Carmen-Suite = Кармен-Сюита

Commissioned in 1967 by Maya Plisetskaya, this adaptation of Georges Bizet's opera Carmen was uniquely reimagined by Rodion Shchedrin for strings and percussion. The work emerged from the artistic environment of the Bolshoi Theatre, intending to strip away the grand orchestration of the original opera in favor of a lean, rhythmic, and modern perspective suited for a ballet performance. Shchedrin's arrangement retains the recognizable melodies of the source material while infusing them with a sharp, percussive energy that mirrors the drama of the protagonist's story.

This 1985 release under the Melodiya label features the Moscow Virtuosi conducted by Vladimir Spivakov. By the mid-1980s, Spivakov had established himself as a prominent interpreter of modern chamber repertoire, and his collaboration with the Moscow Virtuosi was widely praised for technical precision and emotional vigor. This pressing serves as a notable entry in the late-Soviet discography, capturing an influential interpretation of a work that had become a staple of the international ballet and orchestral circuit.