Karajan conducts Bizet: Carmen

Herbert von Karajan was a pioneer in countless ways, and few great 20th century conductors were swifter to embrace the possibilities of film and television. Even today, this 1967 movie of Karajan’s Salzburg Festival production of Bizet’s Carmen feels ahead of its time – a wonderfully colourful reimagination of the original staging, which combines the immediacy of a live theatrical performance with a truly cinematic flair. But at its heart is a line-up of performers who practically set the stage on fire, with two unquestioned greats – the American mezzo Grace Bumbry and the inimitable Jon Vickers – as Carmen and Don José.

Soloists: 

Grace Bumbry (Mezzo-Soprano), Kurt Equiluz (Tenor), Mirella Freni (Soprano), Julia Hamari (Contralto), Robert Kerns (Baritone), Jon Vickers (Tenor), Justino Díaz (Baritone), Olivera Miljakovic (Soprano), Anton Diakov (Bass), Milen Paunov (Tenor)

Ensembles: 

Chor der Wiener Staatsoper, Wiener Philharmoniker

Conductor: 

Herbert von Karajan