Carmen

Francesco Rosi's 1984 film of Georges Bizet's hugely popular opera bows on Blu-ray in a glistening widescreen edition that shows off the gorgeous Spanish locations. From a purely musical perspective, the performance itself leaves something to be desired. Conductor Lorin Maazel chooses very idiosyncratic tempi—some absurdly fast, others positively lugubrious—and because of inconsistent audio levels the orchestra is often obscured by sound effects like the clomp of horses' hoofs. But the singing is top-drawer: American soprano Julia Migenes-Johnson may not possess the richest voice among recorded Carmens, but she darkens it seductively to create a genuinely steamy temptress. By contrast, tenor Placido Domingo's acting is rather wooden, but he sings magnificently as Don José, the army officer whom Carmen makes her jealous slave. And although Faith Esham proves a trifle bland as Micaëla, the hometown girl who tries to save José from Carmen's clutches, Ruggero Raimondi makes a fine, swaggering Escamillo—the bullfighter to whom Carmen turns her attention—delivering the famous toreador aria with real panache. Cinematographer Pasquelino De Santis fills the screen with sun-drenched images, the most notable being footage of bullfights with roaring crowds in the background. Those who prefer a stagebound Carmen have many to choose from, but for a version that takes a truly cinematic approach, this is the only option—and a mostly fine one at that. Presented in DTS-HD 5.1 on Blu-ray, this is recommended. [Note: (Olive Films has also reissued Carmen on DVD for $29.95.] (F. Swietek)