Very disappointing. I was looking forward to this disc as I like Grace Bumbry and Jon Vickers. After reading the comments and one longer review, I expected a lot better. Especially as my previous 4 operas had been very good both in voice and sound.My complaints are;- too much background noise that is sometimes intrusive. The sound fluctuates badly at times and/or the singers are too far from the mike. When the chorus is singing, at times it seems a battle between chorus and orchestra as to whom can go fastest. That being said, the two lead roles are not heard to their advantage. But to the contrary, some tracks are perfectly satisfactory. I will see if I can make a satisfactory disc of highlights from the 2 discs. If not, this Carmen will not be a 'keeper;.

Grace Bumbry and Jon Vickers sang this opera together many times and starred in Karajan's Salzburg Festival production for several years (in addition to making a film of the opera with him). They are an incendiary couple in this Philadelphia Lyric Opera performance. Both were in excellent vocal shape that night and their portrayals build in tension before exploding in the final scene. Bumbry is so confident vocally she adds the optional high B in the second act finale. Vickers treats us to an exquisitely soft high B-flat at the end of his Flower aria.However, Bumbry and Vickers aren't the only stars here. Anne Elgar of the NYCO and elsewhere sings Micaela so beautifully one wants to listen to her big aria over again (I did!). Bacquier didn't sing Escamillo often in the States, but he captures the man's fatuous arrogance perfectly - and in excellent French too! The supporting cast is very strong. Guadagno makes a few short trims here and there, but plays more of the score than usual, including the entire Micaela/Jose duet.The sound is from a good in-house source and is very listenable. It takes the tapist a few minutes to settle down in the preludes and one can hear occasional comments from a very enthusiastic audience. But that's all part of the live recording experience. Carmen lovers as well as fans of the singers should snap this up!

For the record: the performance took place on April 7, 1967 by the Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company at the Academy of Music. The verification comes from Frank Hamilton's meticulously researched Opera in Philadelphia annals, backed up by the cast announcement in the April 2, 1967 issue of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

From my research, the venue would appear to be the Teatro Municipal, Santiago, Chile.I'm giving this four stars in great anticipation (I haven't yet listened)! One star off for the not-broadcast (but still apparently pretty good, according to the preview) sound!