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

这是卡拉扬1963年指挥维也纳爱乐乐团，维也纳国家歌剧院合唱团，维也纳童声合唱团进行的一场现场音乐会的录音，里面的男女主角，配角都是大腕级的。整个阵容应该算超豪华的了。这张CD是RCA RED SEAL BEST 100系列里的一张，在日本重新制作发行的。录音效果没话说的。

1971录音