Repertoire: The BEST Carmen Suites--Bizet Would Be Thrilled

The Carmen Suites have been recorded by everyone, and here are the best in my humble opinion. I also include a little story about my own experience with the opera, and a particularly nasty provincial Diva.

[presbyterosBassI]

I always liked the Toscanini, which is his "own" suite. It's wonderful, with great pacing of dynamics, and a harp cadenza (which apparently he wrote himself) to connect two sections.

[joewebb]

"175 when he recorded it" hahaha...
Like you say, so many out there to choose from. For both Carmen and L'Arlesienne I think Dutoit and Montreal are hard to beat. Very well played and enjoyable.

[MrKostaszag]

I just wanted to warn everyone who has watched this video and goes looking for the Carmen Suite with Markevitch conducting the Spanish R.T.V. Symphony Orchestra: It doesn't exist. The orchestra its The Lamoureux Orchestra, as you can see on the cover when Mr. Hurwitz holds it in front of the camera. My guess is that there is a misprint on the back cover, as Markevitch DID record a lot of stuff with the Spanish R.T.V. Symphony Orchestra, notably the Zarzuellas and sacral music, Spanish orchestra songs etc-just not the Bizet. Of course I have to agree with Mr.Hurwitz that it is a fabulous recording in every way. I dont know if it is the best out there, but I have no intention of listening to 150 or so recordings of Carmen Suites just to prove him wrong.I hope mr Hurwitz is not angry about my nit-picking and blocks me, it is such a fabulous channel!

[Wolfcrag]

One aspect I've always noticed about the discography of these works is the fact that there aren't as many complete recordings of both suites as one may think.

[bloodgrss]

What a great story! And, ah yes, I know that type of Community theater Diva well...😏

The other verity for the acting prima donnas of Community productions, aside from the idiocy of riling the percussionist; do not mess with the stage crew. Bad things can happen then too.

[preopdollop]

Hi David, great review as always. I'm struggling to find even a listing anywhere for the Markevitch disc you mentioned. I keep getting redirected to a 26 CD Decca set. Any recommendations of where I can find it? Thanks :)

[hiphurrah]

isn't these with the Lamoureux orchestra?

[robinicus]

Too funny. I was a recording engineer so had my diva moments, too. One r&b singer, high on weed and/or alcohol, couldn't nail her vocals, so she had me splice & dice & chop & edit & cut & paste & snip & re-record & shear & trim her vocal tracks hour after endless hour but it still sounded like excrement. Could I have fixed the mix? Of course. Did I? of course not. You might say i was having my David Hurwitz moment back then.

[JamesDavidWalley]

Your castanet story is almost as memorable as the famed "Tosca on a trampoline" anecdote (in that case, it was "why it's a bad idea for a diva to piss off her stage crew" as the moral of the tale).

[gyulahunyor]

For my money nobody beats Abbado/LSO on DG in this music.

[UlfilasNZ]

Well, apart from that duet between Micaela and Don Jose. Otherwise, perfect.

[YumegakaMurakumo]

Nietzsche was high class...In pretty much everything.