Bizet - Carmen / Levine, Baltsa, Carreras, Metropolitan Opera

В ролях: Агнес Балтса, Хосе Каррерас, Сэмюэль Рэйми

James Levine's conducting of this work is magnificent. You can just see the passion that he brings forth for this opera. He is paired with a very talented group of singers in the principal roles. Singing the mysterious Carmen is mezzo Agnes Baltsa. Now, at first glance, Baltsa's age really got to me. She looks considerably older than her part should be. However, there's something about her performance that just seduces. It's a combination of the nuances in her stage movement, as well as the versatile singing range she has to offer-especially in her 1st act Seguidilla. Jose Carerras (of "3 Tenors" fame) brings a certain gusto to his Don Josй, which works for the most part, but can get overdone in a few spots. Bass-Baritone Sam Ramey offers an appropriately pompous Torero in his singing of Escamillo.