Franco Zeffirelli's 1978 Carmen, shot specifically for television here at the Vienna State Opera, was a milestone event in its day, and the re-release now is more or less an homage to the late conductor Carlos Kleiber, who deservedly received plenty of camera time in this production. How does this one stack up? Well, with Zeffirelli it's all about crowd control, and nobody does it better. Do the hordes of extras, parade of horses, and pristinely costumed extras overwhelm the story? Fortunately. no: Bizet's popular-tune-filled tale of seduction, which begins when a gypsy cigarette girl/temptress captures the heart of a Spanish army officer and ends in death outside a bullring in Seville, is sturdy stuff; rendered by a first rate cast, the raw emotion and tragedy of the story easily hold their own. In the title role, Elena Obraztsova is a vocal powerhouse but doesn't really project any soul until well into the "Card Scene" in Act III. Placido Domingo, on the other hand, literally stops the show with Don Jose's "Flower Song" in the second act. Isobel Buchanan as Micaëla is absolutely outstanding and Yuri Mazurok displays a real matinee idol presence as the bullfighter Escamillo. Although this production shows its age, there is such merit in the overall performance and interest in its historical value that it should find a home in any collection that can accommodate yet another version of this perennial crowd pleaser. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)
Carmen
(1978) 154 min. In French w/ English subtitles. DVD: $29.99. Opus Arte (dist. by Naxos of America). Color cover. Volume 20, Issue 3
Carmen
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