–71, while the Petite suite is a set of orchestrations of movements from Jeux d’enfants (Children’s Games). Conceived in Italy as a symphony, after Bizet had won the Prix de Rome, Roma occupied the composer for 11 years before the final version heard here.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46025986179306,"sku":"747313334476","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2849724.jpg?v=1778297372"},{"product_id":"carmen-94393","title":"Carmen","description":"CARMEN: SIMIONATO-GEDDA-GÜDEN-","brand":"MYTO Historical","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46026106831082,"sku":"8014399500883","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2820178.jpg?v=1778301978"}],"url":"https:\/\/arkivmusic.com\/collections\/georges-bizet.oembed","provider":"ArkivMusic","version":"1.0","type":"link"}