Rating: 
Summary: a musical and visual triumph
Review: This production of Carmen is superlative by any measure. The casting is perfect, with all characters entirely believable in their roles. Julia Migenes is an excellent vocalist whose lovely singing voice is packaged with a first-rate acting and dancing ability. She truly brought Carmen to life in a way that the typical stage production cannot. Her attention to details such as gestures and eye movements were astounding throughout the production. I am amazed that she has not been more visible since this film because she is a real treasure. The quality of acting and singing by all of the characters, even the secondary ones such as the soldiers, the bandits, and Carmen's gypsy friends, was excellent with all players entirely credible in their roles. Ruggero Raimondi is perfect as Escamillo and of course Placido Domingo may be the best Don Jose ever. Faith Esham is a lovely Michaela with a wonderful voice more than equal to her part.And the scenery! Ravishing. No stage production can ever transport one to Andalusian Spain like this film. Beautifully photographed with the scenes and action perfectly coordinated with the flow of the music. Are there faults with this production? Yes. The greatest is that the charming trio and chorus "Quant au douanier," has been excised from the 3rd act. M. Bizet I am sure would not approve of that. The disc tracks are often inconvenient. For example, one cannot cue to the beginning of the 4th act, one must cue to the fight scene in the third act and fast forward. Occasionally stage direction is sacrificed to the director's vision as at the end of act 2 when the bandits are singing to the lieutenant to move along "sans vous faire prier" all the while tying him up in a chair. I always love the pomp and circumstance of the parade in act 4 but in this version the picadors, matadors, etc. simply pull up to the bullring in carriages and walk in the door. A bit disappointing. That said, it all amounts to nitpicking when taking the grand view. This production brings a new standard of realism and depth of emotion to Carmen, which I hold to be the most beautiful of operas. If you love Bizet's masterpiece, you will certainly treasure this presentation, and Leonard Maltkin should stick to reviewing Jim Carrey flicks, because he is way off on this one.
Rating:
Summary: The Sensational Opera As An Incredible Film
Review: Francesco Rosi, in much the same manner as Franco Zefferelli, directed a stunning and dramatic film about a popular opera. As with Verdi's La Traviata, Carmen is one of those mainstream, instantly recognizable and popular operas that even people who do not have in-depth knowledge or appreciation of opera. Georges Bizet's opera was based on the novella by Prosper Merimee, about a seductive Gypsy named Carmen who lures an innocent Spanish soldier (Don Jose) to a life of crime. When Carmen falls for a bullfighter, (Escamillo) she jilts him, but he becomes so jealous that he stabs Carmen in a crime of passion. The powerful emotions, as well as sexy Spanish tunes, were all beautifully composed by Georges Bizet. The role of Carmen is a mezzo soprano role, but many sopranos have tried their hand at the alluring heroine- she is, quite frankly, opera's most liberal, independent and modernistic heroines. Maria Callas, Beverly Sills, Tatiana Troyanos, Grace Bumbry and Shirley Verret have most notably performed the roles successfully. In the Rosi film, shot on location in Seville and other parts of Spain, Carmen is portrayed by Julia Migenes Johnson. It has been said before, Julia Migenes Johnson, although Spanish herself, could not capture the true essece of Bizet's heroine. Her voice is not suited for the feisty, sexy heroine and although she must have practiced considerably, she fails to become the fatal Carmen. Julia's voice is not pretty, not does it sound "French", or Spanish for that matter. Her only successful parts come at the end, in which she confronts Don Jose at the bullfight, dressed elegantly in red and meets her death at his hands. The very scene is symbolic. At the bullfight, Escamillo, Carmen's new lover, is fighting a bull, and just as he stabs the bull to its death, Don Jose stabs Carmen to her death. Carmen is herself as free and untamed as the bull, and only the domineering, jealous, crazed Don Jose could end her life and terminate that freedom. Of all the performances in the film, Placido Domingo as Don Jose is the most gratifying. A true actor, Placido immerses himself in the character, becoming the romantic, jealous and dark soldier whose obscession for Carmen becomes a sort of madness. Placido Domingo is the modern Enrico Caruso. Few tenors have his dramatic potential combined with great rich tenor vocal qualities. Ruggero Raimondi is the baritone who portrays Escamillo, and he does it very successfully. A handsome, earthy man, he fits the role of the boastful, macho bullfighter that wins Carmen's attentions. Faith Esham sings the role of Micaela, a character in Bizet's opera but not in the Merimee novella. Micaela is the beautiful, sedate, modest Christian young woman whom Don Jose is engaged to marry, but the woman he abandons for the more exciting and seductive Carmen. The cinematography of the film is lush, realistic and symbolic. The musical score finely arranged and conducted. As a film, this opera makes for great drama. Music classes should even see this film for some kind of lesson plan. It is also one of Placido Domingo's greatest roles, some would say the greatest.
Rating:
Summary: The best of Domingo's !
Review: It is wonderfully singed, gloriously staged and unbelievably truthful opera. One may dislike the film -like settings but they do work as intended. It is dynamic, south -France flavored, sunny and tragic Carmen. I know only another Domingo's DVD that may pair with this one, the "Cavaleria rusticana".
Rating:
Summary: Cheers for Carmencita!
Review: I bought this tape when it first came out and have watched it many, many times since then. Even saw it on the big screen at Hollywood's Egyptian theater last year with LA Opera League and a lengthy in person interview with Julia (who is really funny, intelligent and charming!). I've seen Domingo perform it on stage many times and also have seen Julia perform in person. She is a wonderful actress with a small but lovely voice and her technique makes the best of her instrument - she's at her best in this video. Domingo is still the standard for Don Jose and "The Flower Song" in this video is just thrilling! Of all the videos of Carmen, including live productions, this is my favorite. It is not without flaws, of course, but overall, the setting of Ronda and performances of a quality cast are superior to other videos of Carmen. I love it and most of my opera friends do too! (Compare videos to CD's, even laser disc/DVD? apples vs. oranges.) The CD of this is just fine also, but there are many other CD's which are also excellent if not better; not so with video. This is a keeper until a better one is filmed.
Rating: 
Summary: Good...but was this really opera?
Review: I enjoyed watchin this.... I was a bit miffed thought when I found that the beautiful recitateves had been replaced with rather weak diologue. This video was billed as an opera and I felt a bit...well...cheated. Julia Migenes' performance is amazing. She mixes the sexy and serious side of Carmen beautifully, and I find her performance of "L'amor est un oiseau rebelle" to be the best recording available. Placido Domingo's performance as Don Jose is also wonderful. The best thing about this film is that it IS a film. There is no cutain going up and down between acts and now bowing afterwards, allowing the audience to suspend there disbelief. I usually enjoy live theater recorded versions to be more exciting but it is refreshing to see a classic put on the big screen...even with the various cuts and changes. Good as the performances are, I kept thinking to myself, "Where are Bizet's recitatives?" I strongly suggest this for someone who does not want to swan dive right into a full blown opera, or an opera buff looking for a change.
Rating:
Summary: Carmen singing not too good
Review: The visuals of the film is very good and atmospheric, except for the bullfighting scenes which are too gory. As for the singings, Placido Domingo does an excellent job, but not so Julia Migenes. Sometimes I can't tell whether it is just her singing style or she is out of breath. She may not ruin the film but she is not very pleasant to hear. Having a sexing acting Carmen may appeal to a lot of people, but this is not the reason I listen to opera.
Rating:
Summary: Pasionaria Carmen
Review: Las cuatro estrellas en vez de cinco merecidas musicalmente, obedecen a que la pelicula, por lo demas excelente, esta terriblemente llena de ruidos de fondo innecesarios. Hay que pensar que la gloriosa musica de Bizet, realmente no deberia ser interrumpida por los ruidos mencionados; otro detalle que hasta cierto punto hiere nuestro sensibilidad es la presentacion inhumana de los toros al principio ( que me perdonen los espanoles ). Esta crueldad esta demas en verdad. Los cantantes son de primera, no hay que decirlo, y Placido Domingo a quien pudimos ver en nuestro pais, que dicho sea de paso conserva su admirable voz, en esta Carmen es sublime.Las actuaciones teatrales tanto de Domingo como de la soprano son excelentes; en resumen recomiendo esta pelicula grandemente a pesar de los dichosos ruidos mencionados y concluyo diciendo que como pelicula sin la musica, quizas fuera mejor; comparamos esta version con la de Nuria Espert en teatro y ni se diga la admirable de de Anne Sofie von Otter y lamentablemente queda por debajo de estas. La de Carreras tambien es mejor musicalmente.
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Summary: I love Carmen!
Review: This woman has a BEAUTIFUL voice! Domingo also shines on this DVD (of course!) The only thing I dislike about this DVD is that the first chapter is a bull fight, which I think is cruel and disgusting. I love the costumes, sets, and everything that was done for the making of this movie- everything is very realistic and true to the time of this opera! Of course Carmen wasn't this beautiful diva that other movies have made her- she was a common woman with a rather plain and dirty appearance. Some opera singers who portray Carmen have their hair fixeed fancily with a beautiful red dress on, but this Carmen is realistic- she has beautiful tangly black hair with a worn out dress. I love this DVD because the music is so wonderful, the acting is great, and the settings are fabulous. I would recommend this DVD to anyone out there who loves Carmen!
Rating:
Summary: This Carmen Makes One Perfect
Review: If Friedrich Nietzsche watched Carmen twenty times, then why can't we? But which version? Perhaps this is one time that purists should deviate from their allegiance to staged productions and buy the on-location movie, directed by Francesco Rosi and starring Julia Migenes-Johnson as Carmen and Placido Domingo as Don Jose. Granted, the Covent Garden production featuring Maria Ewing as Carmen has many stellar qualities as well. But in it Nuria Espert, the renowned actress/director, chose to portray Carmen as such a cruel figure that her sexuality is confuted by her eagerness to harm others. This is not the Carmen that Bizet had in mind nor the one portrayed in Rosi's film. Rosi's Carmen, Migenes-Johnson, demonstrates an exquisite dramatic ability from beginning to end, with eyes, body, and voice able to project defiance, sexuality, disgust, and even resignation as the occasion demands. She dances and strips steamily for Don Jose at Lilla Pastia's tavern and manages somehow a perfect foot flick of her skirt into the hands of that poor sap as he awaits the consummation of his fantasy, grown that much stronger from a month's incarceration on Carmen's account. But Carmen can be fatalistic as well, as when she reads the cards forecasting her death at the beginning of Act III, or sad, so very sad, outside the bullring at the conclusion of the opera when she goes to meet her fate. Everything in this production is sung well, including the part of Escamillo, played by the dashing Ruggero Raimondi, and the part of Michaela, played by the necessarily sweet Faith Esham. Domingo, of course, is in his prime. No other version of Carmen so vividly portrays the essential conflict of the opera: that of duty, honor and obedience on the one hand and freedom and sexuality on the other. The soldier's life versus the gypsy's. Rosi's decision to begin the movie with the bullfight scene and the actual killing of a bull (Note that there is no disclaimer about no animals being killed in the making of the film) is brilliant. We start with a bullfight and end with a bullfight. Begin with the inevitable death of a toro and end with the inevitable death of Carmen. There is a perfect metaphorical parallelism here. For what is Carmen's story but that of unbridled wildness necessarily killed off? Rosi's location filming of Carmen succeeds in representing a time and place more engagingly and thoroughly than any stage production could. The harsh light of southern Spain quickly draws the viewer into the ambience of Seville. The tobacco factory is a marvelous exercise in controlled pandemonium mixed with pre-industrial production (notice the babies and toddlers in the factory and the gaiety of the women workers). The gypsy encampment is so very picturesque in Act II. And everywhere in this movie there is dust. There must be dust. This sense of verisimilitude and chronological and scenic appropriateness are enhanced by superb camera work, terrific interior lighting, and a genius's sense of film composition. Many times while viewing this Carmen I hit "pause" on my DVD remote control so that I could admire the spatial construction and lighting of a particular shot. "Like a painting," I would say to myself, "Like a painting." Nietzsche wrote about Carmen: "How such a work makes one perfect. One becomes a 'masterpiece' oneself." This is a good version of Carmen on which to test Nietzsche's theory.
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Summary: Bizet's Carmen did contain spoken dialogue
Review: Just wanted to point out that the "beautiful recitatives" that the previous reviewer missed were actually not written by Bizet. The original Carmen did contain spoken dialogue which was later reworked as recitative by someone else. (Unfortunately the the name of that someone escapes me at the moment.) So the film version is actually a more accurate version of Bizet's opera.
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