Rosi´s "Carmen" with Domingo and Migenes on blu-ray

Young Placido Domingo in one of his favourite roles

Francesco Rosi´s version (1984) of Bizet´s opera Carmen is without doubt one of the finest opera films ever made. Fortunately, it is now available on an excellent blu-ray disc, which I would like to warmly recommend to all opera lovers.

Julia Migenes is amazing as Carmen

The movie is shot beutifully on location in Spain, so you get the sceneries that you will never be able to enjoy on opera stages. But above all, you get to hear and see young Placido Domingo in one of his all time favourite roles as don José. And there are few Carmens as alluring and seductive as Julia Migenes! The great Italian bass-baritone Ruggiero  Raimondi is an outstanding Escamillo and Faith Esham´s Michaëla is also very good.

Ruggiero Raimondi as Escamillo

Another testimony to the vast improvement brought about by the blu-ray technology! This film is also an excellent introduction to the world of opera for beginners!

 

 

Willow tits in Winter

Small birds, like these willow tits, need som additional food in the extremely cold weather that we are experiencing in Scandinavia and many other parts of Europe right now.

How to iron a shirt

I am probably not the only person who has had some problems with ironing shirts properly. What a relief to have this educational video showing how to do it!

Flowers in Copenhagen

The Flower Duet from Léo Delibes' opera Lakmé is one of the traditional favourites in various opera gala concerts. Here it is wonderfully sung by the great Danish soprano Inger Dam-Jensen (winner of the 1993 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition) and the Norwegian mezzo soprano Tuva Semmingsen. The occasion was the inauguration of the new Copenhagen opera house in 2005.

A waiter worth watching

This video from an Iranian tea house should be compulsory viewing to all aspiring waiters!

Blackbirds and fieldfares like apples

There nothing blackbirds and fieldfares like more than apples on cold winter days, when food is otherwise scarce.

 

PS

I added this nice tree sparrow, which I photographed among the blackbirds and field fares: