A. Rachvelishvili & J. Kaufmann "Final Scene" Carmen Scala 2009

[musicmuse56]

Absolutely perfect.

[Ecoman365]

A truly splendid performance!

[Alekogymnos]

What is happening to opera. Singers that look the part. Singers that can act. Fantastic direction.. I wonder what Bizet would thought hearing the glory of Jonas Kaufmann the greatest tenor in the world......such vocal shading, such high note decresendos...........ohhh, to be able see and hear him in person. What a gift to the world of opera.

[CiboCeleste]

@Alekogymnos So true! In fact, Kaufmann looks so stunning that one would doubt such a man can be abandoned :)

[Alekogymnos]

@CiboCeleste What do you mean (CiboCeleste)....."abandoned"?­?? In what way will Kaufmann be abandoned? Such an act would constitute a crime against the art of great singing, i.e.Kaufmann.

[CiboCeleste]

@Alekogymnos I meant they act so well that one forgets he is Kaufman and instead believes he is Don Jose, who is in turn abandoned by Carmen. Why did I need to explain this? :)

[Alekogymnos]

@CiboCeleste

So sorry. You shouldn't have had to explain. I just took it completely wrong....thinking that the opera world would "abandon" Kauffmann. My silly mistake. It's early here in Greece and I haven't had my coffee yet. Aleko.

[CiboCeleste]

@Alekogymnos Oh, there is nothing to be sorry about, it is all fun to exchange! Well, I hope Apollo has descended on his chariot all over sunny Ellada and Nessun Dorma will soon take place (means everyone will not sleep anymore) :) :) :) My best regards to all the gods and people of Olympian land :)

[amonasro100]

What excellent singer and what a great production.

[MrSonnenaufgang]

what a beautiful section of the opera Carmen, this duet is unbeatable, I'm thrilled.

thank you

[emila1103]

grande Carmen......Rachvelishvili una star BRAVA!!

[Mssheepo1]

Sono in parte d' accordo con Mega Parzifal ma il tenore non e' cattivo, ha una buona tecnica ed una bella interpretazione lo preferisco al suo alterego il toreador, si la regia e' da dimenticare totalmente, oltre tutto non e' originale, viste riviste scene di tentato stupro a Carmen gia' nel 1984, dimenticare anche le luci inesistenti, ma i cantanti e la direzione no, credo che i tempi siano stati tenuti bene molto cinematografici, vivi energici.

[MegaParzifal]

Mamma mia il toreador!!! Una cosa indegna!!! Quella di K. è una voce senza armonici, opaca, non squilla ed in queso senso è certamente moderna: senza microfono non si sente. Il direttore, invece, sembra dirigere la sua perplessità rispetto alla Carmen. Forse una ricerca eccessiva dei colori... è quello che mi ha deluso di più. Probabilmente l'eccessivo protagonismo di direttore e regista hanno creato conflitti fra palco e orchestra che hanno condizionato lo spettacolo. Salutissimi.

[Mssheepo1]

@MegaParzifal Grazie di avermi risposto, dai sei troppo severo con Kauffman, non e' proprio male come tenore, forse troppo baritonale dirai.

[MegaParzifal]

@Mssheepo1 Non mi piacciono i tenori che cantano come baritoni, è vero. E' una strana moda dettata dalla prevalente diffusione elettronica. Dal vivo non si sentono. Purtroppo quando c'è di mezzo la Scala i toni si accendono: è un ente c he ha enormi responsabilità economiche e da anni ci ammorba con le sue strategie politiche più che artistiche. Fanni i furbi un po' tutti là dentro: incominciano da piccoli... Cordialità.

[Mssheepo1]

@MegaParzifal Si hai pienamente ragione, sono d'accordo con te, scusa se ti ho dato del tu non so se sei della mia stessa eta' comunque e' stato un piacere discernere con te sulla Scala e su una opera che io amo la Carmen.

[MegaParzifal]

Il cambiamento percepibile nei personaggi è minimo. L'Opera li attraversa senza arrecare danni. Espressioni statiche. Regia da dimenticare. Vocalita bella, ma con troppe emissioni di gola, lei. Incomprensibile quella del tenore a causa della mala tecnica: viene fuori una voce da vecchio appannata in tutto il registro centrale e perfino in tanti acuti. Kaufmann come Cura, ma almeno quest'ultimo non ci propone una maschera da bambinone smarrito e confuso.

[Mssheepo1]

Sono in parte d'accordo con te ma Kauffman non e' un cattivo tenore a una bella voce calda, moderna, non e' il solito tenore classico.

[66cecilia]

bravissimi tutti e due,peccato che il povero Don José sia stato maltrattato esageratamente (non ho contato quante volte sia stato sbattuto per terra).Lui si conferma uno dei migliori per Carmen e lei scenicamente con l'esperienza sarà ancora meglio.A parte qualche idea..regia,costumi e comparse smisurate,non mi hanno che disturbato.i cantanti devono "anche" poter cantare!!!!!

[me148]

the set looks worse that Act 1 of Luc Bondy's failed Tosca at the Met this year......

[maryXvictor]

when i first saw Carmen i totaly didn't see this ending coming

[CONTESTAR]

I think the director has one good idea of him sexually assaulting her but he tries to rape her too often... it is not supported from the characters of this piece.

I am not even going into the fact that Jose is not giving up his soul until much later in the duet, so the last time he tries would be enough...

The girl is good but the tenor overshadows her... unheard of for a Carmen production... not in la Scala.

[Regietheaterdreckweg]

Die Inszenierung war totaler Mist!

[theulkar]

che bello! finalmente si vede la direzione degli attori!!!!!!

[cantorandopera]

Such a variety of opinions on this video. I LOVED everything about Kaufmann - especially his acting. He totally dominates the scene. I agree with those who say there is no chemistry between them and that she seems to have no emotional connection to the drama that she knows is coming. However, she is very young and extremely promising.

[Missmimi921]

oh. wow it´s amazing.. I loved it definitly.. ♥ thank you

[BrentAudi]

Awesome!

Thank you for posting.

Brent

[joanabanyeres]

Antoine, je ne crois pas qu'une opération nasale améliore cette Carmen.. En plus j'ai connu des chanteurs qui ont perdu la voix, le nez il faut le laisser meme si on le trouve un peu fort.

[annea1b]

Carmen is such a tough opera to stage. The melodies are so iconic and the characters on the cusp of stereotypes that many directors feel compelled to freight the prodution with symbolism, extra business, whatever to make their points. I have yet to see a successful production. She's a powerful singer and has the potential to be a superb mezzo but her acting is meh. I'll put that down to lack of experience. Jonas K. is flat out amazing. He powers the performance.

[timkendal]

It's not just the timbre, but the odd French pronunciation which I finds mars my enjoyment of this tenor - so that est becomes eeee, plus becomes plurrrrrrrrr, pas becomes puhhhhhh, toi becomes twurrrrrrr. Her French, meanwhile, is excellent.

Can't say i think much of this production - neither setting nor the last act interaction between Carmen and DJ. No wonder they booed!

[caruso81]

there were booed?

[Alekogymnos]

@timkendal

I have to comment on this 'cause only another operatic tenor knows what it's like to sing operatic pieces in French. When a tenor goes for certain high notes it is impossible to get the exact sound that the French language requires and also hit the necessary high note.  Every singer differs and certain singers can hit a high B flat on the ee sound and others have to use an "eh" sound to hit the note. Other operatic singers will agree. Alekos Korallis

[juancar988]

they are twoo important voices of XXl century and i am very happy with that. "Carmen" it is ever a genial Opera and it is not never old because it´s music is young like the first perfomance at le teatre comique du Paris. Congratulations for this version.

[papagena92]

Well, I kind of like this overall, above all her performance, how ever unexperienced she may be. There are several interpretations of Carmen, which vary according to singers and stage directors.

I think this setting is interesting, but I don't understand why the church funeral. The rape idea, though scandalous, is great, it makes you think about actuality in our world

[laddnyc]

Who says Carmen should be angry here? I have heard many different explanations of her phsycology at this moment. This Carmen is not angry here, she appears to have no soul, no heart and NO ability to love. THAT, to me, is the tragedy of Carmen! This Carmen knows that she has only a few minutes to live Tragically she is ready for that fate as evidenced here by HER giving Jose the blade. You may not like these choices but they seem bold and VERY well thought out from my perspective. BRAVI!

[papagena92]

Agree with you laddync. All I must add is that she'll gain more experience and maturity in time, like all young developing artists.

[laddnyc]

That a director would choose to have Jose, in his insanity, attempt to rape Carmen makes perfect sense to me. But WHY THE CLERGY??? If it is a good and evil thing it does not work for me. That this Carmen does not "connect" or show emotion actually makes perfect sense to me. Her soul is empty, not soft...we are painfully aware of it here. She is a demon who has brought Jose down with her. I love the "old school" singers as much as I love the "new school" singing actors.

[zurriussII]

@laddnyc I think, director wanted somehow to change that perception of Carmen.

[InBoccaChiusa]

It's a miracle these two artists survived "Dante's Inferno." Outrageous ending (a rape in front of clergy???), overshadowing the true tragedy of this masterpiece, Carmen's death at the hand of her former lover. Rachvelishvili (a sort of Carmencita at this point in her career) acquitted herself well, at least vocally. It's unfortunate she could not match the dramatic intensity and sexual power of her Don José.

[TheWisemonkey8]

I am going to be frightfully unsavoury here. This is not convincing at all. Rachvelishvili has a lovely burnished quality to the middle and bottom of her voice but lacks a succubuss ravishing and humiliating and taunting tonality that this scene requires. Also, it Kaufmann pouts at the cameras once more and neglects his role as a SINGER I may have to call La Scala and demand that they engage a chipendale for the role of Jose.

[TheWisemonkey8]

This is Hollywood opera and nothing more. Sorry but this is simply the bloody truth. Kind regards OneGin.

[joanabanyeres]

Helas...

[TheWisemonkey8]

opps... sorry Joana... ok... it is passable ;). hehehhe

[operaclassicc]

I dont like this Carmen ,she looks soft and like jose is the bad person ,In this part carmen should be very angry,sharp,rude ,and jose should be a desperate man ,I dont like also the singer

[TheWisemonkey8]

Now thats a clever comment. Kind regards my astute and incisive friend in music.

[operaclassicc]

@TheWisemonkey8 Thnx I am pleased that you have the same thinking !

[kleinerpapageno]

I don't like the setting of Carmen's murder and death. Why not show her face at least,?

[laddnyc]

a device so that he can get that blood on HIS face, I suppose

[oegaziz43]

thanks for another great post.. Wow!

[MissFireMagic]

Wow! Great scene. Thanks for posting!

[londonpianoschool]

Chillingly brilliant!

[CatalinaDM56]

I love Jonas...Anita is alright...I have heard better Carmen's, but for her first time of singing in a major opera house...it was alright. The only experience she has had other than this were three student productions (she is only 25). She has a nice deep tone, but the chemistry between Don Jose and Carmen is practically nonexistant. Sort of boring. Jonas is trying to connect with her...but it doesn't work, simply because she is very unexperienced.

[aaronsande]

There isn't supposed to be chemistry from her to him at this point, is there? She is over him.

[CatalinaDM56]

Not necessarily "love" chemistry. But the chemistry between two performers on a stage...big difference.

[aaronsande]

Right, I get that. But IIRC at this point in Carmen, all she shows him is apathy.

Now, granted, apathy and bad acting can easily be confused! All I am saying is the jury has to still be out based solely on this clip ;D