Bizet's masterpiece opera Carmen tells the story of the downfall of Don José, a soldier who is seduced by the gypsy Carmen. The music of Carmen has been widely acclaimed and is most commonly sung in French. This recording of Carmen is sung completely in German. Christa Ludwig, who stars as Carmen, leads the all German cast including Rudolf Schock as the fiery Don José and macho-like Hermann Prey as Escamillo. Bizet: Carmen (sung in German) is part of the Electrola Collection, a series that celebrates the historic record label, Electorla. Electrola was part of the EMI Classics unit in Germany best known for their rich catalogs, masterful artists and the iconic gramophone trademark.