From the article: The Habanera by Maria Callas
The Habanera from Bizet's famous opera, Carmen, is one of the most beloved and recognizable female arias. Though many operatic singers have performed the piece, everyone has a favorite. Find out what people are saying about their favorite performances of the Habanera from Bizet's opera, Carmen. Who's Your Favorite?
Perspective
- Unless you have listene to Rise Stevens you can't make any statements about who is the best. A 20 year run at the Met is enough of a fact to back up my position
- —Guest Dfm
Pierre-Michael Le Conte conducting
- Concerts De Paris Orchestra and Children's Choir of St. Nicholas. Pierrette Alarie, Consuelo Rubio, Leopold Simoneau, Heinz Rehfuss. To my best knowledge it exists only on LP; the French diction by Simoneau and wife, Pierette Alaire is wonderful. Maybe not everyones favorite, but is is my fave.
- —chollyjohn
Agnes Baltsa , Best Carmen Ever!!!
- Simple, The Best Camen is Agnes Baltsa, i just listen to her voice and get in heaven. Thanks Agnes for your talent.
- —Guest Ernesto Ros M.
Maria Ewing
- I don't claim having seen all the exquisite Carmens one can find `out there`, but Maria Ewing definitely has what it takes for a complete Carmen: great voice, impressive stage presence. And I'm not talking only about Habanera, but about the whole role - perhaps the most complex single operatic role in history.
- —Guest Florin
Maria Callas.
- Caballe's version was pretty good but Maria Callas tops them all her voice was not matched by anybody in this century.
- —Guest Maria Callas.
Agnes Baltsa
- All these posts and not one person managed to mention probably the most famous performance of this of all time, Agnes Baltsa's. The way her voice rings out, it doesn't get more captivating. The best acting too. Try not to fall in love... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px36njyCnVM
- —Guest Jackle
My favourite Carmen
- Rosa Ponselle is the best Carmen ever, and her talents are incomparable to that of Callas. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyz75uHNHeI
- —Guest Angharad
Partial to Victoria
- I like Victoria de Los Angeles so much that I can't avoid being partial to her interpretation of the Habanera, even though I don't dispute the fact that La Callas belonged in a category all her own.
- —Guest Trish
Depends
- It's subjective. No need to deride one performer under the guise of exalting another. I've yet to hear a poorly executed Habanera. Another vote for Maria Callas. Enjoy Julia Migenes-Johnson's interpretation as well.
- —Guest lara price
The Habanera
- After seeing Elina Garanca perform in Carmen, I found my loyalty to Rise Stevens waning. Therefore, in all fairness to each of the operatic singers who performed Carmen, I listened and watched all of them. The only two, who are really competent, qualified, genuine and commendatory, are still Rise Stevens and Elina Garanca. How any one could even mention Maria Callas in the same breath as Stevens and Garanca, is beyond me. In the revue, of Elina Garanca's performance in Carmen, the first one, by comparison, was Rise Stevens and they never mentioned Maria Callas. My only regret is that I cannot attend Ms. Garanca's performance in Carmen at the Met in New York City on December 31, 2010.
- —Guest Thelma I. Kobalka
habanera
- marilyn horne's 67 version of the habanera is the best i've herd and i've herd them all she was the best carmen by far.
- —Guest jason ambler
Rightfully performed!
- Rightfully performed by maria callas!. Preferred above all the rest. Please,where can i get the piece "Air" by Sebastian Bach because it's kind of rare in my place. I'm priviledged to hear it just a few times on radio programmes,i just want 2 own it. Thanks,Aaron Green,u're an amazing job,keep it up!
- —Guest Obiedelu Ijeoma.
Maria Callas for the win!
- I have to agree with you. Maria Callas just performs the Habanera leagues above the rest. Rightfully so, everyone's performance of Carmen is measured against Callas.
- —Guest Maester Seymore
