# Carmen discography

This is a discography of audio and video recordings of Carmen, a French-language opera by Georges Bizet. The opera premiered at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 3 March 1875. Carmen is one of the most frequently recorded operas, dating back to a near-complete German acoustical recording in 1908.

## Audio recordings

| Year | Cast (Carmen, Don José, Micaëla, Escamillo) | Conductor, Opera house and orchestra | Label/Notes |
| 1908 | Emmy Destinn Carl Jörn Minnie Nast Hermann Bachmann | Bruno Seidler-Winkler Grammophone Orchestra Berlin Berlin State Opera chorus (sung in German) | CD: Aura Music Cat: LRC 1900 CD: Marston Records Cat: 52022-2 |
| 1911 | Marguerite Mérentié Agustarello Affré Aline Vallandri Henri Albers | François Ruhlmann l'Orchestre Symphonique Chœur de l'Opéra-Comique | CD: Malibran Cat: MR 560 CD: Marston Records Cat: 52019-2 |
| 1920 | Fanny Anitùa Luigi Bolis Ines Maria Ferraris Cesare Formichi | Unknown Teatro alla Scala orchestra and chorus (sung in Italian) | LP: Columbia Cat: D 5582-97 |
| 1927 | Lucy Perelli José de Trévi Yvonne Brothier Louis Musy | Piero Coppola Chœur et Orchestre de l'Opéra-Comique | LP: Victor Cat: |
| 1928 | Raymonde Visconti Georges Thill Marthe Nespoulous Louis Guénot | Élie Cohen l'Orchestre Symphonique de Paris Chœur de l'Opéra-Comique | LP: Columbia Recording Cat: 27809 |
| 1931 | Gabriella Besanzoni Piero Pauli Maria Carbone Ernesto Besanzoni | Carlo Sabajno Teatro alla Scala orchestra and chorus (sung in Italian) | CD: Myto Records Cat: |
| 1932 | Aurora Buades Aureliano Pertile Ines Alfani Tellini [it] Benvenuto Franci [it] | Lorenzo Molajoli Teatro alla Scala orchestra and chorus (sung in Italian) | CD: Phonographe Records Cat: |
| 1937 | Rosa Ponselle René Maison Hilda Burke Julius Huehn | Gennaro Papi Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus | CD: Walhall Cat: WHL 15 |
| 1942 | Germaine Cernay Raymond Berthaud Ginette Guillamat Lucien Lovano | Désiré-Émile Inghelbrecht Orchestre National de France | CD: Malibran-Music (Radio Provence) Cat: CDRG172 |
| | Elisabeth Höngen Torsten Ralf Elfriede Weidlich Josef Herrmann | Karl Böhm Staatsoper Dresden orchestra and chorus (sung in German) | CD: Preiser Cat: PR90152 |
| 1943 | Lily Djanel Raoul Jobin Licia Albanese Leonard Warren | Thomas Beecham Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus | CD: Walhall Cat: WLCD0006 |
| 1950 | Solange Michel Raoul Jobin Martha Angelici Michel Dens | André Cluytens Chœur et Orchestre de l'Opéra-Comique | CD: EMI mono Cat: CMS5 65318-2 LP: Naxos Historical Cat: 8.110238-39 |
| 1951 | Risë Stevens Jan Peerce Licia Albanese Robert Merrill | Fritz Reiner RCA Victor orchestra | LP: RCA Victrola Cat: AVM3-0670 CD: RCA Red Seal Cat: 88843041212 |
| 1951 | Suzanne Juyol Libera de Luca Janine Micheau Julien Giovannetti | Albert Wolff Opéra-Comique orchestra and chorus | CD: Preiser Cat: LP: Decca Cat: LXT2615-17 |
| 1952 | Risë Stevens Richard Tucker Nadine Conner Paolo Silveri | Fritz Reiner Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus | CD: Sony Classical Cat: 88697 96189 2 |
| 1952 | Vera Borisenko Georgii Nelepp Elizaveta Shumskaya Alexei Ivanov | Vassili Nebolsin Bolshoi Theatre orchestra and chorus (sung in Russian) | LP: MK Cat: DO1508-15 |
| 1954 | Kerstin Meyer Arne Hendriksen Elisabeth Söderström Sigurd Björling | Sixten Ehrling Royal Swedish Opera orchestra and chorus (sung in Swedish) | CD: Bluebell Cat: ABCD109 |
| | Giulietta Simionato Nicolai Gedda Hilde Gueden Michel Roux | Herbert von Karajan Wiener Symphoniker Singerverein | CD: Andante Cat: AN3100 |
| | Risë Stevens Richard Tucker Victoria de los Ángeles Frank Guarrera | Tibor Kozma Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus | CD: Gala Cat: GL10063 |
| 1955 | Giulietta Simionato Giuseppe Di Stefano Rosanna Carteri Michel Roux | Herbert von Karajan Teatro alla Scala orchestra and chorus | CD: Walhall Cat: WLCD0156 |
| 1956 | Risë Stevens Giuseppe Di Stefano Lucine Amara Robert Merrill | Max Rudolf Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus | CD: Golden Melodram Cat: 50070 |
| 1957 | Risë Stevens Mario Del Monaco Lucine Amara Frank Guarrera | Dimitri Mitropoulos Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus | CD: Living Stage Cat: LS1093 |
| 1959 | Victoria de los Ángeles Nicolai Gedda Janine Micheau Ernest Blanc | Sir Thomas Beecham Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France | CD: EMI Classics Cat: CMS567357 2 |
| | Irina Arkhipova Mario Del Monaco Irina Maslennikova Pavel Lisitsian | Alexander Melik-Pashayev Bolshoi Theatre orchestra and chorus (sung in Russian and Italian) | CD: Myto Cat: MCD053311 |
| | Consuelo Rubio Léopold Simoneau Pierrette Alarie Heinz Rehfuss | Pierre-Michel Le Conte Concerts de Paris orchestra and Paris Conservatoire chorus | LP: Concert Hall Cat: |
| 1960 | Sonia Cervená Rolf Apreck Maria Croonen Robert Lauhöfer | Herbert Kegel Rundfunk Sinfonie Orchester (sung in German) | CD: Classics Cat: 0300119BC |
| | Irina Arkhipova Mario Del Monaco Marcella Pobbé Ernest Blanc | Peter Maag Teatro di San Carlo orchestra and chorus | CD: Gala Cat: GL100676 |
| 1961 | Christa Ludwig Rudolf Schock Melitta Muszely Hermann Prey | Horst Stein Berliner Symphoniker, chorus of Deutsche Oper Berlin (sung in German) | CD: EMI Electrola Cat: 653 252 903-2 |
| 1962 | Oralia Dominguez Maria Stader Josef Metternich Josef Simandi | Ferenc Fricsay Bavarian State Opera orchestra and chorus | LP: Deutsche Grammophon Cat: 136032 |
| 1963 | Regina Resnik Mario Del Monaco Joan Sutherland Tom Krause | Thomas Schippers Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Grand Théâtre de Genève chorus | LP: Decca Cat: /London |
| 1964 | Leontyne Price Franco Corelli Mirella Freni Robert Merrill | Herbert von Karajan Vienna Philharmonic orchestra Vienna State Opera chorus | LP: RCA Victor Red Seal LSC-6199 CD: RCA Victor Red Seal Cat: 7432139495 21965 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording |
| 1964 | Maria Callas Nicolai Gedda Andréa Guiot Robert Massard | Georges Prêtre Paris Opera orchestra and chorus | CD: EMI Classics Cat: |
| 1970 | Grace Bumbry Jon Vickers Mirella Freni Kostas Paskalis | Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos Théâtre National de l'Opéra orchestra and chorus | CD: EMI Classics Cat: 724358550528 |
| 1970 | Anna Moffo Franco Corelli Helen Donath Piero Cappuccilli | Lorin Maazel Deutsche Oper Berlin orchestra and chorus | CD: Sony Cat: 88697446202 |
| 1973 | Marilyn Horne James McCracken Adriana Maliponte Tom Krause | Leonard Bernstein Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus | CD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat: 0 28942 74402 8 SACD: PENTATONE Cat: PTC 5186216 |
| 1974 | Régine Crespin Gilbert Py Jeannette Pilou José van Dam | Alain Lombard Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra Rhine Opera Chorus | LP: RCA-Erato Cat: |
| 1975 | Tatiana Troyanos Plácido Domingo Kiri Te Kanawa José van Dam | Sir Georg Solti London Philharmonic Orchestra John Alldis choir Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School choir | CD: Decca Cat: 414 489-2 |
| 1977 | Teresa Berganza Plácido Domingo Ileana Cotrubaş Sherrill Milnes | Claudio Abbado London Symphony Orchestra Ambrosian Singers | CD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat: |
| 1983 | Agnes Baltsa José Carreras Katia Ricciarelli José van Dam | Herbert von Karajan Berliner Philharmoniker | CD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat: |
| 1984 | Julia Migenes-Johnson Plácido Domingo Faith Esham Ruggero Raimondi | Lorin Maazel Orchestre National de France Radio France chorus (film directed by Francesco Rosi) | CD: ERATO Cat: ECD 880373 |
| 1988 | Jessye Norman Neil Shicoff Mirella Freni Simon Estes | Seiji Ozawa Orchestre National de France French National Radio Chorus | CD: Decca Cat: 478 2488 |
| 1989 | Elena Obraztsova Vladimir Atlantov Margarita Miglau Yuri Mazurok | Yuri Simonov Bolshoi Theatre orchestra and chorus (sung in Russian) | CD: Melodiya Cat: MELCD1001516 |
| 1990 | Graciela Alperyn Giorgio Lamberti Doina Palade Alan Titus | Alexander Rahbari Czechoslovak Radio Symphony orchestra Slovak Philharmonic chorus | CD: Naxos Opera Classics Cat: 8660005-07 |
| 1994 | Béatrice Uria-Monzon Christian Papis Leontina Vaduva Vincent Le Texier | Alain Lombard Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine | CD: Auvidis Valois Cat: V 4734 |
| 1995 | Jennifer Larmore Thomas Moser Angela Gheorghiu Samuel Ramey | Giuseppe Sinopoli Bayerische Staatsoper orchestra and chorus | CD: Teldec Cat: 0630126722 |
| 2002 | Angela Gheorghiu Roberto Alagna Inva Mula Thomas Hampson | Michel Plasson Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse | CD: EMI Classics Cat: 07243 557434 2 8 |
| 2002 | Patricia Bardon Julian Gavin Mary Plazas Gary Magee | David Parry Philharmonia Orchestra Geoffrey Mitchell Choir New London Children's Choir (Sung in English) | CD: Chandos Cat: CHAN3091 |
| 2010 | Marina Domashenko Andrea Bocelli Eva Mei Bryn Terfel | Myung-whun Chung Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France | CD: Decca Cat:4757646 |
| 2012 | Magdalena Kožená Jonas Kaufmann Genia Kühmeier Kostas Smoriginas | Simon Rattle Berlin Philharmonic Deutsche Oper Berlin Chorus Deutsche Staatsoper Children's Chorus | CD: EMI Classics Cat: 50999 4 40285 2 7 |

## Video recordings

| Year | Cast (Carmen, Don José, Micaëla, Escamillo) | Conductor, Opera house and orchestra | Label |
| 1956 | Belén Amparan Franco Corelli Elda Ribetti Anselmo Colzani | Nino Sanzogno Italian Television orchestra and chorus (video directed by Franco Enriquez) | DVD: Hardy Cat: HCD4013 |
| 1967 | Grace Bumbry Jon Vickers Mirella Freni Justino Díaz | Herbert von Karajan Vienna Philharmonic orchestra Vienna State Opera chorus | DVD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat: 00440 073 4032 |
| 1978 | Elena Obraztsova Plácido Domingo Isobel Buchanan Yuri Mazurok | Carlos Kleiber Vienna State Opera orchestra and chorus | DVD: TDK Cat: 8 24121 00097 4 |
| 1984 | Julia Migenes-Johnson Plácido Domingo Faith Esham Ruggero Raimondi | Lorin Maazel Orchestre National de France and chorus Children's Chorus of Radio France (film directed by Francesco Rosi) | DVD: Columbia TriStar Cat: CDR 10530 Blu-ray: Gaumont Cat: 750530 |
| 1985 | Maria Ewing Barry McCauley Marie McLaughlin David Holloway | Bernard Haitink London Philharmonic Orchestra (recorded at Glyndebourne Festival Opera) | DVD: Warner/NVC Arts Cat: 4509-99494-2 |
| 1987 | Agnes Baltsa José Carreras Leona Mitchell Samuel Ramey | James Levine Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus (staged by Franco Zeffirelli, video director Brian Large) | DVD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat: 00440 073 0009 |
| 2002 | Anne Sofie von Otter Marcus Haddock Lisa Milne Laurent Naouri | Philippe Jordan London Philharmonic Orchestra (recorded at Glyndebourne Opera House) | DVD: Opus Arte Cat: OA 0867 D |
| 2006 | Anna Caterina Antonacci Jonas Kaufmann Norah Amsellem Ildebrando D'Arcangelo | Antonio Pappano Royal Opera House orchestra and chorus (directed by Francesca Zambello) | DVD: Decca Cat: 074 3312 Blu-ray: Decca Cat: 3313 |
| 2009 | Anna Caterina Antonacci Andrew Richards Anne-Catherine Gillet Nicolas Cavallier | John Eliot Gardiner Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique Monteverdi Choir, Maitrise des Hauts-de-Seine (directed by Adrian Noble) | DVD: Fra Musica Cat: FRA004 |
| 2010 | Elīna Garanča Roberto Alagna Barbara Frittoli Teddy Tahu Rhodes | Yannick Nézet-Séguin Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus (directed for the stage by Richard Eyre) | DVD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat: 0044 073 4581 8 |
| 2010 | Stéphanie d'Oustrac Gordon Gietz Olga Pasichnyk Jean-Luc Ballestra | Jean-Claude Casadesus Opéra de Lille orchestra and chorus (directed for the stage by Jean-François Sivadier) | DVD: France Inter Cat: 597 501-9 |
| 2017 | Elīna Garanča Roberto Alagna Maria Agresta Ildar Abdrazakov | Mark Elder Opéra national de Paris orchestra and chorus (Recorded live, Opéra Bastille; Calixto Bieito, stage director) | HD video: medici.tv |
| 2018 | Anna Goryachova Francesco Meli Kristina Mkhitaryan Kostas Smoriginas | Jakub Hrůša The Royal Opera orchestra and chorus (Recorded live, 6 March 2018; Barrie Kosky, production) | HD video: Royal Opera Stream |
| 2024 | Aigul Akhmetshina Piotr Beczała Angel Blue Kyle Ketelsen | Daniele Rustioni Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus (Recorded live, 27 January 2024; Carrie Cracknell, production) | HD video: Met Opera on Demand |