Bizet Carmen (1967)
This spectacular opera film was taped in 1967 and is based on the 1966 Salzburg Festival production directed by Herbert von Karajan himself, who also conducts the fabulous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The production features the three greatest exponents of their respective roles at the time: Grace Bumbry’s magnificently seductive-toned Carmen, Mirella Freni’s ineffably lovely, touching Micaëla and Jon Vickers’s thrillingly manic-depressive Don José. On its release the film was hailed by Die Presse, (Vienna) as a “unique artistic event”, while Le Monde felt that Karajan’s production brought “a whole new dimension” to the opera, “combined with a magisterial interpretation”. A classical and utterly dramatic approach to probably the world's most beloved opera – Karajan’s Carmen is as much a delicacy for opera fans as it is a perfect starter for newcomers.
Director: Herbert von Karajan
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Grace Bumbry as Carmen |
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Jon Vickers as Don José |
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Mirella Freni as Micaëla |
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Justino Díaz as Escamillo |
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Julia Hamari as Frasquita |
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Olivera Miljakovic as Mercédès |
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Robert Kerns as Moralès |
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Anton Diakov as Zuniga |
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Kurt Equiluz as Dancaïre |
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Milen Paunov as Remendado |
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Mariemma as Dancer at Lilas Pastia's Cortijo |
| Directing | Herbert von Karajan | Director |
| Writing | Prosper Mérimée | Novel |
| Production | Fritz Buttenstedt | Executive Producer |
| Camera | François Reichenbach | Director of Photography |
| Camera | Ernst Wild | Director of Photography |
| Editing | Jackie Raynal | Editor |
| Costume & Make-Up | Georges Wakhévitch | Costume Design |
| Art | Teo Otto | Set Designer |
| Camera | Kai Borsche | Camera Operator |
| Camera | Jürgen Jürges | Camera Operator |
| Camera | Dieter Matzka | Camera Operator |
| Camera | Rüdiger Meichsner | Camera Operator |
| Sound | Georges Bizet | Original Music Composer |
| Sound | Herbert von Karajan | Conductor |
| Directing | Herbert von Karajan | Stage Director |
