Bizet: Carmen - Madeira, Ferraro, Taddei, Broggini; Beecham. Buenos Aires, 1958
$16.95
Description:
Pros:
- Since Carmen is such a crowd-pleaser, opera companies often relegate the assignment to second-tier conductors in order to save some money. Hearing Thomas Beecham lead this sparkling performance is a breath of fresh and reaffirmed my respect for Bizet's incredible mastery of atmosphere and dramatic pacing.
- Jean Madeira is very exciting in the title role.
- Pier Miranda Ferraro's top is incredible!
- Giuseppe Taddei makes much of Escamillo's brief appearances.
- The chorus sings in Italian.
Cons:
In Mono
OD 11549-2
Listen to a Sample:
Exciting, Well-conducted Carmen!
Jean Madeira was very highly regarded in her day yet she never really got her due, certainly not at the Met where she was considered a good comprimaria, but not much more. Her Carmen here is richly sung with that immediately identifiable voice of hers. I especially loved her Card scene with its baleful timbre. She sings a perfect two octave scale in the final scene from the top A-flat on "Non!" all the way to a sepulchral low A-flat on "pas." She sings the final "Tiens!" rather than screaming it and it works. Ferraro is another singer who would be more appreciated today. He is not the most immaculate singer (Beecham rushes him several times), but that top has immense squillo and he suggests Jose's mental deterioration without going overboard. Broggini is a lovely Micaela who gets the biggest applause of the evening after her aria. Taddei is a wonderfully macho Escamillo. The supporting cast is excellent and the chorus sings enthusiastically in Italian. Beecham leads a fiery account of the score, but one considerate of the more lyrical moments as well. He doesn't make as many cuts as he did in his Met performances of this opera - a good thing. The sound is very good and is pitched correctly. The last two chords of Act Three are missing. This isn't a very French Carmen, but it is an exciting one!
5
Hi ... Please Uping Live Opera Very Mor from ... Grande Baritono, Maestro (Giuseppe Taddei) & Grande Tenore ... Maestro (Mario Filippeschi) ... Taddei : Nabucco - Rigoletto - IL Trovatore - Falstaff - Simon - Otello - Tosca - Lucia di Lammermoor - IL Triticco - Aida - L'elisir D'amore 1967 - La Fanciulla del West - La Forza del Destino - and ... Thank you ...
