Most well-rounded conductors learn their craft in the theater pit, so it"s odd that some of the greatest--such as George Szell and Bruno Walter--never made commercial recordings of complete operas. At least Fritz Reiner made one: his 1953 Carmen. The mono engineeering, if a little dry, has a crackling immediacy that mirrors Reiner"s regimented but never rigid shaping of Bizet"s ceaselessly inventive score, given with the once de rigeur Choudens recitatives, along with ballet music from La Jolie Fille de Perth and L"Arlesienne Suite No. 2 popping up in Act 4 for good measure. Risë Stevens shines in the title role, and her lover-turned-nemesis Don José is sung with big-toned eloquence (and better French than he was credited for!) by Jan Peerce. Robert Merrill"s virile Escamillo proves a fresher portrayal than the singer"s remake a decade later under Karajan. Though a bit past her prime, Licia Albanese elevates Micaela from fifth-wheel status to a strong, supportive role. For Bizet"s original text and updated sonics, Solti"s incisive leadership best reflects Reiner"s tight-reigned sensibility. If mono and textual vagaries don"t matter, the firm yet vivid baton of Fritz Reiner makes a cogent case for Carmen as grand opera. Classic stuff. --Jed Distler