12 Habaneras from Bizet's "Carmen"

[@frankG335]

Agnes Baltsa has the brightness and volume I prefer in singers. She doesn't swallow the sound. Then again, it's almost a theater voice in some places.

[@andychen7390]

Agnes Baltsa's use of chest voice is so satisfying to the ear. It adds such an edge and clarity to the whole performance.

[@tigerjoybaker3960]

I agree so effectively effortlessly performed Bravo

[@pedrosergio2002]

I totally agree, until she doesn't have any breaks in her voice when making the change from chest to head.

[@amantedelaopera189]

The way Balsta performs Carmen is absolutely stunning love her voice the way she acts sings and looks is wonderful 👏 the costume she wears too looks so authentic. 😁

[@felixlorenz9609]

I love all of them,but Agnes Baltsa is my favourite!

[@Yessi618]

7. Agnes Baltsa, she's amazing❤❤❤

[@onitasanders7403]

ELINA, HANDS DOWN. Had the opportunity to see all of the opera Carmen with her as lead, not knowing who she was. I was simply, simply blown away with her voice and especially her acting. For me ELINA, HANDS DOWN.

[@niojedao]

definitely the best

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

@@niojedaoNot even close.

[@CanalKarlaRibeiro]

1st Elina Garanca - wonderful performance 2nd Agnes Baltsa 3rd Anna Caterina Antonacci 4th Rinat Shaham

[@ClaudiaOddosopranoilrespiro10]

Agnes Baltsa, no doubt I agree in all voice, technique, interpretation, physique du rôle, absolutely authentic and perfect Carmen in this recording

[@thegreatagnesbaltsa3948]

Agnes Baltsa!!!!! Unbedingt! It's just.. a simple fact. I have two ears, and that's why i go for her. Others are also good, though. Somehow in this video, most of them are younger than Frau Baltsa, but if u see Carmen of Frau Baltsa in her younger age, it would be much easier to be enchanted by the character. definitely meet another world of Carmen. Still i love her in any age. My one and only Carmen.

[@operaanimelover369]

I totally agree with you.

[@pieterpotgieter]

Agnes Baltsa, no doubt.

[@Mr.E.Shoppa]

Ditto on that, Baltsa will never be surpassed for this performance.

[@nuria1656]

For me, Agnes Baltsa is the best too, I love her voice

[@ohorok2]

It was my first idea inmediately after seeing video title :D

[@operaanimelover369]

Amen to that.

[@ArxisRolo]

7. Agnes Baltsa, she's just perfect !!

[@luisvillalobos3452]

Baltsa and Obraztsová undoubtedly

[@irenahacki911]

Agnes Baltsa is even better as Carmen herself ! ;-)

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

Agnes wins this. She has good vocal and physical acting, and good technique.

[@alf5835]

My humble opinion: the best singer is Agnes Baltsa. Others have other qualities in addition to good singing (acting, humor, looks) that make them very nice to watch, such as Anna Caterina Antonacci, Maria Ewing, Anne Sofie von Otter, Elina Garanca.

[@LEVPOOL]

Agnes Baltsa

[@eloycordoba4898]

Baltsa,siempre Baltsa!!!! ❤️

[@PixieDust18]

Agnes Baltsa is the best !! 🤩

[@thorstonmanderlay5010]

Without doubt, in terms of singing, expression & acting my top 3 by far are 1 - Agnes Baltsa, 2 - Elena Garanca (very close sesond) and 3 - Ana Caterina Antonacci (although I find her voice a bit too bright for Carmen). My favourite Carmen - who, alas, never sang the part on stage - is Maria Callas!

[@irenahacki911]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6TIfnuoa7t4g5I

[@Tikenemesis]

Mi preferida es Elina Garanca. Es el tono de voz q más se ajusta al personaje. También me gustaron la 3, la 5 y la 8.

[@frankG335]

OMG no one can top Elena Garança. She wins in my personal opinion. Wow!

[@reginarodriguesruiz4609]

Agnes Baltsa...the best...❤️💖

[@syme9925]

What a great idea for a video. Thank you for having put this togther.

[@davidtomaschvili728]

Obraztsova is my favorite

[@juliennegeorgi3922]

Ihr französisch stört mich 🤨

[@markymark8196]

#11 Elina Garanca is the best Carmen. Her singing is spectacular AND she is incarnation of the sultry, provocative, cheeky Carmen. #7 Agnes Baltsa is amazing as well.

[@Yotsuba-butter]

0:08 Elena Obraztsova 2:05 Maria Ewing 4:11 Anita Rachvelishvili 6:38 Anne Sofie von Otter 8:52 Waltraud Meier 10:54 Rinat Shaham 13:14 Agnes Baltsa 15:32 Oksana Volkova 17:46 Rita-Lucia Schneider 19:58 Anna Caterina Antonacci 22:02 Elina Garanca 24:20 Nancy Fabiola Herrera

[@alvarogarciabarbosa3199]

BEST Carmen ever...Elina Garanca. Her voice, her tempo, her intonation is incredibly perfect!!!

[@pablobouvier927]

and the way she acts, unsurpassed…

[@felipenetodeoliveira7220]

Sinceramente não acho que sua voz de mezzosoprano tenha a expressividade e profundidade suficiente para as áreas altas da habanera, mas como atriz e nas notas graves ela é a melhor das contemporâneas

[@anamarial.mendes8875]

Para mim,as melhores Carmen:Agnes Baltsa e Elina Garanca.

[@iarahelenameirelles3027]

Voice, Agnes Baltsa. Acting, Elina Garranca.

[@frankG335]

Maria Ewing is the easiest to understand- she really articulates. And I love that she takes her time.

[@БеатаГаринова-х1з]

Да, она легко живет в роли. Я ее обожаю 🥰

[@christinec.6685]

Some great Carmens up in here, but I have to give it to Agnes Balsta - with her vocal color she was born to sing that role.

[@bethfiori4708]

Agnes Baltsa, and with Jose Carreras as Don Jose, a heartbreaking performance!

[@Ich1958]

Fantastic Voices, Elina ist the greatest.

[@raoufb.z6750]

Voice: almost all of them 👍🏼 Act: Maria Ewing / Elina Garanca 👍🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@giubahia]

Elina Garanca e Anna Caterina Antonacci , difícil, todas são divas arrasadoras

[@molliecoles5182]

Agnes baltsa is fantastic

[@jhorgeneestiller9684]

I love AGNES BALTSA.

[@frankG335]

Oksana Volkova is great. I'm trying to sort them out and darn... They're each so unique! I love her brightness and consistency. She's one of the top contenders IMHO.

[@jahirramirez8300]

Agnes Baltsa, para mi la mejor ella canta con el alma y el corazón

[@Snookii1222]

8 Oksana and 11 Elina are absolutely amazing!

[@vladislavkulakov6713]

Maria Ewing performs it in pure French. She acts just as a simple gypsy girl. Her emotions, the manner of singing and speaking are the most natural. I easily empathize with her from the first sound. Thus I count she's the best.

[@Иван-з9ю3р]

AGNES BALTSA the best.

[@RichardM1366]

Anita all the way! She was born to play Carmen!

[@PaoloLaitempergher]

11 Elina Garanca

[@dhdmotors]

Anna Caterina by far. Her timing, enunciation of words, and voice are perfect for this song.

[@MsMelvindoo]

She is so beautiful and mesmerizing! I absolutely believe Anna was born for this role!

[@chamilaabewardhana862]

Agree with you

[@bobtan9321]

While not the most attractive, Maria Ewing is a veritable Carmen. She exudes animal confidence with the men, that most of the other Carmen wannabes lack.

[@guadalupegarcia8553]

Mi favorita Elina Garanca el cabello castaño le sienta muy bien me gusta más así que rubia

[@msinvincible2000]

I love Maria Ewing, because she really becmes Carmen: she sings and acts beautifully. I also like Antonacci

[@VasilWho]

Agnes Baltsa is a natural choice. But my heart screams Maria Ewing.

[@ecliptica9730]

Garanca by far

[@frankG335]

I adore Rinat Shaham's voice. It's so rich and powerful.

[@Mr.E.Shoppa]

Baltsa is the perfect personification of Carmen - and her performance is outstanding in every respect. There's only one Carmen who I'd say is Baltsa's equal - and I cannot remember her name right now! Sorry. The overall directional quality of this performance was superb and no doubt contributes.

[@warwickchapman2966]

Elina Caranca Brilliant

[@tyttipoikolainen8514]

Elina Caranza best and EO 2

[@chamilaabewardhana862]

Elina Garanca and A.Caterina ❤

[@matthewrose2872]

Maria Ewing. Period.

[@joseluisgarcia4171]

Elina Garanca. ÚNICA en ese rol. También me encanta la interpretación de Julia Migenes, llena de fuerza...

[@lucasuribe]

Best interpretation 2 - Maria Erwing. Best Chorus from 6 - Rinat Shaham

[@zmechik]

Baltsa, Antonacci and Obraztsova are very good, but no one can beat Elina Garanca. Her voice is like from heaven.

[@valtersverko]

Elina Garanča veličanstvena(magnificent)

[@あけみん-n6l]

good

[@jazzmaan707]

#10. Anna Caterina Antonacci is the best.

[@mariaadelaidechierichetti7918]

Garanca, Baltsa, Antonacci

[@giannistsoukatos4205]

1)Agnes Baltsa, 2)Ana Caterina Antonacci, 3)Elina Garanca, 4)Waltraud Meier.

[@michelelupo3862]

La piu grande e senza dubbio nr.13 FIORENZA COSSOTTO. Tutte le mezzosoprano sono lei stesse.Fiorenza e Carmen, come l'ha vista Prosper Merrimee

[@agathaorezeanu491]

1. Elina Garanca 2.Anna Caterina Antonacci. 3.Oksana Volkova.

[@ananiagrigoryan5625]

Elina Caranca 💕

[@ioanabirjan7657]

I notice a little mistake, it is Elina Garanca, not Caranca and for me is the best Carmen I ever seen.

[@foivos_]

Thanks Ioana! Unfortunately it's difficult to change it now :(

[@ulricroosens7158]

Antonacci, it's sounds clear, and articulated.

[@dngentwiseman4026]

The "BEST" carmen is the one you actual attended and enjoy,

[@operaanimelover369]

For sheer vocal strength, Elena Obraztsova. For lynx-like femininity, Maria Ewing. For athletic sexiness, Anne Sofie von Otter. For subtlety and sleekness, Waltraud Meier. For a combination of fiery passion and secure technique, Agnes Baltsa. If I also had it my way, I would have loved to hear Emma Calvé, Emmy Destinn, Aurora Buades, Armida Parsi Pettinella, Bruna Castagna, Gabriella Besanzoni, Gianna Pederzini, Friedel Beckmann, Anny Konetzni, Helena Braun, Ebe Stignani, Elena Nicolai, Giulietta Simionato, Martha Mödl, Blanche Thebom, Jean Madeira, Suzanne Juyol, Nell Rankin, Irene Dalis, Irina Arkhipova, Rita Gorr, Gisela Schröter, Shirley Verrett, Viorica Cortez, Grace Bumbry, Isolde Elchlépp, Nadine Denize, Marilyn Schmiege, Kathryn Harries, Ildiko Komlosi, and Michaela Schuster.

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

There is a recording of Destinn singing Carmen, which is, unfortunately, one of her best. She wasnt a consistently overall performer, but if you are only interested in vocal mechanics aka technique - then she is a vocal mechanic but she’s usually a bad performer. Pity, she had a bad teacher and it’s evident to those with ears.

[@francoiserobertdeshougues1806]

Magnifiques

[@frankG335]

I like the brightness and acting of #1 Elena Obratzova. Weird that it's in different keys! I thought key was absolutely defined by the composer.

[@bennyrobertson]

Not sure what you mean. It's in the same key. The tempo is up quite a bit, but not the key.

[@juliereminiec4937]

Elena Obraztsova gets my vote She 's more gypsyesque

[@ewasierpien8179]

Dzięki za taką pieśń i wspaniale wykonanie thank You danke spasiba wielkie dzięki Ryszard Kulesza

[@hmmhator]

Elina Caranca

[@БеатаГаринова-х1з]

Maria Ewing (2) - the best Carmen 2:06 😎👏🌹💖

[@МузаВатафакина]

Лучшее исполнение - 10!!

[@Jrh-rp7np]

Elina by far the best … The way she uses her eyes her facial expressions the way she moves … makes me want to love Carmen lol

[@rebeccamackey8864]

Grace Bumbry and Elina Garanca are the best Carmens

[@madelainelevy4520]

Where in your stable of mezzos wasRisa Steven’s She was my favorite when l was growing up

[@atr46]

Спасибо за подборку. Жаль не было Татьяны Троянос, самый красивый голос.

[@harrymartini5170]

For me Agnes Baltsa is the best!

[@rafaponce51]

Para mí sin duda Elina Garanca

[@Lyla-rl5bk]

anna caterina for sure

[@jenaromasado667]

I love anita,she is something new in opera history! Brava Anita!

[@josemanuelguerreroriano349]

Great video,i love all

[@luisyepes2628]

ANNA CATERINA, por su hermosa manera de pronunciar e interpretar la obra, además, siempre he pensado que las artistas cuya lengua natal es el francés son quienes mejor se desenvuelven en esta hermosa obra maestra.

[@francescopetrosino667]

She is italian...

[@INOBT100]

Out of all of these - I'm voting for Agnes Baltsa

[@cheben-xk1yv]

Elina Garanca

[@kavinduchamuditha5188]

Anna Caterina is best 🥰🥰🥰she's active on the stage

[@goldie5788]

Grace Bumbry was the best carmen ever! No one can top her metallic voice ❤

[@amyhuerta3980]

Top 3: Waltraud Meier, Agnes Baltsa, Elina Garanca.

[@davidallen508]

Just as long as the role is sung by a mezzo , as they all are here , I’m quite easy to please.l must add that Regina Resnik is my very favourite Carmen ; her Decca recording with Mario Del Monaco and Joan Sutherland is truly exciting and others pale in comparison.

[@juanfernandopariasborja9928]

Obraztsova

[@mariomastronianni6903]

Ecxelentes interpretes de la obra maestra de Bizet ,CARMEN la habanera mas conocida ,mi predilecta despue de Maria Callas es Anna Caterina.

[@frankG335]

Anita Rachvelishvili does it more slowly so you can take in the singing and words better. Others seem rushed in comparison. I love her interpretation. Each singer is so different, and their direction is so different that they're hard to compare.

[@ACollectorNotAHoarder]

I agree, her performance was my favorite.

[@rafaelbran4035]

Elina Caranca y Agnes Balza

[@mse7458]

Ana Caterina Antonacci es la mejor voz, con porte, presencia y encanto en el escenario.

[@kiarkf]

Está amplificada. Y su voz de pecho cambia de timbre

[@eugeniogentili1048]

Macche' Antonacci, la migliore e' la Obraztsova

[@mrrkdino]

The best is Baltsa. No competition. Obraztsova looks and sounds like a drag Queen, Ewing plays the role like a spoilt brat, a charming Cherubino but Carmen? No. Von Otter, Carmen? Joke. She should have stuck to Handel. Volkova is new to me but I really liked her performance, wonky sets and all.