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
YearCast(Carmen, Don José,Micaëla, Escamillo)Conductor,Opera house and orchestraLabelRecordings of Carmen on operadis-opera-discography.org.uk/Notes1908Emmy DestinnCarl JörnMinnie NastHermann BachmannBruno Seidler-WinklerGrammophone Orchestra BerlinBerlin State Opera chorus(sung in German)CD: Aura MusicCat: LRC 1900CD: Marston RecordsCat: 52022-21911Marguerite MérentiéAgustarello AffréAline VallandriHenri AlbersFrançois Ruhlmannl'Orchestre SymphoniqueChœur de l'Opéra-ComiqueCD: MalibranCat: MR 560CD: Marston RecordsCat: 52019-21920Fanny Anitùa Luigi Bolis Ines Maria Ferraris Cesare FormichiUnknownTeatro alla Scala orchestra and chorus(sung in Italian)LP: ColumbiaCat: D 5582-97Milnes R. Carmen. Opera on Record, ed Blyth. Hutchinson & Co, 1979, p478-9.1927Lucy PerelliJosé de TréviYvonne BrothierLouis MusyPiero CoppolaChœur et Orchestre de l'Opéra-ComiqueLP: VictorCat:Gruber, pp. 48-591928Raymonde ViscontiGeorges ThillMarthe NespoulousLouis GuénotÉlie Cohenl'Orchestre Symphonique de ParisChœur de l'Opéra-ComiqueLP: Columbia RecordingCat: 278091931Gabriella BesanzoniPiero PauliMaria CarboneErnesto BesanzoniCarlo SabajnoTeatro alla Scala orchestra and chorus(sung in Italian)CD: Myto RecordsCat:1932Aurora BuadesAureliano PertileLorenzo MolajoliTeatro alla Scala orchestra and chorus(sung in Italian)CD: Phonographe RecordsCat:1937Rosa PonselleRené MaisonHilda BurkeJulius HuehnGennaro PapiMetropolitan Opera orchestra and chorusCD: WalhallCat: WHL 151942Germaine CernayRaymond BerthaudGinette GuillamatLucien LovanoDésiré-Émile InghelbrechtOrchestre National de FranceCD: Malibran-Music (Radio Provence)Cat: CDRG1721942Elisabeth HöngenTorsten RalfElfriede WeidlichJosef HerrmannKarl BöhmStaatsoper Dresden orchestra and chorus(sung in German)CD: PreiserCat: PR901521943Lily DjanelRaoul JobinLicia AlbaneseLeonard WarrenThomas BeechamMetropolitan Opera orchestra and chorusCD: WalhallCat: WLCD00061950Solange MichelRaoul JobinMartha AngeliciMichel DensAndré CluytensChœur et Orchestre de l'Opéra-ComiqueCD: EMI monoCat: CMS5 65318-2LP: Naxos HistoricalCat: 8.110238-391951Risë StevensJan PeerceLicia AlbaneseRobert MerrillFritz ReinerRCA Victor orchestraLP: RCA VictrolaCat: AVM3-0670CD: RCA Red SealCat: 888430412121951Suzanne JuyolLibera de LucaJanine MicheauJulien GiovannettiAlbert WolffOpéra-Comique orchestra and chorusCD: Preiser Cat: LP: Decca Cat: LXT2615-171952Risë StevensRichard TuckerNadine ConnerPaolo SilveriFritz ReinerMetropolitan Opera orchestra and chorusCD: Sony ClassicalCat: 88697 96189 21952Vera BorisenkoGeorgii Nelepp Elizaveta Shumskaya Alexei IvanovVassili NebolsinBolshoi Theatre orchestra and chorus(sung in Russian)LP: MKCat: DO1508-151954Kerstin MeyerArne HendriksenElisabeth SöderströmSigurd BjörlingSixten EhrlingRoyal Swedish Opera orchestra and chorus(sung in Swedish)CD: BluebellCat: ABCD1091954Giulietta SimionatoNicolai GeddaHilde GuedenMichel RouxHerbert von KarajanWiener SymphonikerSingervereinCD: AndanteCat: AN31001954Risë StevensRichard TuckerVictoria de los ÁngelesFrank GuarreraTibor KozmaMetropolitan Opera orchestra and chorusCD: GalaCat: GL100631955Giulietta SimionatoGiuseppe Di StefanoRosanna CarteriMichel RouxHerbert von KarajanTeatro alla Scala orchestra and chorusCD: WalhallCat: WLCD01561956Risë StevensGiuseppe Di StefanoLucine AmaraRobert MerrillMax RudolfMetropolitan Opera orchestra and chorusCD: Golden MelodramCat: 500701957Risë StevensMario Del MonacoLucine AmaraFrank GuarreraDimitri MitropoulosMetropolitan Opera orchestra and chorusCD: Living StageCat: LS10931959Victoria de los ÁngelesNicolai GeddaJanine MicheauErnest BlancSir Thomas BeechamOrchestre Philharmonique de Radio FranceCD: EMI ClassicsCat: CMS567357 21959Irina ArkhipovaMario Del MonacoIrina MaslennikovaPavel LisitsianAlexander Melik-PashayevBolshoi Theatre orchestra and chorus(sung in Russian and Italian)CD: MytoCat: MCD0533111959Consuelo Rubio Léopold Simoneau Pierrette Alarie Heinz RehfussPierre-Michel Le Conte Concerts de Paris orchestraand Paris Conservatoire chorusLP: Concert HallCat:1960Sonia CervenáRolf ApreckMaria CroonenRobert LauhöferHerbert KegelRundfunk Sinfonie Orchester(sung in German)CD: ClassicsCat: 0300119BC1960Irina ArkhipovaMario Del MonacoMarcella PobbéErnest BlancPeter MaagTeatro di San Carlo orchestra and chorusCD: GalaCat: GL1006761961Christa LudwigRudolf SchockMelitta MuszelyHermann PreyHorst SteinBerliner Symphoniker, chorus of Deutsche Oper Berlin(sung in German)CD: EMI ElectrolaCat: 653 252 903-21962Oralia DominguezMaria StaderJosef MetternichJosef SimandiFerenc FricsayBavarian State Opera orchestra and chorusLP: Deutsche GrammophonCat: 1360321963Regina ResnikMario Del MonacoJoan SutherlandTom KrauseThomas SchippersOrchestre de la Suisse RomandeGrand Théâtre de Genève chorusLP: DeccaCat: /London1964Leontyne PriceFranco CorelliMirella FreniRobert MerrillHerbert von KarajanVienna Philharmonic orchestraVienna State Opera chorusLP: RCA Victor Red Seal LSC-6199 CD: RCA Victor Red Seal Cat: 7432139495 2 1965 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording1964Maria CallasNicolai GeddaAndréa GuiotRobert MassardGeorges PrêtreParis Opera orchestra and chorusCD: EMI ClassicsCat:1970Grace BumbryJon VickersMirella FreniKostas PaskalisRafael Frühbeck de BurgosThéâtre National de l'Opéra orchestra and chorusCD: EMI ClassicsCat: 7243585505281970Anna MoffoFranco CorelliHelen DonathPiero CappuccilliLorin MaazelDeutsche Oper Berlin orchestra and chorusCD: SonyCat: 886974462021973Marilyn HorneJames McCrackenAdriana MaliponteTom KrauseLeonard BernsteinMetropolitan Opera orchestra and chorusCD: Deutsche GrammophonCat: 0 28942 74402 8SACD: PENTATONECat: PTC 51862161974Régine CrespinGilbert PyJeannette PilouJosé van DamAlain Lombard Strasbourg Philharmonic OrchestraRhine Opera ChorusLP: RCA-EratoCat:1975Tatiana TroyanosPlácido DomingoKiri Te KanawaJosé van DamSir Georg SoltiLondon Philharmonic OrchestraDue to the recording being switched from Paris to London and clashes of dates, about a third of the opera was recorded by the National Philharmonic Orchestra. Stuart, Philip. "Decca Classical, 1929-2009". Centre for the History and Analysis of Recorded Music, July 2009, accessed 28 August 2018.John Alldis choir Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School choirCD: DeccaCat: 414 489-21977Teresa BerganzaPlácido DomingoIleana CotrubașSherrill MilnesClaudio AbbadoLondon Symphony OrchestraAmbrosian SingersCD: Deutsche GrammophonCat:1983Agnes BaltsaJosé CarrerasKatia RicciarelliJosé van DamHerbert von KarajanBerliner Philharmoniker CD: Deutsche GrammophonCat:1984Julia Migenes-JohnsonPlácido DomingoFaith EshamRuggero RaimondiLorin MaazelOrchestre National de FranceRadio France chorus(film directed by Francesco Rosi)CD: ERATOCat: ECD 8803731988Jessye NormanNeil ShicoffMirella FreniSimon EstesSeiji OzawaOrchestre National de FranceFrench National Radio ChorusCD: DeccaCat: 478 24881989Elena ObraztsovaVladimir AtlantovMargarita MiglauYuri MazurokYuri SimonovBolshoi Theatre orchestra and chorus(sung in Russian)CD: MelodiyaCat: MELCD10015161990Graciela AlperynGiorgio LambertiDoina PaladeAlan TitusAlexander RahbariCzechoslovak Radio Symphony orchestraSlovak Philharmonic chorusCD: Naxos Opera ClassicsCat: 8660005-071994Béatrice Uria-MonzonChristian PapisLeontina VaduvaVincent Le TexierAlain LombardOrchestre National Bordeaux AquitaineCD: Auvidis ValoisCat: V 47341995Jennifer LarmoreThomas MoserAngela GheorghiuSamuel RameyGiuseppe SinopoliBayerische Staatsoper orchestra and chorusCD: TeldecCat: 06301267222002Angela GheorghiuRoberto AlagnaInva MulaThomas HampsonMichel PlassonOrchestre national du Capitole de ToulouseCD: EMI ClassicsCat: 07243 557434 2 82002Patricia BardonJulian GavinMary PlazasGary MageeDavid ParryPhilharmonia OrchestraGeoffrey Mitchell ChoirNew London Children's Choir(Sung in English)CD: ChandosCat: CHAN3091 2010Marina DomashenkoAndrea BocelliEva MeiBryn TerfelMyung-whun ChungOrchestre Philharmonique de Radio FranceCD: DeccaCat:47576462012Magdalena KoženáJonas KaufmannGenia KühmeierKostas SmoriginasSimon RattleBerlin PhilharmonicDeutsche Oper Berlin ChorusDeutsche Staatsoper Children's ChorusCD: EMI ClassicsCat: 50999 4 40285 2 7
Video recordings
YearCast(Carmen, Don José,Micaëla, Escamillo)Conductor,Opera house and orchestraLabel1956Belén AmparanFranco CorelliElda RibettiAnselmo ColzaniNino SanzognoItalian Television orchestra and chorus(video directed by Franco Enriquez)DVD: HardyCat: HCD40131967Grace BumbryJon VickersMirella FreniJustino Díaz Herbert von KarajanVienna Philharmonic orchestraVienna State Opera chorusDVD: Deutsche GrammophonCat: 00440 073 40321978Elena ObraztsovaPlácido DomingoIsobel BuchananYuri MazurokCarlos KleiberVienna State Opera orchestra and chorusDVD: TDKCat: 8 24121 00097 41984Julia Migenes-JohnsonPlácido DomingoFaith EshamRuggero RaimondiLorin MaazelOrchestre National de France and chorusChildren's Chorus of Radio France(film directed by Francesco Rosi)DVD: Columbia TriStarCat: CDR 10530Blu-ray: GaumontCat: 7505301985Maria EwingBarry McCauleyMarie McLaughlinDavid Holloway Bernard HaitinkLondon Philharmonic Orchestra(recorded at Glyndebourne Festival Opera)DVD: Warner/NVC ArtsCat: 4509-99494-2 1987Agnes BaltsaJosé CarrerasLeona MitchellSamuel Ramey James LevineMetropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus(staged by Franco Zeffirelli, video director Brian Large)DVD: Deutsche GrammophonCat: 00440 073 00092002Anne Sofie von OtterMarcus HaddockLisa MilneLaurent Naouri Philippe JordanLondon Philharmonic Orchestra(recorded at Glyndebourne Opera House)DVD: Opus ArteCat: OA 0867 D2006Jonas KaufmannNorah AmsellemIldebrando D'Arcangelo Antonio PappanoRoyal Opera House orchestra and chorus(directed by Francesca Zambello)DVD: DeccaCat: 074 3312Blu-ray: DeccaCat: 33132009Anna Caterina AntonacciAndrew RichardsAnne-Catherine GilletNicolas CavallierJohn Eliot GardinerOrchestre Révolutionnaire et RomantiqueMonteverdi Choir, Maitrise des Hauts-de-Seine(directed by Adrian Noble)DVD: Fra MusicaCat: FRA0042010Elīna GarančaRoberto AlagnaBarbara FrittoliTeddy Tahu Rhodes Yannick Nézet-SéguinMetropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus(directed for the stage by Richard Eyre)DVD: Deutsche GrammophonCat: 0044 073 4581 8 2010Stéphanie d'OustracGordon GietzOlga Pasichnyk Jean-Luc Ballestra Jean-Claude CasadesusOpéra de Lille orchestra and chorus(directed for the stage by Jean-François Sivadier)DVD: France InterCat: 597 501-92010Christine Rice,Bryan Hymel,Maija Kovaļevska,Aris ArgirisConstantinos Carydis,Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House(Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, June 2010; Francesca Zambello, stage director)3D Blu-ray: Opus ArteCat: OA3D7096D2017Elīna GarančaRoberto AlagnaMaria AgrestaIldar Abdrazakov Mark ElderOpéra national de Paris orchestra and chorus(Recorded live, Opéra Bastille; Calixto Bieito, stage director)HD video: Paris Opera Play,medici.tvBizet's Carmen, Paris Opera, 2017: Paris Opera Play, medici.tv.2018Anna GoryachovaFrancesco MeliKristina MkhitaryanKostas Smoriginas Jakub HrůšaThe Royal Opera orchestra and chorus(Recorded live, 6 March 2018; Barrie Kosky, production)HD video:Royal Opera StreamCarmen, Royal Opera, 2018, Royal Ballet & Opera Stream.2022Elīna GarančaBrian JagdeMaria Teresa LevaClaudio SguraMarco ArmiliatoArena di Verona Orchestra & Chorus(Recorded live, August; Franco Zeffirelli, production)HD video: UnitelCarmen, Verona, 2022, operaonvideo.com. Retrieved 13 August 2025.2024Aigul AkhmetshinaPiotr BeczałaAngel BlueKyle Ketelsen Daniele RustioniMetropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus(Recorded live, 27 January 2024; Carrie Cracknell, production)HD video:Met Opera on DemandBizet's Carmen, Metropolitan Opera, 2024, Met Opera on Demand.
References