Carmen-Suite

The Carmen Suite was originally composed in 1967 by Rodion Shchedrin as a transcription of Georges Bizet's opera Carmen. Written for his wife, the legendary ballerina Maya Plisetskaya, the work was designed to strip away the vocal elements of the opera and refocus the narrative through the percussive and melodic potential of strings and percussion. The result is a vibrant, modern interpretation that transformed Bizet's nineteenth-century themes into a sharp, contemporary ballet score.

The 1980 release by the Soviet label Melodiya, catalog number С01659-60, represents a standard pressing of this widely performed composition. During the Soviet era, Melodiya served as the primary state-run label, and their recordings of Shchedrin’s suite became definitive representations of the work for international audiences. The recording was noted for its technical clarity and the rhythmic precision of the ensemble, characteristics that solidified the suite's place as a staple in both the classical repertoire and the history of twentieth-century dance.