ORFEO International – Reviews

Important Releases Briefly Introduced

October 2018

Georges Bizet: Carmen

When an event of such worldwide significance as the Salzburg Festival features a box-office success like Bizet’s “Carmen”, it is always newsworthy. But back in 1967, we should recall, “Carmen” was being put on at the Salzburg Festival for the very first time. The expectations were vast, and so no expense was spared.
C 866 183 DThe great stars of the day, such as Grace Bumbry, Mirella Freni, Jon Vickers, John van Kesteren and many more, ensured a cast that even today can be considered ideal down to the very smallest supporting role. And Herbert von Karajan was more than a conductor, he was the director of the production, having full control over presenting the music to full advantage as he saw it from his point of view. Musically first-rate, the listener can have no clue that this staging was to prove Karajan’s greatest Salzburg failure. Thus this optimally restored live audio recording represents yet another Salzburg document released by Orfeo and giving us an objective look back across the space of half a century.