Bizet - Carmen (Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Elina Garanca, Roberto Alagna)

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Bizet - Carmen (Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Elina Garanca, Roberto Alagna)

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Right from the first bar you know you are in for an exhilarating Carmen. In his Met debut, Conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin clearly relishes driving the Ferrari that is the Met Orchestra, and while his speeds are sometimes dangerously fast, they are thrilling and never out of control. The revolving set is strongly evocative without being literal, cleverly and smoothly shifting the mood and context between scenes. The crowd scenes have all been exceptionally well choreographed and the unscripted dance interludes between certain scenes are a nice touch that set an appropriate mood. The cast ranges from very good to outstanding. Barbara Frittoli is a touching Micaela, Keith Miller a strong Zunega, Teddy Rhodes a memorable Toreador in both voice and presence, and Roberto Alagna a tormented and convincing Don Jose. Leaving the best for last, Elina Garanca's performance as Carmen is simply stunning. Hers is a complex and controlled interpretation, combining tenderness with viciousness, vulnerability with self-assurance. It doesn't hurt that she is very good looking indeed. The chemistry between her and Alagna is excellent and the final climactic scene of the opera is shattering. For those who feel that they have seen Carmen too many times in their lives, you have to see this one. For those who want to experience this great opera for the first time, look no further than this DVD By Operaholic

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Bizet - Carmen (Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Elina Garanca, Roberto Alagna)

Close