Francis Poulenc | Dialogue des Carmélites | Finale & Salve Regina. 1987

Jessye Norman, Maria Ewing and the other Carmelites in the last part of the opera+ the curtain calls with Régine Crespin 30 years after the french creation of the role of Lidoine in 1957.

[@wotan10950]

I once saw a performance of Dialogues at the Met. This scene was bone-chilling. The audience was physically jolted each time the guillotine was heard.

[@aneashumm203]

Not often that I have cried from seeing a staging. very, very powerful. What a blessing to have seen this.

[@wongfrancis]

This made me cry each time I see it. Not only was the powerful music, the heart wrenching moments each time the guillotine went down, but the production paid careful attention to every fine details of human expressions in the face of fear and death! Not to mention the dream cast of some of the finest singers in the world at the time. To me, this particular production will remain as a golden standard for how Carmelites should be performed.

[@samueljaramillo4221]

One of the best and moving operas I’ve seen at the Met. This was a stellar cast.

[@gayjeanjacques7913]

Une très grande production… un cast incroyable… et Crespin en larmes pour l’une de ses ultimes incarnations

[@pier5891]

Great performance of every single nun, in acting and singing, in this breathtaking tragic finale

[@oneandonlysteve]

C'est si triste. RIP Maria. You'll never be forgotten!!

[@ol1950ga]

L' émotion de Maria Ewing , au rideau montre bien le côté envoûtant de cette musique et surtout de cette scene la plus terrible qui soit dans l'opera ; quel spectacle.

[@Homoclassicus]

The extremely moved (and moving) reaction of most of the singers, particularly Ewing, Crespin and Norman, at the curtain calls says it all. This was a truly heatrbreaking and unforgettable performance.

[@Highinsight7]

It was the BEST!

[@allegrochristiano2102]

@Bravo Luca Absolutly !

[@claudegagnon999]

Tout à Fait!

[@firebug4916]

One of the most moving pieces of art I have had the pleasure of experiencing!

[@Highinsight7]

100% agree...

[@aadamy]

I love the cross stage at the end. Christ’s presence is there. He will overcome all reigns of terror!

[@crazyorganist1609]

It goes far deeper than thst

[@robfriar6570]

As powerful and moving as this video is, the actual event is even more so. The sisters were wearing their Carmelite habits. The mob was screaming for their deaths but became very quiet when the sisters arrived signing a hymn praising God. The prioress, head of the community, held a very small statue of the Blessed Virgin and the Christ Child, in her hand. Each sister before going to the guillotine, would kneel, kiss the statue and ask, "Permission to die, Mother?" The prioress answered, "Permission granted." They went to their deaths singing hymns of praise to God. A week after their deaths, the Reign of Terror ended.

[@darkinetix]

The final scenes of the Suspiria (horror film) remake by Luca Guadagnino ft. Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton bear an uncanny resemblance to this event as you describe it, but sort of inverted. There were young ladies of the dance school the film is centered around (which is actually a front for a coven) who were placed into a state of eternal decay that were asked by "Mother Suspiriorum" if they wished to live or die. Several of the witches of the coven, who were teachers at the school, also die in this scene. And this took place after a ritual which included a song. The film itself takes place over the backdrop of the German Autumn (parallel to the Reign of Terror in DdC), and it's also split into three acts. I haven't seen the opera in full, but from what I've read and the clips I've seen it really makes me wonder if Dialogues des Carmélites might have served as one of the major pieces of inspiration for Luca's take on the film. I see striking similarities between both works, with somewhat polar opposite aims.

[@arnowisp6244]

I can't help but feel they realized their monstrosity after their executions. For what did they kill these nuns for?

[@seangallagher1465]

@@arnowisp6244 The Jacobin government responsible for this (and so many other) terrible acts fell within days of their martyrdom.

[@resnonverba]

Thank you so very much for the historical description of their deaths.

[@Chuck0856]

@@arnowisp6244 the nuns too a vow of martyrdom for the salvation of France, the government fell less than a month later.

[@jorgkukla8097]

I have seen the Dialogues on a Premiere in Hamburg with a friend and we were the same opinion: this is something that changes your life. I have to watch the scene for its pure force and tragic timelesness.

[@jasonkim5503]

Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this PRICELESS moment!!! It is so moving beyond words, musically and otherwise.

[@BrianJosephMorgan]

Bravo! One of John Dexter’s greatest productions.

[@seangallagher1465]

Thanks so much for posting this. Poulenc brought together here the power of opera with the power of self-sacrifice, which is at the heart of what it means to be human. I remember a person commenting the previous time this was posted noting how overpowering the finale was for this production. He or she had sat next to a person that he or she did not know at all. But they were so overcome by it that they gripped each other's hand during it.

[@seckhoffable]

WOW.

[@davidpetercoppen8042]

I remember that comment. Notwithstanding they were strangers, they gripped hands throughout the entire final scene.

[@davy91101]

Why the Met hasn't released a DVD of this production of Dialogue is a mystery. It is a production from John Dexter and is stunning and has held up for many years. While I prefer it in French (Poulenc wanted it in the vernacular of the country where it was being performed) Dexter's concept deserves being memorialized regardless of the language being sung.

[@cherylannemason]

Especially with Regine Crespin, Jessye Norman and Maria Ewing being no longer on this earth.

[@carl44acq]

Thanks so much for uploading this! For a while it was not available on KZbin. This is my favorite version of the finale. It's such a shame the full version of this performance is not available on DVD.

[@scottweaverphotovideo]

Gorgeous, sublime ending to a powerful work. Bravo!

[@markovelikonja5399]

I saw this production at the MET shortly before this performance in 1987. It was extraordinary, and what I remember 30+ years later is that even with this stellar cast, the person who stole the show was Betsy Norden. A relative journeyman, but in this role she had a sound that made you sit up and ask "Who is THAT?" And conducted by the great Manuel Rosenthal. A classic.

[@organboi]

Who is she? Betsy Nordan

[@pawdaw]

Radiant voice

[@cherylannemason]

@@organboi She debuted at the Met in 1969, and appeared there over 500 times before retiring in 1992--one of those ultra reliables who were familiar without ever quite becoming superstars.

[@Tenortalker]

@@cherylannemason yes it is always exciting when a singer's special moment has come and Betsy Norden was made to sing the role of Soeur Constance. Utterly enchanting and very , very moving.

[@ESilva-qv1uv]

Such a pity we don't have this performance recorded on commercial video. Wonderful in every way. What a cast!

[@robertsentieys6234]

IMMENSE MARIA EWING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@hurricanekate6839]

Thank you so much for posting this. I listened to yesterday's Met broadcast and sat at my desk here in Maine with my eyes closed for that final scene, just absorbing the music and emotion and crying my eyes out. I wept watching this also. I have seen several other stagings of this scene online by other companies but the Met's staging is the best, IMHO. Thank you!

[@marykunzgoldman1276]

I had the same experience yesterday!

[@franciscacristopulosmadari7808]

Im so happy you upload this! This is by far may favorite version on KZbin. I love it so much! Pd: I will also ask you to put the whole final with the orchestra too ❤️

[@paulendre58]

Gracias!!! Lo estaba buscando de hace tiempo. Extraordinaria. Norman, notable. Mil gracias! Y el elenco!!

[@manolis.799]

The most devastating opera, and the last great exponent of the art form.

[@donaldhutnick3138]

I read about the ending years ago and I often wondered how they would do it onstage. Can't believe how great it was done. Simply brilliant. Or more than that. Don aka Fiasco

[@erpollock]

The voices are extraordinary in this performance.

[@y.s320]

Amazing!!!!!

[@seangallagher1465]

If I could make one more request... Could you start the finale a few minutes back, just before the crowd and soldiers appear on stage. The staging of that, combined with the orchestral music is really powerful.

[@foropera]

Sean, you used your two wishes, are you sure that's what you wanted? ;-)

[@claudinevoirain5945]

magnifique

[@talvela100]

Cantanti splendide

[@FranciscoFerrerGaliana1930]

MARAVILLOSA ESCENA FINAL

[@07fantine]

Le silence s'impose après un tel final, le commentaire est dérangeant.

[@joannilson2900]

Is there no full recording of this overwhelming performance?? If the rest of the performance has the same quality as this scene - EGAD what a performance!!

[@Melissadufort]

Joan Nilson the full performance is on the Met Opera on Demand website, but I think it’s $4.99 to watch. Completely worth it in my opinion!

[@TheJMSalinas]

i found this a couple weeks ago. its the WHOLE opera www.operaonvideo.com/dialogues-des-carmelites-met-1987-norman-ewing-crespin/

[@MousesInHouses]

@@TheJMSalinas Thank you so much for this.

[@clareredfarn8613]

@@TheJMSalinas Thank you so much for the link. What a legendary cast. I've just watched it and am completely drained.

[@talvela100]

Brave!

[@user-jt4js7ed3e]

Джесси Норман!!! Наконец увидела..

[@JanosGereben]

Wish the audience waited a few seconds before the applause... :(

[@genevieveyevdochenko9300]

😘😘😘🎶🙏🦄❤️

[@jacobbump1282]

Where is this full concert?! I'd love to see/hear the whole thing.

[@chakkriza234]

where she is now?

[@Coryclemmings]

The saddest, most outrageous thing about this whole opera is that it really happened in 1794. Unbelievable

[@Chuck0856]

I wish for once they would stage this realistically - -the nuns went to the scaffold wearing their religious habits, except for the the head gear and were not at all hesitant or afraid. Also the priest blessed them in the eastern style not Roman.,

[@bm4114]

I wish for once old opera queens would give it a rest with their spoiled attitudes

[@manolis.799]

The priest present in real life was Orthodox

[@organboi]

The one beef I have with the great master Poulenc is that he set this horrific violent ghasty story to his glorious music.

[@marykunzgoldman1276]

It is really devastating and it always upsets me particularly because it was a true story and Poulenc's music -- glorious is the word -- brings it to life so vividly. ... On the other hand it is beautiful in a way because the sisters had such faith and courage and 10 days after their sacrifice the Reign of Terror ended. I think Poulenc did something wonderful memorializing them in this way.

[@organboi]

@@marykunzgoldman1276 Agreed. Thank you. I just find execution of innocent women (and men) absolutely grotesque beyond words. And so many companies overkill the guillotine sound. The Met does it correctly. But every other performance I've heard sounds like a horror film sound effect, like a blade sharpening. But one has to honor Poulenc for the bold and courageous decision to choose this material, whether I like it or not.

[@organboi]

@Bravo Luca Duh. I'm expressing a personal opinion. That's all. I'm not alone in this sentiment. I know a great musician friend who literally cannot listen to this finale because of its content. When he first heard it he was so horrified, he stopped the recording. And he's a genius music professor and Poulenc is one of his favorite great composers.

[@pawdaw]

Yet, how many operas can you think of that end with the deaths of all the protagonists? Tosca, for example...

[@francisroberts6947]

These Sisters sacrificed their lives for their faith. They harmed no one. They were innocent victims. They could easily have escaped by denying Christ. They are martyrs in the true sense and therefore saints.

[@francisroberts6947]

In an age when "martyr" has come to mean " suicide bomber" Poulenc's CARMELITES shows us the real meaning of martyrdom

[@paulhickey9003]

The Carmelites wore their habits to the guillotine, an error in this production. But this opera captures the brutality of the French Revolution ,especially against the religious

[@blackletter2591]

Chaire de poule . .

[@jonashassel5404]

THE GOSPEL OF THE WORD OF ALMIGHTY GOD "the last age in which God saves man from the destruction of this old world" (In the last days, God become man to do the work He had to do and to perform His ministry of the word. He personally came to work in the midst of the people with goal of making perfect people who had the same attitude. One of the purposes of this incarnation is conquer people, the is to make perfect the people He loves. He wants to see with His own eyes the people He perfects, and He wants to see for Himself how the people He perfects testify for Him. People in this group come from different countries in the world, and come from different nationalities in the world. The purpose of doing so much work is to get this group of people, to get the testimony of this group of the people to Him, and to achieve the glory He can get from them.) Almighty God said In the LAST DAYS, GOD became MAN to DO the WORK He HAD to DO and to PERFORM His MINISTRY of the WORD. He PERSONALLY CAME to WORK in the MIDST of PEOPLE with the GOAL of making PERFECT PEOPLE WHO HAD the SAME ATTITUDE. 🙏 From the time of creation until now, He has only performed this kind of work in the LAST DAYS. It was only in the LAST DAYS that GOD BECAME MAN to DO such a great WORK. Although He endured hardships that men would find it hard to bear, and although He was a GREAT GOD who HUMBLED HIMSELF to become a common man, no aspect of His WORK was delayed, and His PLAN was not disrupted. even a little. He does the WORK according to His ORIGINAL PLAN. ☀️ ONE of the PURPOSES of this INCARNATION is to CONQUER PEOPLE, the OTHER is to MAKE PERFECT the PEOPLE He LOVES. He WANTS to SEE with His OWN EYES the PEOPLE He PERFECTS, and He wants to SEE for HIMSELF HOW the PEOPLE He PERFECTS TESTIFY for Him. NOT ONE or TWO PEOPLE are PERFECT. Rather, it is ONE GROUP, COMPRISED of just a FEW PEOPLE. ☀️🙏 PEOPLE in this GROUP COME from DIFFERENT COUNTRIES in the WORLD, and COME from DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES in the WORLD. The PURPOSE of DOING so much WORK is to GET this GROUP of PEOPLE, to GET the TESTIMONY of this GROUP OF PEOPLE to Him, and to ACHIEVE the GLORY He can GET from them. He does no work in vain, nor does He do any work worthless. It can be said that, in doing so many works, GOD'S PURPOSE is to make PERFECT EVERYTHING He WANTS to make PERFECT. In any free time He has outside of it, He will remove those who are evil. ☀️ You must know that He does not do this great work because of the wicked; rather, He gives His all because of the few people He will make perfect. The WORK He DOES, the WORDS He SPEAKS, the MYSTERIES He REVEALS, and His JUDGMENT and PUNISHMENT are ALL for the sane of those FEW PEOPLE. 🙏 He did NOT become a MAN because of those who were BAD, and especially they did NOT provoke Him to anger so much. He tells the TRUTH, and SPEAKS of ENTERING, because of PERFECT WORKS; He became MAN because of them, and because of them He could grant His PROMISES and BLESSINGS. ☀️ The truth, entrance, and life in humanity that He speaks of is not labored for the sake of the wicked. He WANTS to AVOID TALKING to those who are BAD, INSTEAD He WANTS to GRANT all the TRUTH to those who will be made PERFECT. But His work requires that, for the time being, He allows the WICKED to ENJOY some of His RICHES. Those who do not practice the truth, do not please God, and interfere with His work are all evil. They CANNOT BE MADE PERFECT, and GOD HATES and REJECTS them. 😪 On the other hand, PEOPLE WHO DO the TRUTH and PLEASE GOD and SPEND their WHOLE SELF in GOD'S WORK are the PEOPLE GOD WILL MAKE PERFECT. 🙏 Those whom GOD wants to make PERFECT are none other than this GROUP of PEOPLE, and the WORK GOD DOES is for the BENEFIT of these PEOPLE. The truth He speaks is for those who are WILLING to DO it. He does not speak to people who do not practice the truth. ☀️ The growth of knowledge and the growth of understanding that He says is aimed at those who can practice the truth. When He speaks of those who will be made perfect, He is speaking of these people. The WORK of the HOLY SPIRIT is FOCUSED on PEOPLE who CAN do the TRUTH. 🙏 Things like having wisdom and being human are dedicated to people who are WILLING to DO the TRUTH. Those who DO NOT PRACTICE the TRUTH may HEAR MANY WORDS of TRUTH, BUT BECAUSE they are by NATURE VERY EVIL and are NOT INTERESTED in the TRUTH, all they understand are doctrines and words and empty theories, which have not the slightest value for upon their entry into life. Not ONE of THEM is FAITHFUL to GOD; they are ALL PEOPLE WHO SEE GOD BUT CANNOT REACH Him, ALL of THEM are CURSED by GOD. 😪🙏 From "Only Those Who Commit to Practice Make Perfection" Fulfillment of "When I looked up, someone handed me a book wrapped in a scroll. I opened it and I read on both sides the prayers, lamentations, and curses." (Ezekiel 2:9-10). ... "His clothes were stained with blood. He was called the "Word of God." (Rev. 19:13) The kingdom He brought down and built in the worthy holy place in the highest in the sky and when all the humanity He created in the universe was occupied by it and it was engraved in His holy name and owned by His disposition "THE CHURCH OF ALMIGHTY GOD" 💐 this is the fulfillment of (Mat. 16:18) The Lord Jesus said, "And I say to you, Peter, on top of this eunuch I will build my Church, which will not prevail against him even the fear of death.". ... and fulfillment of "The Letter to the Church in Philadelphia" (Rev. 3:7-13). ... and fulfillment of "The New Jerusalem"💫 "The Spirit covered me, and the angel led me to the top of a very high mountain. He showed me Jerusalem, the Holy City, coming down from heaven from God." (Rev. 21:10). ... "For the time has come in the matter of God for the beginning of judgment in the house of God." (1 Peter 4:17) 📩 God's sheep are called and led to His glorious Throne in "THE CHURCH OF ALMIGHTY GOD" 💐 to submit again to His authority so that He can continue to teach us, guide us and protect us even in plagues, disasters, famines and wild animals It will not move us, and to completely win the war with the big red dragon in this final battle!. ... The fulfillment of "They say with a loud voice, "Salvation comes from the Lamb, and from our God who sits on the Throne!" (Rev. 7:10). ... Fulfillment that it will be built in the highest of the sky that in our Millennial generation that is KZbin in (Isaiah 2:2 / 9:6) "In the last day, the mountain on which Jehovah's temple stands will stand out above all the mountains. All the nations will flock there.". ... "For a baby boy is born for us. The rule will be given to him; and he shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." 📨💌

[@andreaguarino8207]

It's too fast

[@bm4114]

Can’t wait to hear you conduct this…oh wait

[@giuseppemartella8532]

Leyla Gencer 💙

[@diecheneydie]

Shattering

[@AretaFrankla]

Un peu ridicule et pompeux quand même, toutes ces larmes de ces divas à la fin....trop c'est trop. On dirait que les Carmélites de Compiègne les ont incorporées ! En tout cas, c'est très "Saint-sulpicien"...