Bizet Carmen "Card Scene"

[brodsky96]

... this is the key scene of "Carmen", but it depends how it is done.... MARIA EWING is PERFECT.... every glance, every move, every sound - PERFECTION....this should be on the training program for students and yound singers.....

[saturne46]

Extraordinaire interprétation ! Bravo Maria Ewing !

[yaharaway]

One of the best performances the role of Carmen ... Organically and mature.

[cantanteporsiempre]

Jean Rigby! I like her.  María Ewing the best Carmen ever

[olympicfreak678]

The way it plays out in my head is that Carmen is finally revealing herself to her friends, who look embarrassed to be hearing the news that their “idol” is destroying herself, and then her friends try to alleviate the tension by just playing with their cards again.

[olympicfreak678]

In addition, the staging does not allow her to “revel” by herself and alone in her “realization”(I think she already knew what was coming); she’s not going to burst out in front of anyone else. The scenery is outstanding as well; the dark Spanish night is portrayed perfectly.

[olympicfreak678]

utmost pristine vocal abilities of Callas or the like, her interpretation has always resided mainly in her acting. Although some may call her unemotional or boring, I find the reserved nature of her Carmen suits her interpretation of the gypsy as a strong, hard woman in stark contrast to her fickle friends, Mercédès and Frasquita.

[olympicfreak678]

A variety of singers have sung this role, many with tremendous success. Maria Ewing, as I have found in her work, is a borderline mezzo-soprano/soprano, tending more towards the former. She has been listed as soprano in some programs while described as mezzo in many articles. She has the chest tones, but I just think she’s a smaller woman in comparison to someone like obraztsova and, therefore, does not have the depth she has. Her portrayal, imho, is excellent. While not possessing the ...

[TheChen83]

Maria Ewing discribed as a high mezzo and the border between high mezzo and dramatic soprano sometime blurred.

there is a version of Carmen also for sopranos who wants to perform this role,even thoguh you will see it only in concerts.

Ewing potraing a truly,wild,sensual Carmen not afraid to "ugly" her voice.

if you ever saw Agnes Baltsa doing Carmen,you'll see the big diffrents cause Baltsa doesnt have low range in her voice and she is struggeling with that,not the best Carmen.

[mspvillarreal]

amazing performance!!!

[willydev58]

was this made for dvd or is this a staged version?...if it is a stage version and I was sitting in the audience, I would be bored to tears with her acting abilities....yes ok vocaly she is excellent but if it wasnt for the 2 other female singers in the scene and their acting and expression it would fall flat. Just been watching the same clip from the Carmen Jones movie and although the girl is miming...the drama and expression she puts into the number is mind blowing!

[brodsky96]

great scene!!! MARIA EWING = highest level of artistical performance!

[GigHarborClarkie]

a cross between tim curry and carol burnett...but very old fashioned stylization that's kind of freaky vocal quality but I like it

[Veltin13]

We do 'Carmen' in our music lesson,too and i really like it . <33

[P1B1U1H1]

I'd leave my job tomorrow if Maria Ewing. tossed a flower at me.

[Musicadoro]

oh NO

[Shibbl]

We do "Carmen" in our music lessons this time. I love this scene =) it's my favourite from "Carmen".

Greetings from Germany!

[Misstroble90]

Great dramatic vocals but a bit wooden in her acting. Much better than Berganza though whose voice was too light a mezzo for a truly great Carmen.

[CrystalFlames]

Love it.

[AliKitten24]

Well, I think that she's perfect for the role of Carmen cause I like her voice and her performarce in the scenary. And of course her french is clean clear and good. I like her, very good soprano. And Jean Rigby and ellizabeth collier, perfect too.

[sirmercutio99]

No a regular soprano should not sing this role. Carmen is for Mezzos or very Dramatic Sopranos

[cantanteporsiempre]

that¨s not completely true, because teresa berganza is a very light mezzo and she´one of the best!! maria ewing is a perfect Carmen! it¨s not only about power but intentions

[sirmercutio99]

Compared to the great Carmens Ewings performance at least in this scene is flat. Listen Elena Obraztsova performance. It's powerful, tragic and brings out the ultimate fatality of Carmen.

[cantanteporsiempre]

but it´s not necessary to compare, there¨s sooo very diferent voices!! obratsova was a monster, her voice was very powerful indeed, one of my favorites, but it¨s like saying that Sutherland´s Traviata has less value than the one from Callas who was a much powerful voice, both are corretc in their own style.

[brodsky96]

@sirmercutio99 SHE IS MEZZO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sirmercutio99]

@brodsky96 Yes/no I thinks she's like Bumbry and Verrett who can sing either Mezzo or Soprano but listen Elena Obraztova, she really digs into the role. I actually like Anna Caterina's very sexy version and she's a soprano.

[bla03027]

No, no, no. i agree with puccinilover i actually ddon't like her intpretation either. and i'm so much loving her voice either.

[RagingSuccubus]

She looks like a female Tim Curry.

[Lamirroirmagique]

Exactly what I thought!

[chilacanta]

esa carmen no tiene nada de poder. el dueto frasquita y mercedes está muy bien.

[Jackie771]

I like the duet between Mercedes and Frasquita:-)

[kolplam]

I like carmens voice.

TOUJOURS LA MORT!

[singthesilences]

Mercedes has a better voice than Carmen...

[operalover9001]

But Jean Rigby was a very famous Carmen...perhaps more famous than Ewing ever was

[olympicfreak678]

@operalover9001 could we please see some clips or hear some excerpts please?

[puccinilover]

I'm not loving her interpretation it seems bland and cold

[Doromir]

That is exactly how Carmen is at that point in the show. Cold and negative. I think she got it just right