Carmen (1973 Bernstein recording)

Critical response to the recording was mixed, with reviewers differing sharply in their assessments of Bernstein's musical choices. One reviewer for The New York Times described the recording as the most provocative version of Carmen, noting that it departed from routine interpretations and was deeply infused with Bernstein's personality. The reviewer observed that “Bernstein, it seems to me, has constantly sought for this paradoxical ideal and here he achieves it with glorious results.”^[7] Bernstein employed slower tempos, which some criticized and others considered "revelatory."^[8] Another New York Times reviewer offered a more critical assessment, arguing that the decision to use the dialogue version did not encourage elegance or intimacy. Instead, the performance was characterized as “a big, brassy, symphonic reading, impressive as such but a bit blustering.”^[9] A reviewer for Gramophone magazine was more sharply critical, describing the recording as an “unedifying experience” and noting that the singers were often subordinated to the orchestra and the conductor's performance.^[10]

Upon release, the recording was an immediate commercial success, selling over 100,000 copies upon release.^{[citation needed]}

Though controversial for its unconventional approach, the recording has been rereleased by DG and New York Times critics included the recording as one of Bernstein's best recordings.^[11] It went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording in 1973.^[12]