It's hard to believe that in Vienna during the 1970s it was common to hear performances with casts of this caliber. While these performances were often under-rehearsed and musically uneven, the lack of rigid direction gave artists the freedom to improvise and elevate the drama with spontaneous creativity. Elena Obraztsova brings her commanding mezzo to the role of Carmen, effortlessly shifting between seductive intimacy and explosive power. Her descending chromatic scale in the "Habanera" is impressively in tune, no small feat. James King is perfectly matched with Obraztsova as Don José, his voice strong enough to meet her head-on without sacrificing the character's lyrical vulnerability. Lotte Rysanek lends a radiant presence as Micaëla, and the brief appearance by the Vienna Boys' Choir in Act I is a reminder of why they remain the gold standard for children's choruses.