Carmen (1967)

Director:

Herbert von Karajan

Writer:

Prosper Mérimée (novel)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel | Character Name In Title

Cast

Grace Bumbry	...	Carmen
Jon Vickers	...	Don José
Justino Díaz	...	Escamillo
Mirella Freni	...	Micaëla
Olivera Miljakovic	...	Mercédès
Julia Hamari	...	Frasquita
Robert Kerns	...	Moralès
Anton Diakov	...	Zuniga
Kurt Equiluz	...	Dancaïre
Milen Paunov	...	Remendado

Runtime:

West Germany:164 min

Country:

Austria | Switzerland

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

UNITEL

The Perfect Carmen: The Greatest

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This 1967 film has recently been released on DVD by Deutsche Gramophone. It stars African American superstar Grace Bumbry as Carmen, tenor Jon Vickers as Don Jose, soprano Mirella Freni as Micaela and baritone Justino Diaz as Escamillo. Herbert Von Karajan conducts the orchestra of the Salzburg Festival. This production was one of many successful performances that summer in Austria. Mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry as Carmen gives it her all, encompassing every nuance and color to develop the sultry Spanish Gypsy's character. More than any other soprano or mezzo who took on the role, Grace knew the role and performed it with ease, playfulness, wit, subtlety and she has genuine fun singing the role. Bumbry first gained worldwide acclaim when she sang Venus in Wagner's Tannhauser in Bayreuth, the first black artist to do this. But I think Carmen is her greatest mezzo soprano performance. Donning white and red Spanish gowns, smiling seductively and downplaying her sex appeal in the Habanera (she is more seductive in the Seguidilla) she makes the most believable Carmen, straight out of the Prosper Merimee novella. Her rendition of the Death Card Aria is grave and noble, as we see she is powerless to stop her fate. Truly the best interpretation of that aria. Her Death Scene in the finale is climatic, fully believable and we are even led to believe that she stood up to Don Jose, firm in her need for freedom which she would not have with Don Jose as his permanent love interest, and in standing up to him she was even willing to die for it. In some ways, Carmen and Don Giovanni, who adore liberty and licentiousness, do not give up their identity or change throughout the opera. It is plausible that Carmen at one time was in love with Don Jose and considered being loyal to him but her love of freedom to be herself- a devil-may-care libertine woman living dangerously, was a much stronger love. "Libre nee e libre morra!" (I was born free and I will die free!) she declares at the top of her voice. Bumbry and Vickers maintain great chemistry throughout. The Technicolor for the 60's looks great, there is no lavish overexcessive scenery like Zefferelli's productions. The chorus of adults and children sound great and the illustrious Maestro Karajan conducts with his eyes closed!! Jon Vickers as Don Jose is a fine performance, one lyrical, in-depth and accurate to the true nature of his persona. His big, booming, robust voice and masculine appearance is a blessing. His rendition of the Flower Song differs from other tenors in that he ends in a pianissimo note rather than a higher and stronger note, and is more introspective and melancholy than bombastic. He is seduced by Carmen, giving up his mother, his sweet but bland girlfriend Micaela and even his regiment with the Dragoons of Alcala. It is later that, when threatened by the strong presence of champion bullfighter Escamillo (sung by a very young Justino Diaz and looking handsome)that Jose begins to become possessive of Carmen. He is crazed with jealousy and is led to a crime of passion. All this Jon Vickers carries dramatically in his performance. He is the best Don Jose (though I have always thought that Placido Domingo equally does justice to the role). Mirella Freni is in this production, as a first-rate Micaela, interpreting the role as a noble heroine, as the antithesis of Carmen. Micaela is a strong Christian, willing to seek out Don Jose among the smugglers hide-out. Only Mirella Freni, with her warm tone and floating soprano voice makes Micaela a very sympathetic and less flat character than usual. This is without question the perfect Carmen, the greatest.