This 1951 mono set sounds surprisingly fresh in terms of recorded sound, and the performance benefits greatly from Reiner's alert and stylish conducting. But, in face of the competition available on CD, that's about where its advantages end. The American cast never sound remotely French and their interpretations, apart from their faulty accents, leave much to be desired. Rise Stevens, apparently an engaging Carmen on stage, is probably the most convincing of the singers. She may not be a very individual artist but she never overdoes the histrionics and her vocalization is musical and reasonably accurate, but she wants the burning temperament for Acts 2 and 4, at first in seducing, then in rejecting Pearce's Jose, who sings with enough commitment but often with disagreeably tight tone.
Albanese sounds more like Jose's mother than like the youthful, ingenuous Micaela, though the Third Act aria has a certain panache and involvement. Merrill is an efficient, faceless Escamillo. The orchestral playing is alert but lacks Gallic charm and wit. At the opening of Act 4, one is suddenly surprised to hear ''A deux auartos'' changed to ''Tournez, dansez'', which is followed by the gipsy dance from La jolie fille de Perth and then the Farandole from L'arlesienne. You will do much better at mid price with RCA's later version conducted by Karajan (10/88), with Leontyne Price in the title-role or, at full price, with Beecham and Los Angeles (EMI—6/88) or Abbado and Berganza (DG—8/88).'