Claudio Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic ring in the New Year of 1997 with a special concert that pays tribute to the great composer
Georges Bizet. Berlin Philharmonic: New Year's Gala '97 features the orchestra performing highlights from Bizet's opera Carmen, along with several other pieces displaying Bizet's influence on other composers, including Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25 by Pablo De Sarasate, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini by Sergei Rachmaninov, and Hungarian Dance No. 5 by Johannes Brahms. Soloists performing with the Berlin Philharmonic include Anne Sofie von Otter, Bryn Terfel, Roberto Alagana, Gil Shaham, and Mikjail Pletney. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide