CarmenGeorges Bizet died at the tragically young age of 36 while Carmen was still in it's first run, and he never witnessed the huge international acclaim his opera received. Filled with jealousy and passion, the gripping and ultimately tragic narrative of Carmen initially shocked audiences, but with an abundance of memorable tunes, it remains unchallenged as one of the most popular operas ever written. Carmen received it's premiere at the Opra Comique in

are besieged by a colony of gargoyles living in some nearby caverns

inspired by myths and legends of ancient times

The instruments interact at the forefront of the pieces as though they are characters in an opera

The Blonde Hurricane is one of the best of the lot

presented here newly remastered

the majority of these recordings are brought together in this Ace package

'Neanderthal Jam'

"L'Abbesse de Castro" is one of Stendhal's "Chroniques Italienne

one that isn't just limited to a comparison of the two works contained on the CD

powerful scores

they share the common thread of fantasy

Similar to the French court