Georges Bizet

Mirella Freni was one of Herbert von Karajan’s favourite singers; indeed, he is known to have commented that if he could have any voice in the world, it would be hers. Combining a stunning voice with heartfelt acting, Freni is equally at home in the lighter roles, such as Mozart’s Susanna and Zerlina, as in the weightier roles of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut and Tosca. This collection brings together arias from throughout Freni’s illustrious career.

Karajan Adagio is the most successful classical collection of all time with nearly 4 million units sold since 1993. It has now been re-engineered, re-titled, and newly compiled for the 21st century.

“Adagio Karajan” was the ORIGINAL CLASSICAL CHILL-OUT ALBUM. Over two-and-a-half hours of the world’s most relaxing music – from the most accomplished conductor of all time. Emphasizing classical music’s unique power in transporting the listener away from the stresses and strains of modern-day living - All over the world, consumers are searching for an escape, and the soothing sounds of “Karajan Adagio” can provide that.

“Adagio” – the literal translation is “at ease”, with a slowness, with a tranquillity, and with a longing – the perfect antidote to the relentless pace of modern global living.

Parisian composer Georges Bizet was enrolled in the Consevatoire at the age of nine and won a premier prix in solfège within six months of his arrival. He later received prizes for his skill as a pianist, gaining particular renown for his sight‐reading, and won the coveted Prix de Rome in 1857. At this time, opera theatres in Paris were reluctant to stage new works rather than the established classics, meaning that Bizet’s operas did not achieve much success during his lifetime, despite the fact that today two of his operas are considered among the best ever written.

The premiere of Les Pêcheurs de Perles took place in 1863 and the opera was brought back to Paris in 1889 at the Exposition Universelle of that year. The story, set in Ceylon (known today as Sri Lanka), centres on the love between the priestess Léïla and the fisherman Nadir, who is envied by his fellow fisherman and friend Zurga.

The idea of the ‘exotic’ is a prominent feature of the opera and can be heard in the unusual instruments of the percussion section, the dance rhythms, and the use of the harp. The qualities of the ‘exotic’ evoked here are more similar to those of the Mediterranean than of Ceylon, although it is known from Bizet’s letters that his original inspiration for the setting was Mexico. The opera contains the famous friendship duet, ‘Au fond du temple saint’, known as the Pearl Fishers’ Duet.

The recording features Desirée Rancatore and Celso Albelo in the roles of Léila and Nadir. Rancatore, a leading interpreter of the light, lyrical roles in Italian opera, debuted as Barbarina in The Marriage of Figaro at the Salzburg Festival at just 19 years old. She has since won critical acclaim for her performances as Adina (L’elisir d’amour), Gilda (Rigoletto) and the Queen of the Night (The Magic Flute), all of which she has sung worldwide.

Tenor Celso Albelo has performed all over the world in operas such as Rigoletto, Lucia di Lammemoor and Falstaff, and was awarded the Opera National Prize (Spain) for Best Newcomer in 2008 for his performance in I Puritani.

Carmen, is Bizet’s delectable femme fatale of Seville, a universally loved opera full of thrilling music and heartstopping drama. Bizet’s score is an endless parade of one great melody after the other.

David McVicar’s Glyndebourne production from 2002 uses Bizet’s original opéra-comique format, where dialogue is deployed in place of the recitatives, in what is only Glyndebourne’s second production of the opera in its history, the other being Peter Hall’s 1985 production.

In 1938, there were plans afoot for a Glyndebourne-Covent Garden season which included Carmen in the repertoire, to be conducted by Bruno Walter and directed by Carl Ebert, and the following year John Christie announced plans for the 1940 season at Glyndebourne, which also included Carmen. The outbreak of World War II put pay to both plans.

This 2002 production provides Anne-Sofie von Otter with her, to date, only Carmen, and young Swiss conductor Phillippe Jordan, currently music director of the Opéra national de Paris, with his UK debut. Anne-Sofie von Otter’s gypsy femme fatale is immediate from the moment she first appears onstage to deliver her character-defining Habanera.

The deluxe booklet includes synopsis in English, German and French with French libretto and English translation included.

Robert Merrill (1917-2004) possessed a beautiful, resonant baritone voice that over the years endeared him to the American opera-loving public in particular. He appeared in 551 performances at the New York Met and a further 221 during its famous tours of the USA. The 10 CDs in this collection illustrate the complete spectrum of Robert Merrill’s career, featuring music from La Traviata, Pagliacci, Don Carlo, Un Ballo in Maschera, Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, Aida, Carmen, Samson et Dalila, Faust, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, La Bohème, Porgy and Bess, Show Boat, Kiss me Kate, Rose-Marie, film hits, Irish folksongs and Old English melodies.