I always prefer Carmen in French. It was written in French. This Carmen in Italian is all about the stentorian immensity of his voice. Focus on his vocal dimension. Criticized widely for lack of subtlety and inability to sing piano Mario refutes this cliche by lyricism and softness of the flower song Holding incredible long note and real tears in the final scene. Carmen is a verismo opera strictly speaking. Sheer power of crude passion is his vocal nature. It is for those who obsessed with Mario’s vocal greatness. The rest of the cast is great too. It is great for my collection.

This recording is the soundtrack to a TV broadcast made in Tokyo in 1959 (I think it can be seen on YouTube). Purists will be put off by the fact that it is sung in Italian rather than French, but the rest of us will enjoy it for its blood-and-guts verismo-like take on the work. Verchi makes a number of cuts that most us will find surprising yet the company also gives us a short ballet in the last act, a tradition that has largely been dropped. For whatever reason the last lines of the scene where Frasquita and Mercedes warn Carmen about Don Jose are cut - the music is played, but the singers stop singing: odd.Simionato has the time of her life as Carmen and is one of the few Carmens who, except for the final "Ve!" (Tiens!), sings all of her music in the last scene. Del Monaco is adored by the audience and his performance is played for them. He effectively disproves those who say he couldn't sing piano by including several instances of it in his Flower aria (of course he bellows the top B-flat to the stars, but the audience cheers him even before he has finished the final phrase). He goes deliciously over-the-top in the final scene. I love it! Tucci is also cheered for her beautiful Micaela (her aria is a real highlight of the performance) and Columbo is a well-sung, macho Escamillo. Everyone sounds like they're enjoying themselves!The sound is excellent, clear broadcast stereo. The Pirate Gods smiled happily on this recording!

recording date: 17 Feb, 1959venue: Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre (東京宝塚劇場)b/w TV broadcast version with low image quality of this performance is also available.I'd say that February 1959 was literally "their finest hour" to lovers of Italian opera in Japan. Almost every day of the month, audience in Tokyo was given a golden opportunity to fully enjoy not only this Carmen but also L'elisir d'amore, La traviata, La Bohème or legendary Otello with the casts of Italian singers Dream Team including Del Monaco and Gobbi.Del Monaco came to very far Japan by sea(!) because of his flight phobia, and sang each five performances of Otello and Carmen during his first Japan tour. Simionato appeared on the stages in Japan as Amneris(1956 & '61), Cherubino('56), Carmen('59), Santuzza('61), Azucena in Il trovatore('63) and Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia('63).