Rosa Ponselle: 1937 CARMEN Live Performance in Restored Sound

The legendary soprano Rosa Ponselle (18971981) began her singing career in vaudeville and by playing for silent films in theaters. She made her debut at the Met in 1918 singing with Caruso in Verdi s LA FORZA DEL DESTINO. She later sang the title role in Bizet s CARMEN and succeeded Geraldine Farrar as the Carmen of the era. The live performance presented here dates from April 17, 1937, and turned out to be her final operatic performance on the stage. Digitally transferred from sources made from the original acetates with applied Magix audio restoration software to reduce noise and add a mild stereo effect in the midtones. There is no added reverb or artificial ambiance.