Dialogue of the Carmelites Final Scene

The final scene from Poulenc's Dialogue of the carmelites is one of the most riveting in all operas. If you look for it here in YouTube you will get to see many versions, all pretty dramatic. I have another one for you.

This comes from a telecast of the Canadian Opera Company, Toronto, from a performance recorded in April 1986. Here is the cast:

Mme Lidoine: Carol Vaness
Sister Constance: Harolyn Blackwell
Blance de la Force: Irene Welhasch
Mother Marie: Janet Stubbs
Sister Mathilde: Kimberly Barber
Mother Jeanne: Odette Beaupre

It is interesting to note that after having done Blanche earlier on (with Zeani and Leontyne Price no less) Carol Vaness now sings the role of the new Prioress.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Dialogue
• Carmelites
• Opera
• Poulenc

[owenboi66]

This is a good "conventional" staging. Which production is it? Can I buy it on DVD?

[tenore23]

@owenboi66 It is the met's staging of the piece. Unfortunately it is not available on DVD. You might have to go to "alternative" sources to get your copy. This staging might look conventional today, but when it first opened it was seen as quite revolutionary. It has effectively influenced staging of this opera for decades. Please read the rest of the conversation for details.

[Voixdebaryton87]

I was JUST looking at clips of this final scene earlier today! I can't get enough of it..thx!

[tenore23]

@Voixdebaryton87 You should also take a look at my clip of the met production. It is riveting.

[MsMaria9876]

@owenboi66 this is a Canadian Opera Company production from the 80 with Carol Vaness, Harolyn Blackwell , etc. It's not available

[mynameiswhatever]

@tenore23 I just wish the sound quality of this clip was better. Do you have any idea where one might acquire a version of this production with better audio?

[mynameiswhatever]

@tenore23 I love the staging of this! It only seems "conventional" because it relies on the power of the historical scene itself without clubbing you over the head with a stripped down symbolic staging. For the sake of comparison, I saw a YouTube clip of a production in which instead of a tumbrel, the nuns are bound together with a giant crown of thorns. Just a little "on the nose"...

[MsPandaRosa]

Totally off topic, yet I am listening to Michael Savage defending our Marine Corps,

[gnw1944]

...really, a fabulous staging !!