Carmen-Suite = Кармен-Сюита

The Carmen Suite was originally conceived in 1967 as a collaboration between the Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin and his wife, the legendary ballerina Maya Plisetskaya. Shchedrin reimagined Georges Bizet’s iconic opera melodies for a unique ensemble consisting solely of strings and percussion, intentionally stripping away the original vocal lines to create a vibrant, percussive ballet score that challenged the traditions of the Bolshoi Theatre.

This specific 1991 release, featuring the Moscow Virtuosi under the direction of violinist Vladimir Spivakov, represents a late-Soviet era interpretation of the work. By this time, the suite had transitioned from a controversial experimental piece into a staple of the global orchestral repertoire, with Spivakov’s recording offering a precise, technically demanding take that favored sharp rhythmic clarity over the romanticized lushness often found in earlier interpretations.