Maria Callas Remastered

[whipped guy]

Callas in her most famous role... Bellini's NORMA Part One

 

The 1960 stereo Norma vs. the 1954 mono version.

 

 

The title role of Bellini's Norma was the role that was and still is most associated with Callas. She performed it more than any other part and recorded it twice for EMI, initially in mono in 1954 and then in stereo in 1960. Interestingly while both recordings are more or less typical of Callas at those two points in time neither are completely representative of how she most often performed the part live in the golden years of the 1950's. This is a more than a bit unfair to the earlier recording which actually does capture Callas in full bloom vocally and virtually as she performed the part at that point in time. Unfortunately, by the time the second version was taped a number of problems had reduced the power, scope, and steadiness of her voice. However, as compensation Callas delves deeper into the dramaturgy represented in Felice Romani's libretto as realized by Bellini even though at times her recalcitrant voice tries it's best to work against her wishes. Yet Callas had a certain ability to turn vocal shortcomings into dramatic advantages and such is often the case in the stereo remake.

 

To summarize the 1954 version, Callas is in great voice, but the recording as a whole lacks the dramatic impetus of a live recording. Conductor Tullio Serafin was often prone to slower than average tempos and such is the case here. However, slow tempi don't necessarily have to mean a lack of forward propulsion, but that unfortunately is the end result even though things do take flight by the final scene. Also, the supporting cast leaves something to be desired. As Pollione, Mario Fillipeschi was never the tenor of ones dreams and other than a ringing high C (of which there is but one here) he never really brings any authority or plushness to his interpretation. The mezzo was Ebbe Stignani who was a famous interpreter of Adalgisa, but is captured a bit past her prime and sounds overly matronly to be portraying the part of a young priestess. Furthermore at one point in her first duet with Callas she alters the vocal line so as to avoid an exposed high C in a passage that mirrors a high C that Callas had easily voiced only moments previously. Such an alteration would not have been necessary with a higher voiced mezzo, or even better with the soprano of Bellini's original concept. Bass Nicola Rossi Lemeni was simply out of sorts as Oraveso with his dry, wooly, and unfocused tones. As a result only Callas ultimately achieves a level of true greatness in this recording... but even she falls a bit short if only slightly. For some reason, unlike any of her other performances, she slides up to the high C at the conclusion of the final cabaletta section of a her opening aria and fails to interpolate her trademark high D at the conclusion of the first act. Still, the remainder of her performance is representative even if she finds herself in some less than totally ideal surroundings.

 

 

One of the reasons for the stereo remake, aside form capturing Callas in the newer up to date sound technology, was to provide a more suitable supporting cast. The greatest improvements involve the tenor and bass... the heroic and clarion voiced Franco Corelli and the smooth sounding Nicola Zaccaria. While in an ideal world the Adalgisa should have been the soprano of Bellini's original conception, German mezzo-soprano Christa Ludwig in a rare foray into Italian opera easily encompasses the role and suitably accompanies Callas in both of their extended duets.

 

 

Serafin is once more the conductor, and while his tempi are again on the slow side they provide a sense of forward motion that give the recording the feel of a live performance. Furthermore, he manages to squeeze every ounce of nobility out of Bellini's score... and that includes even some of the more commonplace portions such as the march that permeates much of the opening scene. The orchestra is again that of La Scala, but even they seem more disciplined and alert this second time around.

 

 

Regarding Callas, as implied a number of vocal problems are unfortunately on display. However, the famed Norma remains basically intact even if a number of the many high C's that pepper the role regrettably tend to wobble out of control. This is quite unhappily the case not only in her first act cabaletta but also in the exposed high C of the first act duet (referenced above) where Callas sounds uncomfortable with the note only to be followed a few moments later by Ludwig who easily tackles the note with assurance.

 

 

Still, the recording finds Callas virtually living the part... as in the woman simply IS Norma. Also, as noted above even when the voice sounds less than pleasant such as in the famous tirade against the unfaithful Pollione at the words, "Ah, non tremare" with its treacherous high C's, the Callas sound serves to enhance the drama in spite of some less than lovely sounds. The same holds true for the section of the last act at the words, "Adalgisa fia punita, nelle fiamme perirà" (Adalgisa is to be punished, in the flames she will perish) where the trills sound as menacing as possible while at the same time are finely articulated. Surely this is what Bellini intended though the effect is rarely pulled off with any degree of success... most singers are so overly concerned with simply meeting the technical challenges at this point that they tend to overlook the dramatic implications of those trills... However, not Callas! There's dramatic truth and literally fire in those trills.

 

 

Still, while Callas attempts at many points to add shadings that enhance and add shape to the vocal line, at other points the voice simply fails to responds to her wishes. As an example Callas usually produced an ethereal effect at the words "il sacro vischio io mieto" that conclude Norma's opening recitative. That she falls a bit short is not for her lack of trying, but the voice just fails to respond as completely as it had done in the past. Also, while Callas colors and shapes the aria "Casta diva" in a most elegant manner, not only are the highest notes a bit effortful, but she fails to make a diminuendo on the final note as she often did being possibly afraid that it would wobble out of control. Needless to say Callas again does not attempt the high D at the conclusion of the first act... While in the first recording it is a disappointment, in the remake it is certainly a wise decision.

 

 

At any rate, in spite of all the shortcomings, taken as a whole this second recording takes pride of place given its more up to date sound and the greater uniformity of casting. Unfortunately, as he did in the mono version, Serafin takes a number of cuts... Nothing overly damaging, and to his credit he includes heavenly conclusion to the "Guerra" chorus in the second act. However, if one wants to hear the opera virtually complete as originally conceived by Bellini one needs something such as the first of Joan Sutherland's two recordings where one finds perfect vocalism that is unfortunately not consistently combined with a total feeling for the drama. Furthermore one gets the sublime and legendary pairing of Sutherland and Horne in the duets. My recommendation is to own both to discover what the opera is essentially about as each complements the other and on a variety of levels. One experiences the emotion with "Callas Two" and vocal splendor with "Sutherland One". As an example compare the above noted passage "Adalgisa fia punita" Sutherland executes the trills flawlessly and as such is beyond impressive, but that's as far as she is capable of going as she could be describing the filigree on a wedding cake as opposed to death by fire.

[whipped guy]

Bellini's NORMA Part Two

 

Likewise, if one wishes to know all there is to know about the Callas Norma both commercial recordings are essential. Still they tell only part of the story as Callas was often at her best in live performances. In the case of Norma there are a number of live recordings that were taped complete or virtually complete. Of special note is a live broadcast from the opening night of the La Scala 1955-56 opera season (12/7/55). Furthermore there is a near ideal supporting cast of tenor Mario Del Monaco, mezzo-soprano Giulietta Simionato, and again bass Zaccaria that compensates in spades for anything lacking in the two commercial versions.

 

If I were confined to that proverbial desert island with only one Callas Norma it would have to be the live La Scala version. She is probably in the best voice of her career... the perfect balance between vocal perfection and dramatic verisimilitude. The high C's are attacked thrillingly or tenderly as is appropriate and the first act is capped with a secure and powerful high D. Furthermore, one can sense that the audience realizes and appreciates that they are experiencing something quite special. Indeed, not only are there outbursts of spontaneous applause, but audible gasps of admiration as well. The conductor Antonino Votto might not be operating at the same level as Serafin, but the frisson of the occasion more than compensates for any lack of tension in the musical direction.

 

Yet, in truth all of her live performances offer something special... and while the interpretation is basically the same, over time she delved deeper into the details of the drama as her vocal resources began to slip away from her grasp. As such her final live performances in 1965 while gravely problematic in musical terms reveal an even deeper dramatic understanding of the part.

 

Finally a word regarding the sound of the new Warner remasterings... they are indeed the best versions available. Both have a presence that was missing in earlier CD incarnations. The voices are captured up close and personal and the orchestra sounds sweeter. This is especially true of the stereo version which had a tendency to sound more than a bit harsh in the past. Also there is one place where I always heard a bit of pitch discrepancy at the end of the duet that concludes the first scene of act one in the stereo version and that has been corrected. In addition the gap that preserved the original LP side break after the first female duet has finally been corrected in both versions. So it is worth replacing any older editions that you may own of these recordings. Plus, given the improved sound quality which gives more presence to all the voices and brings a bit of additional clarity to the orchestra I have never really enjoyed the earlier mono version as I have in its new mastering. Likewise, if one wants to experience the live La Scala performance in the best possible sound the Divina Records version (available at www.divinarecords.com) is light years ahead of other versions that have been released on other private labels and especially considering that the recording was taken from a radio broadcast.

 

Callas is definitely the closest to being the ideal interpreter of Norma based on what has been preserved in sound. So "La Divina" still reigns supreme and now one can more fully appreciate her achievement in sound as pristine as is currently possible.

 

As a footnote it has been said that the perfect Norma has never existed... even Giuditta Pasta the creator of the role had certain difficulties with it. It was said of Pasta toward the end of her career that she sounded like a wreck. To that the famed mezzo Pauline Viardot replied, "Yes, you are right! It's like the Last Supper of da Vinci in Milan... a wreck of a picture, but the picture is the greatest in the world!" Could possibly the same analogy at times be applied to Callas? Something to contemplate...

 

More regarding live performances of Norma to come...

[whipped guy]

Norma Review Addendum: Two interesting Live Performances

 

Bellini: Norma

 

La Scala 1955

 

Norma - Maria Callas

Adalgisa - Giulietta Simionato

Pollione - Mario DelMonico

Oroveso - Nicola Zaccaria

 

Conductor - Antonino Votto

 

 

RAI 1955

 

Norma - Maria Callas

Adalgisa - Ebbe Stignani

Pollione - Mario DelMonico

Oroveso - Giuseppe Modesti

 

Conductor - Tullio Serafin

 

In my review comparing the Warner remasterings of both the 1954 and 1960 versions Bellini's Norma, I mentioned the December 7, 1955 live La Scala performance as representing my favorite of all the extant versions of Callas as the Druid priestess. I have never heard the Callas voice sound so free and open and I dare say beautiful as in this performance. Plus, it seems that on this particular occasion she could do anything with her often quite recalcitrant instrument. Whether singing softly or loudly the voice responds splendidly to her every wish. As such she blends perfectly with her vocal colleagues, which colleges are as fine as any that had partnered her in this opera. This is especially true of the duets where the Adalgisa of Giulietta Simionato proves to be the perfect partner for the Callas Norma. In fact in their first act duet Callas caresses a high C so perfectly and lovingly that there are audible gasps of admiration from the audience. This inspires Simionato to likewise tackle the note head on to thrilling effect. Callas then counters with a series of dynamic high C's during the challenging passage beginning "Ah! Non tremare". She then goes on to conclude the finale of the first act with a free, open, and perfectly placed high D which predictably elicits a wave of tumultuous applause. In the second act Callas continues to pour out torrents of gorgeous sound which culminates in a final ensemble of searing emotion and surging passion.

 

Only the conducting of Antonino Votto leaves something to be desired, as he takes a few extra cuts in the score and is not as subtle as Serafin, yet he knows how to milk the most out of Bellini's sublime melodies when required to do so.

 

Interestingly, there is another performance from earlier that same year that was recorded by RAI... Italian Radio. It was a concert presentation that was performed in Rome before a live audience. This is also worthy of consideration. Callas is again in quite decent voice for this performance, if not in "special voice" as in the La Scala version. If anything she emphasizes the dramatic elements with a greater contrast between ferocity and tenderness. One interesting feature of this performance concerns the fact that every time Callas references her children she lightens her voice to the most delicate sounding thread of sound imaginable. The highlight of which is an extremely heartfelt and touching rendition of "Teneri figli" where the voice sounds appropriately frail and fragile.

 

As in the two commercial recordings Serafin is again the conductor and he definitely is more alert and attentive compared to the studio bound lethargic 1954 commercial version. Of course he was to be even better for the 1960 stereo remake. The main drawback is again mezzo Ebbe Stignani, who for all her expertise sounds even more matronly than she had in the 1954 set. Otherwise the supporting cast is light years ahead of the earlier recording. Plus Callas interpolates a massive high D at the conclusion of the first act.

 

Interestingly until recently all the available versions of this recording were plagued by a number of problems (a section of recitative in the first act was missing in some versions) the worst of which included the fact that a good portion of the performance was pitched excessively too high. That totally distorted the Callas voice not to mention those of the others in the cast as well. In 2007 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Callas' death, RAI broadcast a version where they corrected the pitch problems. Shortly thereafter Myto... a record label specializing in live recordings... released their corrected version. I have a copy of the RAI broadcast from 2007 as well as the Myto. Both are pitched lower than the faulty older versions, but they are not identical, with the RAI being ever so slightly higher. Not having perfect pitch I have no idea which version is more accurate. Still it is probably impossible to determine what the correct pitch should be as during the period in question many Italian orchestras tended to tune a bit higher than the so-called standard A 440. In fact even today many orchestras tend to deviate from that "standard". I would guess that the RAI sound restorers took that into consideration. However, I have been in contact with one of the foremost specialists on Callas and he is satisfied with the Myto version. At any rate, it is the only show in town as the RAI is not commercially available. Plus, the Myto is equalized with a more mellow sound compared to my copy of the RAI version that originated from satellite radio.

 

Therefore, if you have this performance in any earlier version it is more than worth replacing it. Unfortunately, when originally recorded by RAI they used transcription discs as opposed to tape so there is some rumble to the sound... but this is as good as it presently gets...

 

The live La Scala performance (the best version is available at divinarecords.com, but a decent version is/was available on the budget Gala label) is still my desert island version as being the most resplendent of all the Callas renditions and having the best overall supporting cast, but if allowed to have another it would be a close call between the RAI version and the 1960 recording...

 

In any event, one has not totally experienced Norma unless you have experienced Callas in the title role... Still, her approach is not the only valid manner in which to tackle this Mount Everest of Bel Canto vehicles. Furthermore she was not perfect, but probably came as close as anyone in the history of recorded sound in totally mastering this most challenging of operatic roles.

 

More on the Callas Norma to follow...

[whipped guy]

Another Interesting Callas Norma - Covent Garden 1952

 

As are the two previously discussed live performances of Norma, this rendition is not part of the Warner Callas remastered series even though it has been released by EMI. However, it is another essential link that is necessary to discover all that Callas had to say regarding her most celebrated and oft-performed role. Interestingly this was one of the very first live Callas performances that I listened to and I was astounded that the voice was so different from her two studio recordings of Norma. It was a voice of Wagnerian proportions to say the least. Plus I was completely blown away by the high D that concludes the first act... and more about that below.

 

Covent Garden 1952

 

Norma - Maria Callas

Adalgisa - Ebbe Stignani

Pollione - Mirto Picchi

Oroveso - Giacomo Vaghi

Flavio - Paul Asiack

Clotilde - Joan Sutherland

 

Conductor - Vittorio Gui

 

This broadcast recording documents Callas' London debut at The Royal Opera Covent Garden on November 8, 1952. I recently had a discussion with a leading authority on Callas regarding this performance. We came to the conclusion that all the currently available versions are plagued with various problems, and that includes the aforementioned EMI. We were also able to conclude that most are clones of a bad copy of the original. Unfortunately the best overall version released by Legato Classics is no longer in print. It was based on the original tapes, but is marred with pops and clicks that theoretically should not have been present in the the original source material. It also is the most properly pitched. Fortunately, it is possible to hear through whatever problems on all the various versions and appreciate the size and scope of Callas in her dramatic soprano days before her weight loss.

 

What makes this performance so interesting concerns the fact that singing the small part of Clotilde was a young unknown soprano Joan Sutherland. Of course Sutherland would go on to sing many of the great Bel Canto roles that Callas had sung, and among them was Norma. At this stage in her career Callas had not totally cultivated the plethora of sounds that would render so many different shades of color to her singing, not to mention the subtle nuances. The sound was huge... an enormous column of air that poured forth a prodigious quantity of resonance, yet was capable of tracing the most intricate coloratura with pinpoint accuracy. While the Sutherland sound was quite different, as it embodied a more silvery quality along with its large size, this is the approach that most influenced the younger soprano when she eventually attempted the part. The major dissimilarity being that Sutherland did not even come close to possessing the unique dramatic instincts of Callas.

 

The remainder of the cast is quite decent. The ubiquitous Stignani is again the Adalgisa, but here she has the advantage of sounding a tad younger than in later recordings. We are not hearing the virginal sound of a young priestess, but the sound is brighter and consequently more convincing. In spite of the fact that he makes a mishmash of the conclusion of his opening aria, tenor Mirto Picchi otherwise sings a reasonably respectable Pollione. Vittorio Gui conducts a restrained classically scaled performance with most of the traditional cuts. The main difference being that he includes a few extra measures at the conclusion of the first act thus allowing Callas to hold her trademark high D for several additional beats for the only time in her career, and in a manner that would certainly prove to be a harbinger of how Sutherland would approach the passage when she came to the role. As alluded to above the effect is simply hair raising.

 

In a sense this performance is a work in progress. Still, if Callas had never sung another performance of Norma, this recording alone would still qualify her to be among the greatest interpreters of the part and as such the performance is essential for not only the Callas completist, but for any lover of Bel Canto.

[+ Charlie]

When you wrote, "...this is one of the very first live Callas performances that I listened to," I exclaimed, "Ye gad! I had no idea that you were an opera fan in the womb, or before!" But then I realized you meant the first recording of a live performance.

 

If you are not a professional music critic, you should be.

[+ Italiano]

Very well written! I only think that Gui didn't add bars, it's only that as per the end of the cabaletta after "Casta diva" he didn't like "fermatas", and Callas, in order to launch her high C and high D anyway, anticipates the attack of the notes, and it makes it sound as it's more bars.

 

I also don't think that even at this stage of her career her voice was of "wagnerian" weight. It was a very penetrating sound, but not particularly large, or not large "enough" compared to big voices before or after hers. In all duets of studio and live recordings with Stignani, Nikolai, Simonato and Barbieri of her "pre-weight loss" period, when they sang the same note you would hear that they would cover her up a little bit. That's what I think...

[whipped guy]

Very well written! I only think that Gui didn't add bars, it's only that as per the end of the cabaletta after "Casta diva" he didn't like "fermatas", and Callas, in order to launch her high C and high D anyway, anticipates the attack of the notes, and it makes it sound as it's more bars.

 

I also don't think that even at this stage of her career her voice was of "wagnerian" weight. It was a very penetrating sound, but not particularly large, or not large "enough" compared to big voices before or after hers. In all duets of studio and live recordings with Stignani, Nikolai, Simonato and Barbieri of her "pre-weight loss" period, when they sang the same note you would hear that they would cover her up a little bit. That's what I think...

 

Xaf... Thanks for the kind words... and to Charlie as well. The fact that Gui did not sanction the traditional fermata at the end of the tenor cabaletta is most likely what caused Mirto Picchi to make a mishmash of the ending. Also, you are correct regarding the conclusion of the cabaletta to Casta diva. Since Gui does not sanction the traditional fermata Callas jump starts the note beginning it a few beats ahead of schedule so as to be able to sustain it longer.

 

However, Gui does indeed open up a very small cut at the end of the first act and Callas takes advantage of this by sustaining the high D throughout those measures. Gui opens the same cut in his 1938 Cetra recording with Gina Cigna as Norma. However, there is no way that Cigna was going to go near that high D!! (Incidentally the Adalgisa of that recording was... Surprise... Stignani!)

 

The next time that I am aware that the cut of those measures (and even a few more measures too boot) were opened up occurs in Sutherland's first commercial recording of Norma as conducted by her husband Richard Bonynge... who incidentally attended all of those Callas Convent Garden Norma's and was quite impressed by Callas in the role. Would that the two of them had learned a bit more from the Callas approach...

 

You most likely are correct in that the Callas voice was probably never as huge as the largest Wagnerian voices... but it was definitely larger compared to after she lost the weight.

 

You are also most likely correct about Stignani etc. "covering up" for her in the duets... I recall reading a similar comment from someone who was present at Covent Garden for those Callas Normas. Now I know for a fact that it was not you Xaf... as you are much younger than I. For the record I was not there either...

[+ Italiano]

LOL no, I wasn't there. Even if being there definitely must have been such an experience...!

Yes, I have to correct myself, you are right, there ARE indeed a few bars added. I apologize.

 

The high Ds of Callas in Norma from Mexico, London and Trieste are HUGE. The RAI and Scala ones are definitely not small, but it was already "another" voice. Pity there are no more live Normas from her...

 

Do you know that there is a live recording of Norma where Cigna sings (well, it's a flat scream but it sounds huge) the high D?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzYz-ImSwsA

 

 

 

 

 

Xaf... Thanks for the kind words... and to Charlie as well. The fact that Gui did not sanction the traditional fermata at the end of the tenor cabaletta is most likely what caused Mirto Picchi to make a mishmash of the ending. Also, you are correct regarding the conclusion of the cabaletta to Casta diva. Since Gui does not sanction the traditional fermata Callas jump starts the note beginning it a few beats ahead of schedule so as to be able to sustain it longer.

 

However, Gui does indeed open up a very small cut at the end of the first act and Callas takes advantage of this by sustaining the high D throughout those measures. Gui opens the same cut in his 1938 Cetra recording with Gina Cigna as Norma. However, there is no way that Cigna was going to go near that high D!! (Incidentally the Adalgisa of that recording was... Surprise... Stignani!)

 

The next time that I am aware that the cut of those measures (and even a few more measures too boot) were opened up occurs in Sutherland's first commercial recording of Norma as conducted by her husband Richard Bonynge... who incidentally attended all of those Callas Convent Garden Norma's and was quite impressed by Callas in the role. Would that the two of them had learned a bit more from the Callas approach...

 

You most likely are correct in that the Callas voice was probably never as huge as the largest Wagnerian voices... but it was definitely larger compared to after she lost the weight.

 

You are also most likely correct about Stignani etc. "covering up" for her in the duets... I recall reading a similar comment from someone who was present at Covent Garden for those Callas Normas. Now I know for a fact that it was not you Xaf... as you are much younger than I. For the record I was not there either...

[whipped guy]

LOL no, I wasn't there. Even if being there definitely must have been such an experience...!

Yes, I have to correct myself, you are right, there ARE indeed a few bars added. I apologize.

 

The high Ds of Callas in Norma from Mexico, London and Trieste are HUGE. The RAI and Scala ones are definitely not small, but it was already "another" voice. Pity there are no more live Normas from her...

 

Do you know that there is a live recording of Norma where Cigna sings (well, it's a flat scream but it sounds huge) the high D?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzYz-ImSwsA

 

 

Xaf... Thanks for posting that... and absolutely no need to apologize! Actually I could have been there, but I doubt that un bambino would have been allowed to sit on his mother's lap... and I don't think that Convent Garden has or had a "crying room" for children!

 

I knew that there was a live Cigna Norma from the MET floating around, but never heard it. I always forget about YouTube for such things. I would bet that virtually all of the live and commercial recordings discussed in this thread are posted there in some form or another!

 

Back to Gigna... Well, it was almost a D as you say... and confirms why she probably didn't go for it in her Cetra commercial recording from about a year later. Incidentally, hearing Cigna's Cetra recording of Norma is what confirmed the greatness of Callas in the role for me. Callas could be dramatic and still respect the basic tenets of Bel Canto. Cigna was dramatic in a more "Can Belto" manner!

[whipped guy]

Callas vs. Sutherland

In the course of investigating the 1952 Callas London Norma chronicled above where Joan Sutherland appeared with Callas, I came across some interesting anecdotes regarding the two prima donnas. First the two prima donnas discuss each other. This is followed by a comparison of their respective approaches to the art form.

 

Sutherland on Callas - from an interview regarding the 1952 Covent Garden Norma:

• [Hearing Callas in Norma in 1952] was a shock, a wonderful shock. You just got shivers up and down the spine. It was a bigger sound in those earlier performances, before she lost weight. I think she tried very hard to recreate the sort of “fatness” of the sound which she had when she was as fat as she was. But when she lost the weight, she couldn’t seem to sustain the great sound that she had made, and the body seemed to be too frail to support that sound that she was making. Oh, but it was oh so exciting. It was thrilling. I don’t think that anyone who heard Callas after 1955 really heard the Callas voice.
  

• [backstage] she was wonderful; she was marvelous. She was easy-going and a worker. Oh my goodness! She rehearsed and rehearsed; always full-voice, never pushing the sound, but she would work till she got what was wanted. And of course had very poor eyesight. She used to pace out how many steps she would go, and there were steps and different levels on stage, as they were, in Norma. And she knew how many paces she could take before she had to take a step, because she was blind as a bat. She had terrible eyesight and, of course, couldn’t wear contact lenses at that stage. She did later.
  

http://38.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7kt4jG1Vd1rprammo1_500.jpg

 

Callas on Sutherland - EMI producer Walter Legge recalling what Callas had to say after attending the dress rehearsal of the Lucia di Lammermoor that catapulted Sutherland to fame in February 1959:

[Callas] flew into London for the dress rehearsal of Sutherland’s Lucia... had herself photographed with the new prima donna, and then took us off to lunch. Seated, she stated: “She will have a great success tomorrow and make a big career if she can keep it up. But only we know how much greater I am.”

http://www.gbopera.it/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/1959-London-17-II-09-A-Sutherland-1.jpg

 

 

Personally I am one who appreciates what both Callas and Sutherland brought to the operatic table. Neither singer was perfect, and even in their prime years both had "issues". Callas often was not able to control her often recalcitrant voice on a consistent basis and as time passed on the voice became increasingly unruly. Sutherland sacrificed diction for smoothness of delivery, but even when she attempted to correct that problem she was not helped by her often unidiomatic Italian. Both had a well grounded training in the elements of the Bel Canto tradition. Both appeared before the public and recorded longer than they should have.

 

To quote musicologist Philip Gosset, "La Sutherland made us understand the beauty of melodic lines; la Callas made us understand the drama that was percolating under the incomparable surface of the music..."

Gosset went on to say that, "Opera is an amalgam of music and words. Beautiful sounds are one part of that amalgam, to be sure, perhaps even the most important part. But those of us who love Rossini’s Semiramide (and there are many) will always remember what it was like to hear for the first time that famous recording with Joan Sutherland as the Queen of Babylon and Marilyn Horne as her son, Arsace. Horne made every word count; Sutherland produced beautiful sounds. While we admired Sutherland’s performance, we knew that Horne had understood something that Sutherland had not yet fully comprehended, and that it was fundamental to Rossini’s art."

 

Like Horne, Callas was quite precise in her attention to language and diction. Add in the unique manner in which Callas approached the "drama that was percolating under the incomparable surface of the music...", and one realizes what made Callas so exceptional... and actually beyond exceptional. In her prime Callas often had moments where her voice was also beautiful... Perhaps it was never beautiful in the conventional or Sutherland sense, but it was often a thing of beauty nonetheless. Even when her voice was not remotely beautiful Callas often had a special ability to turn such deficiencies into dramatic assets... again something that made her quite extraordinary. That she could create a character and make one totally believe in the validity of that character and do so in the totally non visual recording medium is what firmly established the greatness of Callas in the history of recorded sound. When one combines that gift with her presence in the theater... and by presence I am referring to both her visual acting ability and the fact that she transformed herself into a paragon of fashion... one suddenly understands what all the fuss and commotion was all about, and especially in those glory years of the mid to later 1950's. Sutherland could never even begin to compete on such a level with Callas. Her's was a different natural ability... a purely vocal gift, a force of nature that was centered on beauty of tone, thrilling high notes, and rapid fire delivery of the most intricate florid music imaginable.

 

In the final analysis while Callas was characteristically not exactly modest regarding her talents, she certainly was correct in her assessment of those talents.

[+ Italiano]

I remember I heard or saw an interview years ago where Sutherland said that Callas was a "ham"....

[whipped guy]

I remember I heard or saw an interview years ago where Sutherland said that Callas was a "ham"....

I recall reading about an interview where Callas said that Sutherland and her husband conductor Richard Bonynge undid everything that she accomplished in the field of Bel Canto. However, I could not find the reference. Perhaps someone can if it exists, but I can certainly imagine Callas saying such a thing... and in a certain sense I would agree! If Bonynge had stayed in the background I think Sutherland would have been a better singer... Perhaps the Sutherland "ham" quote was in response to that very comment?!?!?!?!

 

I did speak with someone who said that he thought Callas would have been greater if Serafin had never been in the picture... That would be a hard sell for me...

[marylander1940]

[whipped guy]

Ave Maria... Thanks for posting a nice tribute to Callas... but lest anyone get the wrong idea that was not Callas singing...

 

Callas as Desdemona singing the "Ave Maria" from the last act of Verdi's Otello...

 

 

Recorded late in her career... but still vintage Callas.

[McLeanspider]

Ave Maria... Thanks for posting a nice tribute to Callas... but lest anyone get the wrong idea that was not Callas singing...

 

Callas as Desdemona singing the "Ave Maria" from the last act of Verdi's Otello...

 

 

Recorded late in her career... but still vintage Callas.

 

Just angelical!

[whipped guy]

Callas Puccini Arias (1954)

 

This recital contains the principal arias from the following Puccini operas: Manon Lescaut, Madama Butterfly, La Boheme, Gianni Schicchi, Suor Angelica, and Turandot.

 

The major Puccini opera missing is Tosca (well also La Fanciulla del West and La Rondine... but they were not as popular back then) and the reason was due to the fact that Callas had recorded Tosca for EMI the previous year... a recording that was destined to become a classic and in many respects has not been surpassed to this very day. Of the operas represented on this disc Callas was to go on to record all except Schicchi and Angelica. Still it must be remembered that none of the operas featured on this disc with the exception of the title role in Turandot figured significantly into Callas' stage career... and except for the future recording she abandoned it quite early in her career. Indeed of the remaining operas she only sang a couple of performances of Butterfly and none of the other pieces on stage. In fact Tosca was the only Puccini opera that remained in her repertory throughout her career. Interestingly of the three arias from Turandot featured on the disc two of then belong to the second soprano role of Liu... a part that Callas never sang on stage.

 

However, Puccini was as he is now a very popular composer and even though he was not the primary focus for Callas, EMI most definitely needed to showcase their star soprano in at the very least a recital disc featuring his most popular arias. Needless to say that even without stage experience Callas nails just about every character. Now, that is quite a feat considering that the only aria that Callas had sung on stage at this time was "In questa reggia" from Turandot... and one can definitely hear the difference between the imperious Turandot and the gentle Liu in the selections from that piece where Callas uses her slender "little girl voice" for Liu's two tender arias. One can also sense that a lot has happened in between the two arias from Manon Lescaut.

 

In comparing the sound of the new Warner remastering with the old EMI version there is no question regarding the superiority of the new version. The mono EMI sound had a dark hued yet harsh quality to it. The Warner is sweeter and brighter, the orchestra sounds more natural, and the Callas voice has a special gleam to it that seemed to be missing in the previous version. I have no idea regarding what Callas sounded like in person, but I do know what an orchestra is supposed to sound like. Given that fact, by extrapolation one can assume that this new mastering is a more accurate representation of the Callas voice... In fact that's the impression that I get from much of the Warners that I have sampled to date.

[whipped guy]

Callas Remastered: The Stereo Recordings

 

It has always been a rule of thumb that many of the stereo recordings that Callas made are to be avoided. This is particularly true of her recordings from the 1960's when the Callas voice began to unravel and deteriorate precipitously. This problem was compounded by the fact that her EMI producer at the time favored a very close and up front perspective as opposed to giving the voice some breathing space as would be the case in the theater. As a result, there are some very unflattering recordings from this period. This definitely affects the many recital discs that Callas made durning this timeframe.

 

However, like any rule of thumb there are exceptions... and most of those exceptions to the "stereo rule" have been discussed in previous posts. (Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Medea Lucia di Lammermoor, Norma) The one other major exception not yet discussed is her 1959 recording of La Gioconda. This was taped during the period when Callas was separating from her husband and beginning her association with Aristotle Onassis... As usual Callas used the occasion to vent the conflicting emotions in her personal life through those of the character that she was portraying. The results were certainly impressive and Callas was quite proud of the results, and specifically the last act beginning with a riveting rendition of the aria "Suicidio!"

 

The other stereo operas are her remake of Puccini's Tosca and her recording of Bizet's Carmen. Her 1953 mono Tosca is an all time classic and the remake pales in comparison... but it is a document of the state of the Callas voice at the time... and at least she certainly knew how to play the role of the tempestuous prima donna that characterized the title role. That she is again partnered with baritone Tito Gobbi as her nemesis is certainly a plus. Incidentally, the recording was initially intended to be the soundtrack to a film. However, the project failed to materialize. Perhaps with a visual component to back things up the sonic side would have been more effective.

 

Regarding Bizet's Carmen... it is a role that she could have effectively portrayed in the theater in the 1960's. However, she refused to do so. I think that Callas associated the role as being a mezzo-soprano vehicle and in the long run she did not want to be thought of a a mezzo... Just my opinion. It is an interesting portrayal, but again there are vocal issues... Therefore, it is probably recommended for the Callas completist and as a supplement for those interested in the piece itself. The marketing hype at the time that the recording was originally released proclaimed, "Callas is Carmen." So true! She indeed had that special knack of becoming each and every one of the characters that she portrayed!

Incidentally, there is a video of her performing Carmen's two arias in concert from about the same time, and even in such a setting, and just by placing her hand on her hip, she shows how she was capable of instantly becoming the character.

 

All that being said, from a strictly audiophile point of view the stereo selections in the new Warner Remastered Series are probably the most successful. At any rate, the newly remastered versions sound more spacious and less harsh compared to the older EMI versions. This is probably because the original tapes are newer and in better condition and were recorded with greater care in the first place.

 

Interestingly, the mono versions all sound different from any previous CD releases as well... however, at times there are tradeoffs. The clearer sound one gets with the new mono versions unfortunately often reveals evidence of the distortion and artifacts present in the original tapes... Defects that would have gone mostly unnoticed prior to the sonic grunge being scrubbed from the picture. With the stereo versions that is generally not an issue as there is very little distortion present in the first place. Hence the greater success when the Warner engineers were able to work from the stereo masters. While nothing much can be done to improve or change the close miking or the quality of the singing, at least one is Hearing the results in the best possible light... at least the best as far as technology currently allows.

[whipped guy]

A Detour

 

Not Callas by any means, but the singer who was supposedly destined to carry the torch when Callas retired from the stage. This performance was recently remastered and released on CD internationally for the first time by Decca's Australian Eloquence division.

 

The Souliotis Norma - Flawed but Essential

 

Norma - Elena Souliotis

Adalgisa - Fiorenza Cossotto

Pollione - Mario Del Monico

Oroveso - Carlo Cava

 

Conductor - Silvio Varviso

 

As someone who often worships at the altar of Maria Callas I am about to commit a sacrilege, proclaim a heresy, and perpetuate an unsound argument based on faulty reasoning. I fear for my excommunication from the fold due to my thoughts regarding the recently reissued Decca recording of Bellini's Norma that features Elena Souliotis in the title role.

 

In the 1960's Souliotis was a rising star and the heir apparent to Maria Callas... and all the more so due to her Greek heritage. She recorded and performed a number of roles that had been associated with La Divina. Chief among those was an outstanding interpretation of Abigaille in Verdi's Nabucco for Decca. At the time Decca/London did not have a recording of Bellini's Norma in their US catalog, and wanted to feature their exciting new find in that opera. However, they had a dilemma. English Decca and American RCA had been involved in recording Norma with Sutherland and Horne and due to a deal with RCA the performance would be initially issued by RCA and then revert to the Decca/London catalog after a number of years. Therefore while the Decca/London executives wanted to feature Souliotis in the Bellini piece, they decided to do so via a heavily cut and abridged version of the score knowing that it would be only a stopgap release until they would get the Sutherland version into their catalog. Being issued on only two LP's it would also be the least expensive stereo Norma in the catalog, and that alone would attract buyers.

 

As a result, the opera as presented features only the roles of Norma, Adalgisa, and Pollione in mostly complete form. In addition to most of the standard cuts the role of Oroveso is reduced to comprimario status with his second act scena being completely eliminated. Also, orchestral and choral interjections are reduced to a bare minimum. The result is the equivalent of a concert performance where stage business does not need to be accommodated. Indeed if one substitutes "home listening experience" for "concert performance" that was the argument given to justify the cuts in the ad copy that heralded the recording when it was initially released. A case in point being the beginning of the "Norma viene" chorus, which looses the orchestral introduction which was necessary not only to allow Pollione and Flavio to exit, but also the chorus to assemble on stage.

 

That being said the recording does have a number of strengths. This includes the only commercial recording of Del Monico as Pollione. He is captured past his prime, but still gives a representative version of his stentorian approach to Pollione which is otherwise noteworthy from two live versions captured in sound with Maria Callas. Likewise, Fiorenza Cossotto was a famous Adalgisa who also appeared in the part with the legendary Callas. Here she is captured in her prime in a role that she was to record again under more complete circumstances.

 

This brings us to Souliotis, a singer with much promise who by the end of the decade had fizzled out like the proverbial meteor traversing the nighttime sky. It gives one an opportunity to hear her in a role that she performed extensively in her all too brief career. As such it documents one of the more interesting performers who attempted what is often considered to be the ultimate of Bel Canto challenges. She never learned to trill properly, but compensates with a keen dramatic understanding of the part that can probably be best described as "Callas lite". Still she can be quite thrilling at times and like Callas always seems to be giving the listener all that she has to offer. Her encounter with Pollione in the last act aside from he avoidance of the trills is certainly as forceful as that of Callas. In summary, she certainly has a decent coloratura technique, a firm dramatic grasp of the part, and consequently is a quite credible Norma.

 

If she were active today, Souliotis would be making waves on the operatic scene. She may have been a flawed artist, but she always communicated with her audience in a sincere manner and that's what made her special... She unfortunately used her voice in an excitingly reckless manner, and that led quickly to her demise. But what a way to go! I am glad to have this recording for her contribution.

 

Silvio Varviso, who specialized in Bel Canto operas at this stage of his career, certainly knows the style. However, I wish that he had conducted with a bit more poetry and flexibility. The extensive cuts and his penchant to drive things a bit too quickly result in a "let's get on with it" feel to the performance. The sound is vintage Decca and as such exhibits a nice sense of clarity and space.

 

As mentioned above I am happy that this recording has finally been released internationally. So while not for the average operatic collector interested in a representative recording of Bellini's masterpiece, those interested in the history of sound should get this and be thankful that Decca captured this interesting and unique artist in her short-lived prime!

 

I promise more on Callas soon!

[whipped guy]

Maria Callas and Donizetti's Anna Bolena (Ann Boleyn)

 

First a bit more on Souliotis, but then to get things back on track a discussion of the live Callas recording of Donizetti's Anna Bolena. You'll see the connection.

 

The Voice of Elena Souliotis - Decca Eloquence 480 5369

 

This well filled disc documents the all too short prime of Elena Souliotis. In the mid 1960's she was hailed as the heir to the throne of Maria Callas... and considering that she was of Greek heritage all the more pressure was put upon her to carry forth the torch of La Divina... However, it was not to be. By the end of the decade the voice was a mere shadow of what it had been. Consequently, the promise was never fulfilled. Still, there were those prime years when Decca recorded her in a selection of arias as well as several complete operas.

 

She was first cast as Abagaile in Verdi's Nabucco... and in what is often considered to be the finest recording the opera has ever received. Souliotis bites into the venomous role with a fervor that rivals the great Callas herself... The initial selection on the disc features Abagaile's opening scene from that recording and that alone is worth the price of admission. This is followed by a series of arias that were taped on two separate occasions and includes arias and scenes by Donizetti (Anna Bolena), Verdi (Macbeth, Luisa Miller, La Forza del Destino, Un Ballo in Maschera), Ponchielli (La Gioconda), and Mascagni (Cavalleria Rusticana). All the selections are delivered with a dramatic conviction, if with a reckless abandon and overuse of chest voice that contributed to her early demise... but what a way to go!

 

My only caveat concerns the fact that Souliotis never learned how to execute a trill properly... and as such she avoids virtually all such opportunities... This affects the finale of Donizetti's Anna Bolena in an adverse way... However, the piece is performed with such conviction and insight that one can easily forgive such a lapse. Indeed, Callas was supreme in this music and no one since has performed this scene with such a flawless legato and such perfection with regard to the execution of those trills… neither Caballe, Sills, Sutherland, nor Netrebko to name several singers who have tackled the part since this recording was made. To her credit, in this version Souliotis comes the closest to rivaling Callas regarding the totality of this complex scene… Plus, unlike some of the singers mentioned above, the voice is the proper weight and size for the part. Come to think of it, the same can be said for all the roles excerpted on this disc.

 

So not an absolutely perfect recital... but a series of excerpts that are delivered in a manner that is as exciting as all hell breaking loose! Get this and be thankful that Decca captured this unique artist in her all too short prime... Would that a singer of such interest and fascination were to emerge today!!!!

 

 

Donizetti: Anna Bolena Live La Scala 1957

 

Unfortunately Callas never got to record Anna Bolena complete in the studio. The closest that she came was her recording of the final scene which as part of her Mad Scenes album has been discussed previously. Fortunately her first live performance of the role at La Scala in 1957 was broadcast and recorded, albeit non professionally. It was a production by the famed director Luchino Visconti.

 

Souliotis did record Anna Bolena complete. However, by that time the vocal problems that were to end her career are a bit more in evidence. Her (again trill-less) final scene is decently done, but the version from the recital disc discussed above is definitely finer. Nonetheless, she is still the most effective Anna on commercial discs of the complete opera.

 

Beverly Sills recorded the complete opera, but unfortunately her voice is way too light for the part even though she theoretically sings the role better than Souliotis. Furthermore Sills over-embellishes the part and pushes the range of the role into the upper stratosphere as was her wont. While she sings the trills in the final scene she almost trivializes them and does not use them for dramatic effect.

 

Joan Sutherland also recorded the role, but definitely did so too late in her career and in many ways is the least successful of all in the part. She trills decently (if again not dramatically) but needs to transpose portions her opening and closing scenes down in order to successfully interpolate a high note at the conclusion of each. In the final scene this requires a bit of "rewriting" just before the final cabaletta. The result is a bit disconcerting.

 

Anna Netrebko tries hard on her video version, but falls a bit short as well, and to her credit she even learned to trill before tackling the part! The ironic result is that it is the trill-less Souliotis who even given her vocal shortcomings most effectively finds the most drama in the piece and as such by default comes closest to approaching the ideal interpretation of this difficult role among studio recordings.

 

However, regarding Callas, when one combines her studio recording of the final scene and her live 1957 La Scala recording she still reigns supreme! That the Callas voice was probably the closest thing in modern times in range and temperament to that of Giuditta Pasta who created the role in 1830 certainly helps. Plus, as with all that she did Callas literally becomes Anna in this performance. That it was the first time that she sang the part on stage boggles the mind. In fact during the final scene of that performance some extras missed their cue as they were supposed to surround the condemned Anna and bring her to her demise. When they failed to materialize on stage Callas automatically knew what to do in order to save the moment theatrically. Such were her instincts!

 

It is a pity that her 1958 La Scala performances were never broadcast as she certainly would have grown in the role. This is evidenced by the fact that she definitely fine tuned things to greater effect in her commercial recording of the final scene referenced above which also dates from 1958.

 

Incidentally the EMI version of the live 1957 performance (which is probably the most readily available) is ironically and absolutely the worst version of all regarding sound quality. The pitch also wavers quite badly as well. As such it does Callas a great disservice.

 

The best available version is on Divina Records. It can be downloaded at www.divinarecords.com as the CD version is sold out. The sound is not only as good as I have ever heard, but it is pitched correctly as well.

 

http://www.divinarecords.com/dvn018/dvn18_l.jpg

 

A budget alternative would be the version on Opera D'Oro, but the sound is overly filtered and consequently dull and lifeless, but still it is light years ahead of the horrendous EMI version. Other versions exist, some of which I have heard, but according to my ears and those of the experts the Divina is the one to own. Plus, being an enhanced CD one gets multiple photos of the original production and scans of the original program as well.

 

Unfortunately, that La Scala performance is cut to shreds and as such one is not given an accurate representation of the score. It is performed in an edition devised by the conductor Gianandrea Gavazzeni. For starters the overture is eliminated as is the tenor's second act aria, not to mention additional cuts both large and small. Regarding the supporting cast of that performance the biggest asset is Giulietta Simionato as a resplendent Jane Seymour. Tenor Gianni Raimondi is a decent Percy, but Nicola Rossi Lemeni is a wooly Henry VIII.

 

My suggestion is to get the Souliotis recording and then supplement it with Callas live and the Callas recording of the final scene to experience what the piece is really all about. Incidentally the supporting cast in the Souliotis recording includes mezzo Marilyn Horne as Jane Seymore, tenor John Alexander as Percy, and Nicolai Ghiaurov as a quite imposing Henry VIII. Sills fans might want to consider her recording as well which is also strongly cast (Shirley Verrett is a great Jane Seymour), but definitely supplement it will Callas.

 

As always Callas is the real deal! In fact, her performance of the doomed Ann Boleyn made such an impact on that opening night that the New York Times not only covered it, but included photos of her in the role as well. It has been said that with this performance Callas achieved the perfect marriage of her vocal and dramatic gifts, and that included the visual aspects of the role. Would that there were a film of the production! Fortunately the many the photographs of the production certainly reveal Callas to be the perfect embodiment of the ill-fated queen.

 

The 1958 Final Scene with visuals from the production:

 

[+ Funguy]

Wish that I had an ear (or 2) which could discern all of the nuances you describe so well, but like others of my age, my hearing aids cannot. (tho I actually can completely adjust, have 4 separate settings AND I can listen with them in SURROUND SOUND!)

[TruHart1]

Thanks for the excellent visuals with the recording, WG! Although it's funny to hear the final cabaletta with so many of the (more recently popular) higher note embellishments left out for more dramatic feeling, it is wonderful how well she uses the trills dramatically, including the way she slowly begins some of them for effect! Callas is always such a unique and committed interpreter of these bel canto roles!

 

TruHart1

[whipped guy]

Rossini's Il Turco in Italia: Indispensable for Callas the Comedienne

Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (bass) Selim

Maria Callas (sop) Fiorilla

Franco Calabrese (bass) Don Geronio

Nicolai Gedda (ten) Don Narciso

Jolanda Gardino (sop) Zaida

Piero de Palma (ten) Albazar

Mariano Stabile (bass) Prosdocimo

 

Gianandrea Gavazzeni Conductor

 

Introduction:

 

It is interesting to note that Callas was probably not a natural comedienne. She had a more serious personality and as such comedy was not really her true métier. This is evidenced by her other comedic Rossini role, that of Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. She first sang it at La Scala in 1956 and as revealed by the recording of that event she exaggerated the comedy to gross effect that could more properly be termed as being vulgar. Yet a year later when she recorded the role everything was suddenly perfectly in place. With tragic roles such as the title role of Anna Bolena she often got things right almost from the start. Evidently her knack for comic timing was not as innate as it was for for tragedy.

 

In any event, Callas initially sang Il Turco in Italia (The Turk in Italy) in 1950 in Rome. The only thing known to survive from that performance is a recording of her opening aria which is performed in a grand manner complete with an interpolated cadenza at the end. This leads me to speculate that Callas might have not yet perfectly captured the flighty and zany nature of the part as she would do by the time of the commercial recording. However, that's just conjecture on my part. Also in 1950 the Callas voice had a weightier sound to it. After all, this was the period where she was singing Wagner and had not yet fully developed the kaleidoscope of colors that was to eventually characterize her signing just a few years in the future.

 

At any rate, in the 1950's La Scala decided to stage Rossini's two comedies that dealt with the differences and conflicts between Italian culture and that of the Muslim world. It all seems so contemporary, but proves that the disconnect between the West and the Muslim world was something that has been of concern for centuries.

 

L'Italiana in Algeri (The Italian Girl in Algiers) was produced first and this was followed by Il Turco in Italia. A young director named Franco Zefferelli was in charge of both productions and fortunately studio recordings were made of both as well. It was indeed Zefferelli who noted that while Callas was not a natural comedienne, with a little work she was able to master the craft as well as anyone. That Callas was able to immerse herself in the opera's soprano role of Fiorilla says quite a bit as the part deals with a fickle personality who not only has a husband and a lover, but is constantly on the lookout for other conquests as well. That the first act of the piece ends with a cat fight between the two women vying for the affections of the titular Turk only adds to the hilarity. The part is almost a conflation of Lucy Ricardo and Alexis Carrington from Dynasty.

 

The Recording:

 

This recording has always been quite special for me as it was the first Callas recording that I purchased on LP in the mid 1960's. At the time I had absolutely no clue who Callas was and purchased the set due to my interest in Rossini and Bel Canto in general. To say that I was quite troubled by the sound of the Callas voice is putting it mildly. However, over time I learned to appreciate the many hues inherent in that amazing voice, not to mention her dramatic talents. In this particular recording the colors and comedic timing confirm that Callas the consummate tragedian could be just as accomplished as a comedienne. Just listen to the lilt and flirtatious smile in her voice at the words "Che bel turco! Avvinciamoci!" (What a handsome Tuck! Let's get closer!) and that says it all. Consequently, of all the Callas recordings this often overlooked set is indispensable as it is an all too rare example of the lighter side of Callas. It is often said that comedy is more difficult to portray than tragedy. Such was not the case for Callas in this situation! That the same woman who portrays the vengeful Norma and Medea to perfection can actually be so successful as the blithe and flighty Fiorilla and does so in simply vocal and non-visual terms indeed boggles the mind!

 

That the conductor Gianandrea Gavazzeni was able to piece together a reasonably competent performing edition of the score was a miracle considering the fact that he did so in the dark ages of the Bel Canto revival. Most of the Turco scores available at the time were corrupt and incorporated numbers from a variety of other Rossini operas. This was due to the fact a one act reduction of the piece was made for performance in Paris after which it was decided to transform the piece back to its original full length. The producers not having access to the original materials mined other Rossini operas to beef things up. That version was subsequently published and most of the readily available scores were based on that corrupt Parisian edition. Unfortunately Gavazzeni was not able to locate all the music that was originally composed. It was not until the 1970's that an authentic and complete version of the score was finally assembled. Sadly the most significant omission was actually the soprano's principal aria that occurs towards the end of the second act. That Callas would have created a sensation with it goes without saying. However, it was not to be... and Callas was possibly not even aware of the fact that there was such a glaring omission in the score as cobbled together. Of course in addition to the missing pieces a number of cuts both small and large were employed as was the tradition in performing Bel Canto operas at the time. In any event, what is performed is done quite well. Callas is the main attraction, but the remainder of the cast proves to be just as competent and is similarly involved in the comedy.

 

The sound of this recording has always been reasonably well represented from its LP incarnation. My original LP version (on 5 sides over 3 discs!) from the mid 1960's had a bright pleasing sound. I also owned the later Seraphim 2 disc version which was a bit warmer. Like most of the Callas remastered series this new version is marginally brighter and brings a bit of added vocal and orchestral clarity into the mix compared to the previous CD editions. Given the loss of the heroines principal aria and the cuts this recording is not totally representative of the opera as a whole but is essential to totally understand what made Callas so incomparable. As such it is the perfect supplement to a more modern recording such as those conducted by Riccardo Chially on Decca or Marriner on Philips... both of which offer a fuller (if slightly different) version of the score as Rossini himself made a few omissions and additions for different productions in which he participated.

 

Consequently this often overlooked recording is another aspect of the complex picture that made Callas so unique and special! Plus, it also proves that Callas could work in an ensemble situation where she was not always the center of attention.

 

One other fascinating aspect of the piece: The libretto is set up do that a poet is controlling the action so he can write a libretto for an opera based on these "real life" personalities. It's "An Author in Search of Six Characters" instead of Six Characters in Search of an Author, the play by Luigi Pirandello that was not to appear for another 100 years or so.

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jmQ9vGJp8Hs/T8knPsleIeI/AAAAAAAAAKg/KV0xTs2GjHQ/s1600/1955%2520Turco-Scala%2520Promo%2520(20)%5B1%5D.jpg

 

http://41.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz14escR6k1rndvb9o1_400.jpg

[+ Italiano]

Whipped caro, as always your reviews are VERY competent and entertaining!

 

I have only to add that even if Callas is absolutely fantastic in her surprising comedian role of Fiorilla (listen also to the amazing way of how she manages the different manipulative nuances of Fiorilla in her duet with Geronio!), I always felt that here, in Forza and in her first recording of Norma (all made in the summer of 1954) she is adjusting and getting used to a different placement of her voice due almost for sure to the loss of weight of the previous year.

Especially in Turco she sounds a few times a bit shrill in her high Bs and Cs, even if she captures the end of the duet with Geronio with a superb high D.

 

Just my 2 cents

[whipped guy]

Zaf!

 

Well it may only be your two cents, but you are right on target. Callas plays her husband Don Geronio like a Stradivarius in that duet as she is able to go from shrinking violet to shrew and everything in between. No other singer has ever been able to capture Fiorilla's multiple personalities as effectively as Callas. That's why even if you have an up to date recording of the piece it should be supplemented with the Callas version.

 

Likewise, you are correct about the Callas voice changing in 1954. As I alluded to, the 1950 version of her entrance aria is sung by a singer who has a large voice and a big husky frame to support that voice. Interestingly, when Callas was in rehearsals for the opera she kept telling Zefferelli to make her costumes accentuate her newly svelte appearance! Also, the Zefferelli producition of Turco premiered in April 1955 and the recording was made in August/September 1954 in anticipation of the event. The cast was virtually the same except that tenor Cesare Valletti replaced Nicolai Gedda.

[whipped guy]

Maria Callas, Herbert von Karajan, and Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor (Part'One)

 

Lucia: Maria Callas

Sir Edgardo di Ravenswood: Giuseppe di Stefano

Lord Enrico Ashton: Rolando Panerai

Raimondo Bidebent: Nicola Zaccaria

Lord Arturo Buclaw: Giuseppe Zampieri

Alisa: Luisa Villa

Normanno: Mario Carlin

 

RIAS Sinfonie-Orchester: Herbert von Karajan

Chorus of the Teatro alla Scala: Norberto Mola

 

Städtische Oper, Berlin September 29, 1955

 

 

One seemingly unlikely pairing would have to be von Karajan and Donizetti. However, the German maestro surprisingly found a certain affinity for and connection with the Donizetti style. This is a more romantic view of the composer's Bel Canto style compared to the approach taken by most Italian maestri of the time such as Tullio Serafin which whom Callas recorded the opera three times, twice for EMI and once for RAI, Italian Radio.

 

Callas and von Karajan first performed the piece together at La Scala in 1954. As was his wont throughout his career, the production was also staged by the German maestro. At this point in her career Callas had slimed down and had transformed herself into a fashion icon and the combination of her chic appearance, acting ability, and vocal perfection drove the La Scala audience wild with enthusiasm. Plus, this was not the light voiced Lucia of tradition, but a portrait of the Scottish lass that had dramatic substance on her bones, if not extra flesh. Fortunately the production was broadcast. Unfortunately, the resulting recording is among the worst from a sonic point of view documenting the Callas career, as it was taken from a noisily distorted and static laden AM radio transmission and is not totally complete. However, those willing to listen through the noise will hear Callas at the near peak of her vocal powers. Indeed if this had been captured in toto and in state of the art sound it would probably rank as one of the greatest operatic achievements of the Callas career. However, it was not to be.

 

Fortunately the production was taken on tour and was repeated in Berlin in 1955 and in Vienna the following year. Nothing exists of the Vienna performances, but the Berlin performance was captured in quite decent sound. The cast was virtually the same as at La Scala and the chorus is also that of the Italian theater. However, the orchestra is German and as such lacks a bit of the warmth that an Italian orchestra would have brought to the proceedings. Still it's a good show and is considered to be the best Callas Lucia. In fact for many Callas specialists this is the all-time Callas desert island performance of choice such are the multitude of felicitous vocal and dramatic insights that Callas brings to her interpretation. Contemporary accounts seem to indicate that Callas herself was not totally satisfied with her performance, but with its subtle shades of light and darkness, even with a few minor faults it is still quite an achievement. Plus, Callas always had a knack for turning her deficiencies into advantages and more about that will follow. In addition, von Karajan brings certain refinements to his conducting.

 

As implied above, von Karajan gives us an overtly romantic view of the score. Has the love duet that closes the first act ever sounded so plush and luxurious? The same is also true of the famous sextet in the second act. Von Karajan really ekes out every bit of emotion possible in the piece. He does so by not only having the orchestra, chorus, and soloists literally punch out and emphasize their parts, but also has the strings play with increased vibrato as the piece progresses. As such, instead of the final section of the sextet being a mere repeat it builds to an exciting climax. It is no wonder that the audience demands and gets an encore! The increased string vibrato and a slackening of the tempo are what makes the final statement of the aforementioned love duet so effective as well.

 

Regarding the text of the score employed, unfortunately the traditional cuts prevalent at the time are taken. However, one notable exception concerns the finale of the second act where additional music is included. Consequently this brings the act to a more exciting and emotional conclusion than was normally the case.

 

When Callas recorded the part initially for EMI in 1953 the voice was that of a dramatic sounding soprano and as such she offered a dark hued and troubled Lucia that was completely at odds with the typical light voiced sopranos who specialized in the role. While impressive on its own terms, she had not yet fully developed the nuances that would bring so many colors and contours to her interpretation. When she recorded the piece again in 1959 she definitely included those many subtle chiaroscuro shadings and colorful dramatic insights that were missing in the earlier interpretation. Unfortunately, she was a bit past her prime at this stage in her career which resulted in the highest reaches of the role being somewhat tentative and a bit unpleasant to the ear. Still, in spite of the vocal shortcomings her interpretation shows the growth in Callas as an artist.

 

In Berlin one finds the subtleties of the second EMI recording but fulfilled with a greater vocal assurance. Furthermore with von Karajan we are given a more youthful sounding Lucia, a Lucia who is still troubled, but a Lucia who's instability and erratic moods take on a flightier and more fragile quality. Just listen to the duet that opens the second act. During the slow middle section Callas almost sounds as though she is crying, such are the tears in her voice.

 

Throughout the performance the voice sounds exceptionally free and pliable as if she could do anything she wanted with it, yet at least one note above the staff almost tends to shatter. This occurs at the very conclusion of the second act and is the final interpolated high D. However, as mentioned above, Callas always had that remarkable ability to turn what might seem at first to be a deficiency into an asset. The somewhat desperate sound of the note, which she seems to hold forever, only tends to underscore the unfortunate dramatic situation in which Lucia finds herself. Such were her dramatic instincts that it is almost as if Callas deliberately intended to attack the note in a manner that would not be totally perfect. Those final moments of the act prove to be the climax of the performance and a certain indication that all would be a downhill spiral for Lucia from that point onward. Indeed, that solitary note alone tells us that Lucia has completely lost all semblance of sanity. As such, it not only adds to the excitement of von Karajan's conducting at this point, but certainly prefigures Lucia's mental downfall in the next act as realized in the (in)famous Mad Scene.

 

Regarding that scene, Callas almost seems to be in a trance as she negotiates the combination of recitative and arioso that comprises the initial sections the piece. She interpolates the traditional flute cadenza at the conclusion of the first section during which she misjudges a couple of notes, but nothing really serious occurs. Surprisingly, she and von Karajan decide to end this initial section on the lower E-flat instead of the traditional stratospheric E-flat in alt as was done at La Scala. Uncharacteristically there is no applause, but avoiding the show stopping note at this point and substituting a much more tranquil resolution to the cadenza certainly makes more musical sense. She saves that blockbuster high note for the very conclusion of a delicately shaped and touching rendition of the concluding cabaletta thus bringing the scene and Callas' participation in the proceedings to a satisfying conclusion.

 

It is fortunate that Callas is partnered by a group of singers who are as fine as any that could be assembled at the time. Special mention must be made regarding baritone Rolando Panerai who is able to make his normally sunny vocal production with its quick vibrato sound sinister indeed! Even better is tenor Giuseppe DiStefano who is in glorious voice. He characteristically over emits, but that was his style. He was certainly not in his makeup to hold back! He has the final scene of the opera and when in lesser hands the scene can seem as though it is a tacked on epilogue after the excitement of the Mad Scene. Not here, as DiStefano with the help of von Karajan brings the opera to a emotionally overwhelmingly conclusion as again soloist and conductor wring every ounce of emotion out of the score.

 

Callas and DiStefano as Lucia and Edgardo:

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