Bizet's Carmen

Available for 28 days

Live from the New York Met, Bizet's operatic depiction of seduction, jealousy, and tragedy, Carmen. Brought together by the obsession, and misfortune depicted in Prosper Mérimée's novella of the same name, the Met's production of Bizet's famous opera sees Aigul Akhmetshina mezzo-soprano as Carmen, whose irresistible allure drives the soldier Don José - sung by tenor Michael Fabiano - to destruction. Set in and around the Spanish city of Seville, a site by the time that Carmen was written had already served as the locale for operatic intrigues including Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia and and Verdi’s La Forza del Destino, Bizet's musical portrayal of Mérimée's novella expertly echoes the city's colourful processions, bullfights, and the cultural life of its bohemian community. With so many recognizable melodies having permeated modern frames of cultural reference, it's easy to overlook how well the score is constructed, though notable solos include both the baritone’s famous Toreador Song and the tenor’s gut-wrenching Flower Song in Act 2, as well as Micaëla’s Act 3 aria 'Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante'. Punctuating the stages of their fateful relationship, Carmen and Don José have also three memorable duets, while massed numbers such as the 'chorus of street urchins', and the 'Bullfighters' Chorus' are employed to dramatic effect by Bizet. Presented from the Met by Debra Lew Harder and Ira Siff. Bizet: Carmen Carmen ..... Aigul Akhmetshina (mezzo-soprano) Don José ..... Michael Fabiano (tenor) Micaëla ..... Janai Brugger (soprano) Escamillo ..... Christian Van Horn (bass-baritone) Morales ..... Yeongtaek Yang (baritone) Frasquita ..... Susanne Burgess (soprano) Mercedes ..... Briana Hunter (mezzo-soprano) Zuniga ..... Richard Bernstein (bass) Le Remendado ..... Aaron Blake (tenor) Le Dancaire ..... Eleomar Cuello (baritone) Orchestra and Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera, New York Pier Giorgio Morandi (conductor)