BaL 14.03.14 - Bizet: Carmen

[Richard Tarleton]

wiki again :

"The main performer, who is the leader of an entourage and the one who kills the bull, is addressed as maestro (master), and his formal title is matador de toros (killer of bulls). The term torero encompasses all who fight the bull in the ring (picadores and rejoneadores). The other bullfighters in the entourage are called subalternos"

not forgetting the banderilleros...

as opposed to the matador's more-theatrical gold.

or traje de luces (suit of lights)

Sorry this is getting a long way from Carmen. Part of the film of the Maazel was shot at the Parador at Carmona, east of Seville, where we've stayed a couple of times. My earliest Carmen, on TV in the 1960s, had Rosalind Elias as Carmen.

[Beef Oven!]

She was totally dismissive of Callas, whom I thought was absolutely riveting. What do I know?

I have the Callas/Dede and Callas/Pretre and adore both recordings.

(also got an old Beecham highlights CD, which is great).

[LeMartinPecheur]

wiki again :

"The main performer, who is the leader of an entourage and the one who kills the bull, is addressed as maestro (master), and his formal title is matador de toros (killer of bulls). The term torero encompasses all who fight the bull in the ring (picadores and rejoneadores). The other bullfighters in the entourage are called subalternos and their suits are embroidered in silver as opposed to the matador's more-theatrical gold."

Flanders & Swann explained it all much more clearly - the matador with his mat, the picador with his pick, etc

[umslopogaas]

lmp, you have uncovered a great memory.

" ... and all this before the eyes of the afizzionados, each with his bottle of affiziolemonade."

Or something like that, it's very difficult to get Flander's pronunciation of aficionados and aficionlemonade in one sentence.

Flanders was a comic genius.

[underthecountertenor]

Indeed . But I really was impressed - (s)he was quite amazing - not in a freakish sense, but quite simply very good.

Agreed: a wonderfully warm timbre throughout the range. Could easily have done 'straight' opera as a c-t.

Does anyone else know what we're talking about, I wonder?

[Barbirollians]

I have just started listening to the Beecham with de L
Los Angeles and Gedda. It's fab !

[frankbridge]

Yes Waterstones did sell classical CDs, in New Street Birmingham in the 2000s: I know for a fact as I was the poor fool who used to run the department almost single handed, and I was rather good at it. Of course, the whole CD thing has closed, indeed the complete shop: I resigned in disgust many years before. It was the remains of what was Dillons bookshop in the 90s which to its credit did have a decent record bit (Hi Mike if you are listening). But classical music is not a priorarty anymore I suppose. QUOTE=Flosshilde;472685]That's the one I have - bought in a sale at Waterstones; can't remember how much, but not a lot. Yes, I know, Waterstones don't sell music CDs, but they had this one, packaged in a book (with a rather tame CArmen on the front) with full libretto with comments on the music interspersed, & an introductory essay. The performance also includes the French dialogue, & the essay says that the recording, "made in 1969-70, led the way in restoring the primacy of Bizet's 1875 Choudens score"[/QUOTE]

[Barbirollians]

She was totally dismissive of Callas, whom I thought was absolutely riveting. What do I know?

According to Philip Hope Wallace in his original Gramophone review lots ! He raves about it.

[Lordgeous]

My allegiance to the Beecham is undimmed

Mine too. Bjorling thrills, as does Beecham. Was one of my earliest (double) LP purchases as a teenager and it still gives me great pleasure.

[BBMmk2]

I must hear this opera again sometime. Love it. I have the DG box set of Placido Domingo with this opera included.

[Barbirollians]

Mine too. Bjorling thrills, as does Beecham. Was one of my earliest (double) LP purchases as a teenager and it still gives me great pleasure.

Bjorling is in Beecham’s La Boheme - it is Gedda in Carmen.

[Lordgeous]

Ooops.. having a grey moment! Thanks for correction.

[Barbirollians]

My parents gave me a book about Carmen many moons ago a rather lavish affair that I think my Dad had found in a remainder bookshop. I found yesterday moving some books about that it contained at the back 2 CDs of the opera .

And a fascinating pair indeed - the 1951 Cluytens with Solange Michel and the Opera Comique. It is incredibly different and very intimate and wonderful to have it sung it such perfect French . Michel is terrific.