Filling the Norma gap
Chris Ischay
I'm a little embarrassed to admit this gap in my musical life, but I've
never even heard a complete performance.
One friend recommends the first Callas as the place to start (not only for
performance but also because it comes with a libretto), and from there on
to other Callas private recordings. I'm also curious about the Gina Cigna
recording on Pearl or similar label sitting on the shelf at Tower.
If I were going to limit myself to two or three wonderful recordings of
Norma, starting with only one this month, what would you recommend? (One
of my minor vices is getting multiple versions of a single work rather than
expanding to more works. Another is a taste for private recordings of
live performances.)
Thanks.
Chris Ischay
chr...@bos.camex.com
Chris Brewster
One friend recommends the first Callas [recording of Norma]...
This brings up a question. I was interested that no one mentioned Callas's
recording of Carmen when someone asked for a recommendation. I've never heard
it but I was a little surprised by the omission because this recording seems to
have legendary status. Would anyone like to comment?
Chris Brewster
c...@cray.com
GEnie: C.BREWSTER7
Frank Hamilton
>I'd like to ask readers for a suggestion on a first recording of Norma.
>
>performance but also because it comes with a libretto), and from there on
>to other Callas private recordings. I'm also curious about the Gina Cigna
>recording on Pearl or similar label sitting on the shelf at Tower.
A book of a least two volumes could be written about recorded Normas. I
will not discuss all Norma's here, only the Callas Normas. I will leave
the technical analysis of Normas to others and just give some personal
reflections here. This article contains the complete chronology
(94 performances) and discography of the Callas Normas at the end.
All Normas are divided in two parts, or can be analized by two criteria,
the sung Norma, and the interpreted Norma. It is rare that an artist
possesses both the physical stamina and vocal facility - and the
intelligence, genius, and depth of perception to become Norma. Norma is
not an ivy league role that can be learned in an academic environment.
Norma is a role that that a singer comes to own based on personal profound
life experience, knowledge, and passion.
The Callas Normas of the early career lack the deep personal introspection
and interpretation of the late Normas, but they are sung with a voice that
is unique among all modern singers of the role. Callas pushes this voice
of molten rock up to high Cs and Ds over full orchestra and chorus in the
live performances of Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Covent Garden, and Trieste.
Some of my favorite Callas Normas lie in the two extremes - the early
Normas and the late Normas. But, in the Normas of the middle career both
these qualities merge - the great Rai Norma of June 29, '55, and opening
night Scala performance of December 7, '55, both with del Monaco, realize
this complex set of prerequisites.
Given the voice and the interpretation, Normas can yet again be divided
in two categories. The live Norma, and the dead Norma of the recording
studio. The stage Normas are electric, live, and daring. The audience
is like an extension of the Druids on stage. They are out-of-control,
and on fire! They roar though the final pages of each scene in a frenzy
of applause even before the drum roll and descending curtain. They murmur
and gasp as they are pulled into a new dimension, two thousand years ago,
by the living ancients portrayed on stage.
Recently in this news group someone mentioned that perhaps modern opera
has the great advantage of forty of fifty years of recorded performances
to build upon and learn from, and what a resource this was. Perhaps
exactly the opposite is true. Stage performances today are mortally
wounded and rendered lifeless by self-conscious singers, who know every
note is being recorded and will be studied for generations. Even if
the singers of forty and fifty years ago knew they were being record,
they still sang with great abandon and took great risks, not believing or
knowing that these impaired sound records would be cherished and listened
to by millions. Modern singers and conductors inch their way through a
score in the studio rendering a product that is honed, polished, and
perfect all all respects except that they are plastic and void of life!.
Opera on stage today had been ruined by the microphone. In today's world,
singers aspire to be music scholars, not dramatic musicians who act first,
then sing. Live Opera has been ruined by the microphone. Recordings have
delt opera an ugly, albeit unintentional, blow on stage and in the studio.
And the Normas:
The '49 Buenos Aires Norma has been issued only in fragments. It is not
known weather this performance exist complete. Four Normas were preceded
by three Turnadots in Buenos Aires and followed by an Aida on 7/2. Frag-
ments of the 5/20/49 Turandot also exist, albeit with great controversy
regarding their authenticity (read: John Ardoin's, Maria Callas: The Early
Years, Opera Quarterly III, 2 (1985)).
The Mexico City Norma has been issued by MELODRAM. This is a performance
with many standard cuts and many ensemble problems. The recorded sound
from this '50 air check is perhaps the worst of all the Callas Normas save
Trieste. Still, from time to time there are unique revelations and
beautiful inspired singing.
This Covent Garden Norma, everyone should own. The sound is good, and
Mirto Picchi is the first of the inspired Callas Pollione's to exist in
sound. This Norma is one of a series of five from 11/1952, four others
would follow in June of '53. All featured Solti's future "forest-bird"
as Clotilde. Three London Callas Aidas of June '53 would also feature
Sutherland as the Priestess. Fragments of the 6/4 Aida can be heard on
MELODRAM MEL 36513. This Aida was only partially broadcast.
The '53 Trieste Norma is another must own. This is the earliest recording
of the young Franco Corelli I know. The hot blood of this Roman Proconsul
and Druidic Priestiss boils-over, burns, and turns to red steam. Callas
interpolates many high notes, which are like bright flashes of white light.
I hope the Trieste audience of these four nights realized what was transpir-
ing before them. Boris Christoff was Oroveso. Hey, what more could you ask
for? - perhaps Ebe Stignani for Adalgisa, or Horst Buchholz as Flavio :-)
The analogy 'burning the candle (voice) on both ends' applies here, except
they are using blow-torches to hasten the process. I ask a special blessing
for the soul who recorded this performance, but great as it is, the sound is
abysmal with fades in and out, and objects or people directly bumping the
microphone.
The '54 EMI Cinema Metropol Norma has long been described as the definitive
Norma. I have already stated my feelings for studio Normas. This Norma has
few or none of the interpolated notes found in the earlier Normas. Still,
this is the Norma most of us grew up with and cherish. It does not require
much comment here, as it has been described by thousands.
Next are the famous Rai and Scala Normas of 1955. These are considered
by many to be the two great Normas, perfect in almost every respect.
David Lowe writes about the December Scala Norma:
..."Ah si, fa core, abbracciami," Callas performs a stunning
diminuendo on a high C that elicits audible gasps of admiration
from the audience.
Callas proceeds from strength to strength, and in the passage
"Ah non tremar" demonstrates the dramatic potential of coloratura.
The rapid descending scales and the leaps to high C, ... blaze
like streaks of lightning. Thanks to Callas' attacks and full-
voiced vocalizing, Norma's venom takes on a genuinely frightening
intensity. There is no letup in tension in the trio "Oh, di qual
sei tu vittima," where Callas' savage attacks puncture the
proceedings and turn a rather trite melody into a vehicle for the
expression of fierce emotions. The real marvel is that Norma's
rage, as interpreted by Callas, which is so palpable that one half
expects Callas' voice to self-combust, in no way mars the classical
beauty and lines of the trio. The finale rises to an almost
unbearable pitch of excitement as Callas unleashes a perfectly
placed dazzling high D.
...
Callas completely dominates the opera's last scene, summoning
unearthly breath control and pianissimi for phrases like "Come del
primo amor" and "Ah, padre! un prego ancor," and massive fortissimi
for "Sangue romano - scorgeran torrenti." In the duet with
Pollione, "In mia man alfin tu sei," Callas again demonstrates that
bravura passage work can be delivered with ferocity, that trills
can frighten. The most sublime moment in this performance, however,
comes with Norma's confession, "Son io," a line which in Callas'
interpretation acquires such shattering poignance that the audience
erupts in a collective moan...
Rome, January 2, 1958, the "walk-out" performance. Infamous, and easily
the greatest scandal of Callas' career, Callas refused to continue after
act one. (When Callas returned to La Scala as Anna Bolena the following
April, a thousand extra police had to be put on guard outside the opera
house to control the crowd of angry Italians.) MELODRAM has issued this
Norma on CD, and it includes the announcement to the public that the
performance is being cancelled. It includes several minutes of commentary
by the radio and television hosts, describing the fist fights and brawls
that have broken out in the rings. The hosts are kind of at a loss, as to
what to say or do, since the network has nothing else planned for that
slot. "And now we are turning our camera from the stage to the audience,
so that you can see... ." (I relate this to you from memory; a friend
translated the Italian for me several months ago.) A night to remember,
or forget? - You should listen and decide. Callas did not continue with
the run of this series. That was done by Anita Cerquetti. The
Cerquetti/Corelli performance of 1/4/58, two nights after the "walk", is
available on G.O.P. 722-CD 2. This entire event was covered in great
detail by the media - rehersals the morning of the performance were
filmed, royalty and celebrities arriving for the performace were filmed,
and the actual exit from stage with Callas, Corelli, Miriam Pirazzini, et.
al. in costume was captured from the wings, also on video. Callas was ill
and in difficult voice. Management tried to persuade her to continue even
if it was only to speak the lines. It was January '58; the twilight of
her career; yet in the next twelve months the world would witness Callas
in three stupendous unequaled portrayals - Anna Bolena, Imogene (Il pirata),
and Medea. Medea exist in six recorded performances by Callas, dating back
to Florence '53. The 11/6/59 Dallas Medea is the one that splits atoms and
creates new continents. I wish Riccardo Muti luck in his search :-) re:
Gramophone, July '91.
The '60 EMI (studio) recording with Franco Corelli is another must own!
The following lines were written by John Ardoin:
"This 1960 recording stands as the ultimate statement of what
Callas sought and found in Bellini's score, for while greater
expressive dividends are paid during the 1965 Paris Normas,
there are also greater losses. Neither "Teneri, teneri figli"
nor "Ah! perche, perche" have been as hauntingly traced by
another. Even when a note or phrase emerges doubtful, there
is rarely a doubt about either Callas' intent or the meaning
of Bellini's music and theater."
Almost all of the '65 Paris Normas were recorded. In one performance
Callas did not have the physical strength to change costumes between
acts. The last act of the final Paris Norma 5/29/65 was cancelled due
to her inability to continue. Callas would sing one of four Toscas
scheduled at Covent Garden 7/5/65, this would be her final performance
in a complete role on any stage or studio.
Perhaps no other role is as closely matched to Maria Callas as Norma.
Violetta and Medea are others. It is interesting that in these and
almost every other role Callas sang, standards were set which even
today, forty years later, few singers approach, and none equal. The
Normas of Sutherland, Scotto, Sills, Caballe are made of straw, spit,
and Confederate currency.
To answer the question about the 1939 Cetra EIAR Norma with Gina Cigna
and Ebe Stignani on Pearl GEMM CDS 9422, I would say buy it. It has
good sound; was transfered from 36 78rpm sides. Ebe Stagnani would
become the Adalgisa of many of the early Callas Normas. It is said
that Ebe Stignani and Maria Callas sang with one seamless voice, that
it was almost impossible to distinguish the two voices apart on stage.
The following is taken almost entirely from the Performance Annals by
Arthur Germond published in the Henry Wisneski book The Art Behind the
Legend, Doubleday & Company, Inc. 1975. Dates at the end of lines
indicate that the cast was the same, as for that date; any names
following that are cast changes. Lines beginning with ! indicate
recorded performances. These entries are followed by the label and CD
number(s) that are available. One always hopes that new Callas Normas
will be discovered. Perhaps a Venice Norma of January '50 will turn
up. Microphones can been seen in photographs taken in performance.
The reason I include this is to give you a larger picture of this
facet of Callas' diverse career. Close your eyes and imagine sailing
from Genoa to Argentina, those hot summer nights, on stage, in an age
almost before air conditioning, television, jet planes; the elegant
ladies and their dark latin escorts in Catania, Palermo, Sao Paulo,
Rio de Janeiro, Epidaurus ... This is where you find opera, not in
Abbey Road studios, Watford, Salle Wagram, Grosser Sendesaal, Lukas
Kirche, or at early AM La Scala touch-up sessions to edit applause.
11/30/48 Firenze, Teatro Comunale:
Mirto Picchi (Pollione); Fedora Barbieri (Adalgisa);
Cesare Siepi (Oroveso); Lucia Danieli (Clotilde);
Massimo Bison (Flavio); Tullio Serafin
12/05/48 Firenze, Teatro Comunale: 11/30/48
! 6/17/49 Buenos Aires, Teatro Colon
Antonio Vela (Pollione); Fedora Barbieri (Adalgisa);
Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (Oroveso); Emma Brizzio (Clotilde);
Humberto di Toto (Flavio); Tullio Serafin
MELODRAM 36513 (excerpts:
Oh! rimembranza! io fui cosi rapita... Ah, si,
fa core abbracciami)
6/19/49 Buenos Aires, Teatro Colon: 6/17/49
6/25/49 Buenos Aires, Teatro Colon: 6/17/49
6/29/49 Buenos Aires, Teatro Colon: 6/17/49
1/13/50 Venezia, Teatro La Fenice
Gino Penno (Pollione); Elena Nicolai (Adalgisa);
Tancredi Pasero (Oroveso); Nerina Ferrari (Clotilde);
Cesare Masini-Sperti (Flavio); Antonino Votto
1/15/50 Venezia, Teatro La Fenice: 1/13/50
1/19/50 Venezia, Teatro La Fenice: 1/13/50
2/23/50 Roma, Teatro dell'Opera
Galliano Masini (Pollione); Ebe Stignani (Adalgisa);
Giulio Neri (Oroveso); Ada Landi (Clotilde);
Paolo Caroli (Flavio); Tullio Serafin
2/26/50 Roma, Teatro dell'Opera: 2/23/50
3/02/50 Roma, Teatro dell'Opera: 2/23/50: Antonio Cassinelli (Oroveso)
3/04/50 Roma, Teatro dell'Opera: 2/23/50: Antonio Cassinelli (Oroveso)
3/07/50 Roma, Teatro dell'Opera: 2/23/50: Antonio Cassinelli (Oroveso)
3/16/50 Catania, Teatro Massimo Bellini
Mirto Picchi (Pollione); Jolanda Gardino (Adalgisa);
Marco Stefanoni (Oroveso); Maria Zagami (Clotilde);
Nino Valori (Flavio); Umberto Berrettoni
3/19/50 Catania, Teatro Massimo Bellini: 3/16/50
3/22/50 Catania, Teatro Massimo Bellini: 3/16/50
3/25/50 Catania, Teatro Massimo Bellini: 3/16/50
! 5/23/50 Mexico City, Palacio de las Bellas Artes (Opera Nacional)
Kurt Baum (Pollione); Giulietta Simionato (Adalgisa);
Nicola Moscona (Oroveso); Concha de los Santos (Clotilde);
Carlos Sagarminaga (Flavio);
Orchestra e coro del Palacio de Bellas Artes, Guido Picco
MELODRAM MEL 26018
5/27/50 Mexico City, Palacio de las Bellas Artes: 5/23/50
2/15/51 Palermo, Teatro Massimo
Renato Gavarini (Pollione); Elena Nicolai (Adalgisa);
Giulio Neri (Oroveso); Francesca Dalmas (Coltilde);
Adelio Zagonara (Flavio); Franco Ghione
2/20/51 Palermo, Teatro Massimo: 2/15/51
9/07/51 Sao Paulo, Teatro Municipal
Mirto Picchi (Pollione); Fedora Barbieri (Adalgisa);
Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (Oroveso); Eleuze Pennafort (Clotilde);
Mariano Caruso (Flavio); Tullio Serafin
9/12/51 Rio de Janeiro, Teatro Municipal
Mirto Picchi (Pollione); Elena Nicolai (Adalgisa);
Boris Christoff (Oroveso); Carmen Pimentel (Clotilde);
Gino del Signore (Flavio); Antonino Votto
9/16/51 Rio de Janeiro, Teatro Municipal: 9/12/51
11/03/51 Catania, Teatro Massimo Bellini
Gino Penno (Pollione); Giulietta Simionato (Adalgisa);
Boris Christoff (Oroveso); Maria Cannizzaro (Clotilde);
Nino Valori (Flavio); Franco Ghione
11/06/51 Catania, Teatro Massimo Bellini: 11/03/51
11/17/51 Catania, Teatro Massimo Bellini: 11/03/51
11/20/51 Catania, Teatro Massimo Bellini: 11/03/51: Leonardo Wolowski (Oroveso)
1/16/52 Milano, Teatro alla Scala
Gino Penno (Pollione); Ebe Stignani (Adalgisa);
Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (Oroveso); Ebe Ticozzi (Clotilde);
Mariano Caruso (Flavio);
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala/Vittore Veneziani;
Franco Ghione; Regia di Mario Frigerio;
Direttore dell'allestimento scenico Nicola Benois
1/19/52 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 1/16/51: Anna Maria Anelli (Clotilde)
1/23/52 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 1/16/51: Anna Maria Anelli (Clotilde)
1/27/52 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 1/16/51: Anna Maria Anelli (Clotilde)
1/29/52 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 1/16/51: Anna Maria Anelli (Clotilde)
2/02/52 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 1/16/51: Anna Maria Anelli (Clotilde)
2/07/52 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 1/16/51: Anna Maria Anelli (Clotilde)
2/10/52 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 1/16/51: Anna Maria Anelli (Clotilde)
4/14/52 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 1/16/52: Anna Maria Anelli (Clotilde)
11/08/52 London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Mirto Picchi (Pollione); Ebe Stignani (Adalgisa);
Giacomo Vaghi (Oroveso); Joan Sutherland (Clotilde);
Paul Asciak (Flavio);
Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden;
Vittorio Gui
11/10/52 London, Royal Opera House: 11/08/52
11/13/52 London, Royal Opera House: 11/08/52: John Pritchard
!11/18/52 London, Royal Opera House: 11/08/52
LEGATO LCD-130-2
MELODRAM MEL 26025
11/20/52 London, Royal Opera House: 11/08/52
4/09/53 Roma, Teatro dell'Opera
Franco Corelli (Pollione); Fedora Barbieri (Adalgisa);
Giulio Neri (Oroveso); Ada Landi (Clotilde);
Paolo Caroli (Flavio); Gabriele Santini
4/12/53 Roma, Teatro dell'Opera: 4/09/53
4/15/53 Roma, Teatro dell'Opera: 4/09/53
4/18/53 Roma, Teatro dell'Opera: 4/09/53
6/15/53 London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Mirto Picchi (Pollione); Giulietta Simionato (Adalgisa);
Giulio Neri (Oroveso); Joan Sutherland (Clotilde);
Paul Asciak (Flavio); John Pritchard
6/17/53 London, Royal Opera House: 6/15/53
6/20/53 London, Royal Opera House: 6/15/53
6/23/53 London, Royal Opera House: 6/15/53
!11/19/53 Trieste, Teatro Giuseppe Verdi
Franco Corelli (Pollione); Elena Nicolai (Adalgisa);
Boris Christoff (Oroveso); Bruna Ronchini (Clotilde);
Raimondo Botteghelli (Flavio);
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro Giuseppe Verdi; Antonino Votto
MELODRAM MEL 26031
MYTO 2 MCD 913.40 (excerpts)
11/22/53 Trieste, Teatro Giuseppe Verdi: 11/19/53
11/23/53 Trieste, Teatro Giuseppe Verdi: 11/19/53
11/29/53 Trieste, Teatro Giuseppe Verdi: 11/19/53
!4/23/54-05/03/54 Milano, Cinema Metropol: Recording, EMI
Mario Filippeschi (Pollione); Ebe Stignani (Adalgisa);
Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (Oroveso); Rina Cavallari (Clotilde);
Paolo Caroli (Flavio);
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala/Vittore Veneziani
Tullio Serafin
EMI CDS 7 47304 8
11/01/54 Chicago, Civic Opera House (Lyric Theatre of Chicago)
Mirto Picchi (Pollione); Giulietta Simionato (Adalgisa);
Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (Oroveso); Gloria Lind (Clotilde);
Lawrence White (Flavio); Nicola Rescigno
11/05/54 Chicago, Civic Opera House: 11/01/54
! 6/29/55 Roma, l'Auditorium di Roma della Radiotelevisione Italiana:
Radio Broadcast:
Mario del Monaco (Pollione); Ebe Stignani (Adalgisa);
Giuseppe Modesti (Oroveso); Rina Cavallari (Clotilde);
Athos Cesarini (Flavio);
Orchestra Sinfonica e Coro di Roma della Radiotelevisione
Italiana/Nino Antonellini; Tullio Serafin
CETRA CDC 4
HUNT CDLSMH 34029
!12/07/55 Milano, Teatro alla Scala
Mario del Monaco (Pollione); Giulietta Simionato (Adalgisa);
Nicola Zaccaria (Oroveso); Gabriella Carturan (Clotilde);
Giuseppe Zampieri (Flavio);
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano/Norberto Mola;
Antonino Votto
HUNT CD 517
12/11/55 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 12/07/55
12/14/55 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 12/07/55
12/17/55 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 12/07/55
12/21/55 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 12/07/55
12/29/55 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 12/07/55: Elena Nicolai (Adalgisa)
1/01/56 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 12/07/55
1/05/56 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 12/07/55
1/08/56 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 12/07/55: Elena Nicolai (Adalgisa)
10/29/56 New York, Metropolitan Opera House
Mario del Monaco (Pollione); Fedora Barbieri (Adalgisa);
Cesare Siepi (Oroveso); Maria Leone (Clotilde);
James McCracken (Flavio); Fausto Cleva
11/03/56 New York, Metropolitan Opera House: 10/29/56
11/07/56 New York, Metropolitan Opera House: 10/29/56
11/10/56 New York, Metropolitan Opera House: 10/29/56
11/22/56 New York, Metropolitan Opera House: 10/29/56:
Kurt Baum (Pollione); Nicola Moscona (Oroveso);
Helen Vanni (Clotilde)
11/27/56 Philadelphia, Academy of Music (Metropolitan Opera Company):
10/29/56:
Kurt Baum (Pollione); Nicola Moscona (Oroveso);
Helen Vanni (Clotilde)
2/02/57 London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Giuseppe Vertecchi (Pollione); Ebe Stignani (Adalgisa);
Nicola Zaccaria (Oroveso); Marie Collier (Clotilde);
Dermot Troy (Flavio); John Pritchard
2/06/57 London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden: 2/02/57
! 1/02/58 Roma, Teatro dell'Opera
Franco Corelli (Pollione); Miriam Pirazzini (Adalgisa);
Giusrppe Neri (Oroveso); Piero de Palma (Flavio);
Orchestra e coro dell'Opera di Roma/Giuseppe Conca;
Gabriele Santini (performance canceled after Act I)
MELODRAM MEL 16000
8/24/60 Epidaurus, Ancient Greek Theater (Greek National Opera Company)
Mirto Picchi (Pollione); Kiki Morfoniou (Adalgisa);
Ferruccio Mazzoli (Oroveso); Emilie Koussi (Clotilde);
Ar. Pandazinakos (Flavio); Tullio Serafin
(Production directed by Alexis Minotis.)
8/28/60 Epidaurus, Ancient Greek Theater: 8/24/60
! 9/05-12/60 Milano, Teatro alla Scala: Recording, EMI
Franco Corelli (Pollione); Crista Ludwig (Adalgisa);
Nicola Zaccaria (Oroveso); Edda Vincenzi (Clotilde);
Piero de Palma (Flavio);
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala, Milano/Norberto Mola;
Tullio Serafin
EMI CMS 7 63000 2
! 5/00/64 Film (RTF): Paris, Theatre National de l'Opera: Rehersal
5/22/64 Paris, Theatre National de l'Opera
Charles Craig (Pollione); Fiorenza Cossotto (Adalgisa);
Ivo Vinco (Oroveso); Marie-Luce Bellary (Clotilde);
Claude Cales (Flavio); Georges Pretre
Mise en scene decors de Franco Zeffirelli;
Costumes de M. Marcel Escoffier
5/25/64 Paris, Theatre National de l'Opera: 5/22/64
5/31/64 Paris, Theatre National de l'Opera: 5/22/64
6/06/64 Paris, Theatre National de l'Opera: 5/22/64: Franco Corelli (Pollione)
6/10/64 Paris, Theatre National de l'Opera: 5/22/64: Franco Corelli (Pollione)
6/14/64 Paris, Theatre National de l'Opera: 5/22/64
6/19/64 Paris, Theatre National de l'Opera: 5/22/64
6/24/64 Paris, Theatre National de l'Opera: 5/22/64
! 5/14/65 Paris, Theatre National de l'Opera
Gianfranco Cecchele (Pollione); Giulietta Simionato (Adalgisa);
Ivo Vinco (Oroveso); Marie-Luce Bellary (Clotilde);
Claude Cales (Flavio); Georges Pretre
! 5/17/65 Paris, Theatre National de l'Opera: 5/14/65
! 5/21/65 Paris, Theatre National de l'Opera: 5/14/65: Fiorenza Cossotto (Adalgisa)
5/24/65 Paris, Theatre National de l'Opera: 5/14/65: Fiorenza Cossotto (Adalgisa)
! 5/29/65 Paris, Theatre National de l'Opera: 5/14/65: Fiorenza Cossotto (Adalgisa)
(Last act canceled)
LEGENDARY LRDC 1009
Jon Conrad
>I was interested that no one mentioned Callas's
>recording of Carmen when someone asked for a recommendation. I've never heard
>it but I was a little surprised by the omission because this recording seems to
>have legendary status. Would anyone like to comment?
I remember (I think it was you?) your listing the Callas Carmen among
"legendary recordings" rather recently. I was surprised then, but as I
seem to be taking issue with almost everything you say lately (:-) :-)
), I decided to let it pass at the time.
No doubt those who admire everything Callas ever did, admire this
recording also. It is, in fact, a good Carmen recording IMHO, but not a
classic and not one of Callas's classics. Carmen was not one of her
stage roles (though at the time of recording it seemed perfectly
possible that she might turn to it onstage, as the mezzo repertory was
one direction she was exploring as a response to her vocal troubles).
It was one of her last complete recordings of an opera, and certainly is
striking and worth hearing; there are moments she does better than
anyone else, but (again IMHO) moments only. I would have expected her
to show us a new conception of the last act, for instance, more
dignified and fatalistic than we usually see; but she does it in the
standard teeth-gnashing, scenery-chewing way. Furthermore, the
supporting cast is not outstanding (a good Escamillo, a typical acid-
toned French Micaela, a Jose [Gedda] who's a good tenor but perhaps too
light for this role), and Georges Pretre's conducting doesn't really
pull things together (I like his Tosca for Callas, from around the same
time, much more).
So....I have never heard the opinion that this recording is a legendary
one, and I've been hanging out with opera fans and record-listeners for
25 years or so. I think the status I've usually heard accorded it, as
one of many Carmen recordings that have excellent elements but are on
the whole a mixed success, is about right. I continue my support for
the Solti/Troyanos, but there are other Carmen recordings that also
deserve consideration before I'd get around to Callas.
Jon Alan Conrad
R. Wilmer
>
>A book of a least two volumes could be written about recorded Normas. I
>will not discuss all Norma's here, only the Callas Normas. I will leave
>the technical analysis of Normas to others and just give some personal
>reflections here. This article contains the complete chronology
>(94 performances) and discography of the Callas Normas at the end.
>
Thanks for such a thorough chronicle of a great artist matched with a
great role. Callas's investment of herself into that rewarding and
demanding part turned out to be so fruitful that it is indeed worth
reading about all those recordings and performances.
Other overwhelming associations of great artists with powerful
personalities matched with great roles occur to me:
Melchior - Tristan
Rysanek - Senta
Milanov - Gioconda
Schwarzkopf - Marshallin
della Casa - Arabella
Warren - Rigoletto
London - Golaud
Chaliapin - Boris
Pinza - Don Giovanni
Richard
Jon Conrad
(1) Read Andrew Porter's chapter on the opera in "Opera on Record"
edited by Alan Blyth. It covers the complete recorded history of the
work as of 1980, pretty well.
(2) Get Rosa Ponselle's recording of the main soprano aria, "Casta
Diva." I believe RCA has reissued it in a Ponselle CD.
(3) Choose a Callas recording, for which I will abdicate to the Callas
expert who has already replied, and who clearly knows all the
alternatives far better than I ever will.
Jon Alan Conrad
Jon Conrad
>I was interested that no one mentioned Callas's
>recording of Carmen when someone asked for a recommendation. I've never heard
>it but I was a little surprised by the omission because this recording seems to
>have legendary status. Would anyone like to comment?
Addendum to my earlier response.
Chris, I wonder if somehow you have gotten what you've heard about
Callas's Carmen confused with that other disyllabic heroine, Tosca.
Then your comment would make sense.
The Callas Tosca - now THERE's a performance that's classic, legendary,
whatever nice thing one wants to say. And her first (mono) recording of
it, with Di Stefano and Gobbi in the cast and De Sabata conducting the
Scala orchestra, is nearly universally regarded as being in that core
group of "definitive" (a word I usually avoid using) recordings. Angel
has kept it continuously available ever since it appeared.
The Carmen has nowhere near this status; it's one of several good
Carmens, any of which might be considered preferable according to one's
tastes.
Jon Alan Conrad
Roger Knopf 5502
In article <CB.91Jul...@tamarack12.hemlock> c...@tamarack12.hemlock (Chris Brewster) writes:
>recording of Carmen when someone asked for a recommendation. I've never heard
>it but I was a little surprised by the omission because this recording seems to
>have legendary status. Would anyone like to comment?
Yes. I have been an avid record collector and listener for several
years. It is very difficult to come across good Callas recordings.
They are mostly out of print and for some reason don't seem to
be in reissue. For a long time, I had to take it on faith that
she was a great opera singer, since most of the recordings I
came across were from late in her career when she was much in
decline. Only a week or so ago did I hear a cut off a CD called
"Movies go to the Opera" (in the lab at work, no less) that
really showed what I now believe to be her true talents.
My interpretations: 1) record companies are fools who only reissue
sure bets, 2) anyone who has a good Callas recording is holding
on to it (so invite us over to listen, dammit!) and/or 3) Callas
recordings are so hit-or-miss that I've stopped spending money
on them.
--
Roger Knopf "It has a strong potential for
SCO Consulting Services being dippy." --David Farmer
uunet!sco!rogerk,rog...@sco.com 408-425-7222 (V) 408-458-4227 (fax)
Chris Ischay
>The Callas Tosca - now THERE's a performance that's classic, legendary,
>whatever nice thing one wants to say. And her first (mono) recording of
>it, with Di Stefano and Gobbi in the cast and De Sabata conducting the
>Scala orchestra, is nearly universally regarded as being in that core
>group of "definitive" (a word I usually avoid using) recordings. Angel
>has kept it continuously available ever since it appeared.
"Definitive" is certainly a thin-ice kind of word. I'm not even sure how
one would state the criteria for definitiveness. Jon mentions what may be
the best candidate for this honor. Would anyone care to mention some
others? One I would put on the list would be Beecham's La Boheme with
Bjoerling and de los Angeles. I have a number of other favorites that are
my personal definitives, but I'm not sure I'd be willing to defend them in
the Court of RMC. %^)
Chris Ischay
chr...@bos.camex.com
Ernest Barreto
>
>In article <CB.91Jul...@tamarack12.hemlock> c...@tamarack12.hemlock (Chris Brewster) writes:
>>This brings up a question. I was interested that no one mentioned Callas's
>>recording of Carmen when someone asked for a recommendation. I've never heard
>>it but I was a little surprised by the omission because this recording seems to
>>have legendary status. Would anyone like to comment?
>
>Yes. I have been an avid record collector and listener for several
>years. It is very difficult to come across good Callas recordings.
>They are mostly out of print and for some reason don't seem to
>be in reissue. For a long time, I had to take it on faith that
>she was a great opera singer, since most of the recordings I
>came across were from late in her career when she was much in
>decline.
The Carmen with Callas that I've heard (is there more than one?)
doesn't thrill me. Callas sounds to me like she's holding a
potato in her mouth when she gets even moderately high in her
voice (like in the 'pres des ramparts de Seville' aria). Is
this what people mean when they describe her 'decline'?
My only other Callas recording is of the Barber of Seville, with
a younger Luigi Alva (not so many h's) and Tito Gobbi. I rather
like Callas in this one (no potato). 'Una voce poco fa' is
wonderfully delicate. But the liner notes say that no one liked
her as Rosina. Anybody care to comment?
Ernie
eb...@ellis.uchicago.edu
R. Wilmer
>
>>I was interested that no one mentioned Callas's
>>recording of Carmen when someone asked for a recommendation. I've never heard
>>it but I was a little surprised by the omission because this recording seems to
>>have legendary status. Would anyone like to comment?
>
>classic and not one of Callas's classics. Carmen was not one of her
>stage roles (though at the time of recording it seemed perfectly
>possible that she might turn to it onstage, as the mezzo repertory was
>one direction she was exploring as a response to her vocal troubles).
To my ears, Callas's Carmen added to her vocal troubles by putting too
much pressure on her lower middle voice, opening up a rough lower register
break, and unbalancing and unraveling her vocal line.
In the second act, where she is singing her dance music to Don Jose, the
register break becomes so violent that it sounds as if she were singing a
duet with herself--a phenomenon that I find distracting and unmusical (which
is a word that I hardly ever associate with Callas).
I think the vocal imbalance caused by the way Callas sang her Carmen
contributed to her having to cancel several Traviatas afterward and to
the troubles she had with her final Normas.
I found Callas's Carmen to be an interesting and certainly unique
interpretation, but as a document of vocal health, her recording
made me cringe.
Richard
Greg Paley
>I'm a little embarrassed to admit this gap in my musical life, but I've
>never even heard a complete performance.
>
>One friend recommends the first Callas as the place to start (not only for
>performance but also because it comes with a libretto), and from there on
>to other Callas private recordings. I'm also curious about the Gina Cigna
>recording on Pearl or similar label sitting on the shelf at Tower.
>
Overall, I would second your friend's recommendation. Although I don't
care much for the tenor, Fillipeschi, on the 1954 Callas/EMI recording,
I find her singing powerful and expressive, and her performance is well
supported by Serafin's conducting. Stignani was past her prime vocally,
but the basic quality is still often lovely.
If you are willing to put up with "pirated recording" sound, I can
recommend the 1952 Covent Garden broadcast with Callas in more opulent
voice, Stignani sounding somewhat fresher, a better tenor (Picchi), also
well conducted by Vittorio Gui.
The 1960 Callas/Serafin EMI recording in stereo has beautiful singing by
Christa Ludwig (who learned the role at short notice when Berganza became
unavailable), unsubtle but powerful singing by Corelli, and good singing
by Zaccaria. However, I find the deterioration in Callas' upper voice
makes many passages painful to listen to, in spite of the greater subtlety
of inflection she achieved.
Unfortunately, the two Sutherland recordings were made on either side of
her optimum "time window" for this role. On the 1964 recording she sings
with ease of execution and accuracy, but with little dramatic expression
or musical animation. Horne is, however, superb and John Alexander is
excellent. By 1985 neither Sutherland, Caballe (nor, for that matter,
Pavarotti) were dealt with kindly by studio microphones. If Sutherland's
"Norma" is of interest to you, then I would expect good-sounding broadcast
tapes to surface which would demonstrate the power and clarity she brought
to her best stage performances in this role in the 70's.
The early recording with Gina Cigna has Stignani at her vocal prime, which
is extremely impressive. Cigna herself I find imposing but crude. The
RCA recording with Caballe, Cossotto and Domingo is smoothly and beautifully
sung but, like the 1964 Sutherland recording, lacks sufficient dramatic
force.
The role has several fascinating "might-have-been's" in its history, and
several of its prime exponents didn't make complete recordings. Most
obvious of the latter are, of course, Ponselle and Milanov. Of the former,
Flagstad came very close to performing it, but apparently withdrew when
she saw the extensive rewritings of the score that were considered
pre-requisite performing style at the Met in the 30's. Nilsson considered
it, but had extreme self-doubts about the florid work and the fact that
"Casta Diva" came so early in the role, before having sufficient chance
for the soprano to fully warm up.
Greg Paley
Frank Hamilton
>years. It is very difficult to come across good Callas recordings.
>They are mostly out of print and for some reason don't seem to
>be in reissue. For a long time, I had to take it on faith that
>she was a great opera singer, since most of the recordings I
>came across were from late in her career when she was much in
>decline. Only a week or so ago did I hear a cut off a CD called
>"Movies go to the Opera" (in the lab at work, no less) that
>really showed what I now believe to be her true talents.
Never in history has as much Callas been available to the collector,
at any one moment, as there today on compact disc. Perhaps you meant LP?
The entire EMI catalogue is available. EMI has even started to issue
live performances (the Lisbon Traviata, the Scala '55 Traviata, Berlin
Lucia) and incomplete material from recording sessions (Pur ti riveggo
with Corelli; Verdi arias from '69, and material from the Tonini sessions).
Both the commercial Cetra recordings are available (Gioconda, Traviata).
Aside from this, complete recordings of Callas in almost !!! SIXTY !!!
stage performances are available. This does not include the recitals.
Following is a discography on CD of Callas in complete roles only. This
includes ones that are available AND that are not (have not been issued
on CD yet). Many of the ones that are not available, are available in
excerpts. I have not listed any CDs that contain excerpts only. Only
performances that are as complete as they were performed on stage are
listed.
I threw this together very fast and could have made major mistakes.
Sorry. I don't have alot of time today.
5/20/49: Turandot Buenos Aires
6/17/49: Norma Buenos Aires
12/20/49: Nabucco Napoli: MELODRAM MEL 26029; LEDGENDARY LRCD 1005-2
5/23/50: Norma Mexico City: MELODRAM MEL 26018
5/30/50: Aida Mexico City: MELODRAM MEL 26009
6/03/50: Aida Mexico City
6/08/50: Tosca Mexico City: LEGATO SRO-820-2
6/20/50: Il trovatore Mexico City: MELODRAM MEL 26017
6/27/50: Il trovatore Mexico City
10/02/50: Aida Roma
11/20-21/50: Parsifal Roma: MELODRAM MEL 36041; VERONA 27085/87
1/27/51: Il trovatore Napoli: MELODRAM MEL 26001
5/26/51: I vespri siciliani Firenze: MELODRAM MEL 36020; LEDGENDARY LRCD 1008-2
7/03/51: Aida Mexico City: MELODRAM MEL 26015; FONIT CETRA CDE 1026
7/17/51: La traviata Mexico City: MELODRAM CDM 26019
9/24/51: Tosca Rio de Janeiro
4/26/52: Armida Firenze: MELODRAM MEL 26024
5/29/52: I Puritani Mexico City: MELODRAM MEL 26027
6/03/52: La traviata Mexico City: MELODRAM MEL 26021; RODOLPHE RPC 32431/32
6/10/52: Lucia di Lammermoor Mexico City: MYTO 2 MCD 913.40
6/14/52: Lucia di Lammermoor Mexico City
6/17/52: Rigoletto Mexico City: MELODRAM MEL 26023; LEDGENDARY LRCD 1006-2
7/01/52: Tosca Mexico City: MELODRAM MEL 26028; G.O.P. 714-CD 2
9/00/52: La Gioconda Torino: FONIT CETRA CDC 9
11/18/52: Norma London: LEGATO LCD-130-2; MELODRAM MEL 26025
12/07/52: Macbeth Milano: NUOVA ERA 2202/3; HUNT 2 CDLSMH 34027
2/00/53: Lucia di Lammermoor Firenze: EMI CMS 7 69980 2
2/23/53: Il trovatore Milano: LEGENDARY LR-CD-1007-2; MYTO 2 MCD 90213
3/24-30/53: I Puritani Milano: EMI CDS 7 47308 8
5/07/53: Medea Firenze: HUNT CD 516
6/04/53: Aida London
8/3-4/53: Cavalleria rusticana: Milano: EMI CDS 7 47981 8
8/10-21/53: Tosca Milano: EMI CDS 7 47175 8
9/00/53: La traviata Torino: FONIT CETRA CDC 2
11/19/53: Norma Trieste: MELODRAM MEL 26031
12/10/53: Medea Milano: MELODRAM MEL 26022; FONIT CETRA CDE 1019; VERONA 27088/89
1/18/54: Lucia di Lammermoor Milano: LEGATO
4/04/54: Alceste Milano: MELODRAM MEL 26026
4/23/54-05/03/54: Norma Milano: EMI CDS 7 47304 8
5/25/54-06/17/54: Pagliacci Milano: EMI CDS 7 47981 8
8/17-27/54: La forza del destino Milano: EMI CDS 7 47581 8
8/31/54-09/08/54: Il Turco in Italia Milano: EMI CDS 7 49344 2
12/07/54: La vestale Milano: MELODRAM MEL 26008
1/08/55: Andrea Chenier Milano: MELODRAM MEL 26006; RODOLPHE RPA 232551.52
3/05/55: La sonnambula Milano: MYTO MCD 89006
5/28/55: La traviata Milano: HUNT 2 HUNTCD 501; FOYER 2-CF 2001; EMI CMS 7 63628 2
6/29/55: Norma Roma: CETRA CDC 4; HUNT CDLSMH 34029
8/01-06/55: Madama Butterfly Milano: EMI CDS 7 47959 8
8/10-12,16-20,23,24/55: Aida Milano: EMI CDS 7 49030 8
9/03-16/55: Rigoletto Milano: EMI CDS 7 47469 8
9/29/55: Lucia di Lammermoor Berlin: RODOLPHE RPA 232518; HUNT CD 502; MELODRAM MEL 26004; VERONA 2709/10; EMI CMD 7 63631 2
12/07/55: Norma Milano: HUNT CD 517
1/19/56: La traviata Milano: MYTO 2 MCD 89003
2/16/56: Il barbiere di Siviglia: Milano: MELODRAM MEL 26020
3/22/56: Lucia di Lammermoor Napoli: MYTO 2 MCD 90319
3/24/56: Lucia di Lammermoor Napoli
5/21/56: Fedora Milano
8/03-09/56: Il trovatore Milano: EMI CDS 7 49347 2
8/20-25/56-09/03-04/56: La boheme: Milano: EMI CDS 7 47475 8
9/04-12/56: Un ballo in mascheras: Milano: EMI CDS 7 47498 8
12/08/56: Lucia di Lammermoor New York
2/07-14/57: Il barbiere di Siviglia London: EMI CDS 7 47634 8
3/02/57: La sonnambula Milano
3/03-09/57: La sonnambula Milano: EMI CDS 7 47378 8
4/14/57: Anna Bolena Milano: MELODRAM MEL 26010; HUNT CD 518
6/01/57: Ifigenia in Tauride Milano: MELODRAM MEL 26012
6/26/57: Lucia di Lammermoor Roma: MELODRAM MEL 26014
7/04/57: La sonnambula Koln: MELODRAM MEL 26003; HUNT CD 503
7/06/57: La sonnambula Koln
7/09-13,15/57: Turandot Milano: EMI CDS 7 47971 8
7/18-27/57: Manon Lescaut Milano: EMI CDS 7 47393 8
8/21/57: La sonnambula Edinburgh VIRTUOSO 2697252
8/26/57: La sonnambula Edinburgh
9/12-19/57: Medea Milano DENON 60C37-7336-3; EMI CMS 7 63625 2
12/07/57: Un ballo in maschera: Milano: HUNT CD 519
1/02/58: Norma Roma: MELODRAM MEL 16000
3/27/58: La traviata Lisbon: EMI CDS 7 49187 8
6/20/58: La traviata London: MELODRAM MEL 26007
11/06/58: Medea Dallas: MELODRAM MEL 26016
1/27/59: Il pirata New York: MELODRAM MEL 26013; HUNT CD 531
3/16-21/59: Lucia di Lammermoor: London: EMI CDS 7 47440 8
6/30/59: Medea London: MELODRAM MEL 26005
9/05-11/59: La Gioconda Milano: EMI CDS 7 49518 2
9/05-12/60: Norma Milano: EMI CMS 7 63000 2
12/07/60: Poliuto Milano: MELODRAM MEL 26006; HUNT CD 520; VERONA 28003/4
12/14/61: Medea Milano: HUNT 2 CDLSMH 34028
1/21/64: Tosca London: VERONA 27027/28
1/24/64: Tosca London: MELODRAM MEL 26011
1/30/64: Tosca London
7/06-20/64: Carmen Paris: EMI CDS 7 47313 8
12/03-14/64: Tosca Paris: EMI CMS 7 69974 2
3/01/65: Tosca Paris
3/03/65: Tosca Paris
3/19/65: Tosca New York: MELODRAM MEL 26030
3/25/65: Tosca New York
5/14/65: Norma Paris
5/17/65: Norma Paris
5/21/65: Norma Paris
5/29/65: Norma Paris: LEGENDARY LRDC 1009
7/05/65: Tosca London
config
>In article <23...@brahms.udel.edu> con...@brahms.udel.edu (Jon Conrad) writes:
>
>>The Callas Tosca - now THERE's a performance that's classic, legendary,
>>whatever nice thing one wants to say.
>
>others? One I would put on the list would be Beecham's La Boheme with
>Bjoerling and de los Angeles. I have a number of other favorites that are
>my personal definitives, but I'm not sure I'd be willing to defend them in
>the Court of RMC. %^)
My preference for "Tosca" would be the Price/di Stefano/Taddei/Karajan recording
from the early 60's.
I agree to the choice of the Bjoerling/de los Angeles/Beecham "La Boheme".
My favourite "Cavalleria Rusticana" is the Callas/La Scala/Serafin recording
from the late 50's.
I've yet to be overwhelmed by any one recording of "I Pagliacci". I do
remember a filmed version from the 70's with Jon Vickers which I liked.
BOB
Greg Paley
>Other overwhelming associations of great artists with powerful
>personalities matched with great roles occur to me:
>
>Melchior - Tristan
>Rysanek - Senta
>Milanov - Gioconda
>Schwarzkopf - Marshallin
>della Casa - Arabella
>Warren - Rigoletto
>London - Golaud
>Chaliapin - Boris
>Pinza - Don Giovanni
>
These are, of course, associations that are "historic" in that they're
likely to be known by opera fans who never saw or heard the singers in
question. A few I'd add to the list would be Welitsch's Salome,
Tebaldi's Desdemona, Rethberg's Aida, Jeritza's Tosca and Gobbi's Iago.
Some of the most memorable personifications I've experienced have been
less "historic", partly because the artist in question was known for
having such a wide histrionic range that they were not so quickly associated
with any one role. In other cases, the effectiveness of portrayal in a
given role was less publicized because it represented something of an
anomaly in the singer's career and may have been done less frequently than
other roles or may not be characterisic of the singer's overall work.
The ones which stick in my mind are the "spoilers": those interpretations
which are so arresting or seem to cover so many facets of a role that one
feels a sense of disappointment at any singer one encounters in the role
thereafter. For me, one of these is Vickers, in just about every role I
saw him do. Those that come most immediately to mind are Tristan, Siegmund,
Peter Grimes and Otello. Another is Christa Ludwig, particularly as
Ortrud, Octavian and the Dyer's Wife. Two performances of this sort that
came as a surprise to me (in fact, a shock) were Gwyneth Jones as Salome
and Turandot. Characteristic of these performances is not only the raw
talent and vocal/physical resource, but the exceptional application of
intellect and attention to detail in attempting to achieve "complete"
realization.
Greg Paley
Greg Paley
>
>recording of Carmen when someone asked for a recommendation. I've never heard
>it but I was a little surprised by the omission because this recording seems to
>have legendary status. Would anyone like to comment?
>
Perhaps one reason is the edition. The "restoration" of spoken dialogue in
place of the recitatives Guiraud composed seems to have commandeered public
fancy since the early 70's. While considered a novelty of sorts when the
Fruehbeck de Burgos recording was made in 1969 (even though a much earlier
Columbia recording with spoken dialogue was made, conducted by Andre
Cluytens), the use of spoken dialogue apparently became "official" when
done at the Met in the production featuring Marilyn Horne and conducted by
Leonard Bernstein. Since then, recordings (and performances) using the
"inauthentic" recits have become few and far between.
No two listeners I know of seem to hear the Callas Carmen in the same way.
I love it - my wife hates it (she says Callas sounds like she's singing with
a mouth full of bubblegum). I've found the same division of opinion among
other friends who generally have similar tastes.
To detail the things I like about it, I'd mention her sound, the
interpretation and her musicianship. I always found the lower and middle
part of her voice beautiful, compelling and fascinating. Unfortunately,
particularly after about 1957, one had to put up with a great deal of
acidulous stridency and tremulousness in the upper range in the high-
lying soprano parts she continued to perform. That being the case, I
thought it was wonderful when she appeared to embrace the mezzo repertoire
and recorded the two albums of French arias (many of which lay in the
mezzo range) and the subsequent Carmen. As Carmen, her basic sound is
very earthy, dark and sexual (without being particularly sensuous).
Interpretively, her Carmen is a very tough lady, which strikes me as
right after reading the Merrimee. She sneers magnificently in the
Act II "ta-ra-ta-ta" scene with Don Jose and is both regal and tragic
in the card scene. The one negative point, for my taste at least, is
the finale. Whereas her portrayal up to that point led me to expect
something new, different and wonderful, she deteriorates into shrewish
yelps and shrieks (although, thank God, she doesn't scream when the
knife goes in). The one who, somewhat surprisingly, actually provides
the kind of transcendant handling of this scene that I had hoped for is
Victoria de los Angeles on the Beecham recording.
Musically, she's wonderful. Her ability to finely tune the pitch and
her rhythmic precision and flexibility bring new life to one overly
familiar passage after another. Just to mention a few examples, there
are the sinuous legato of the "Habanera", the clarity and force with
which she digs in and sculpts the line in the repeat of the "Seguidille"
and the steady rhythmic crescendo in the Gypsy dance at the beginning of
Act II - the most exciting rendering of this passage I've ever heard.
Greg Paley
Greg Paley
>as Clotilde.
I found one of the more delightful anecdotes in the first "authorized"
Sutherland biography to be her recollections of Callas' mutterings during
the Covent Garden "Norma" performances. Speaking of Stignani - "God,
she can sing" and - one I've had occasion to remember more than once
when singing in staged performances myself - "I knew I should have made
a pee before I came on. Now there's the long duet with Adalgisa. Ah,
well."
Greg Paley
Frank Hamilton
>
>My only other Callas recording is of the Barber of Seville, with
>a younger Luigi Alva (not so many h's) and Tito Gobbi. I rather
>like Callas in this one (no potato). 'Una voce poco fa' is
>wonderfully delicate. But the liner notes say that no one liked
>her as Rosina. Anybody care to comment?
Callas sang Barber on stage five times at La Scala. They were very
unsuccessful performances. Callas was unable to sync with the humor.
The performance of 2/26/56 was broadcast and is available from Melodram.
In 1956 Callas was not a very funny woman :-)
Callas managed to achieve in the studio what she failed to do on stage.
This may not be everyone's favorite Barber, but it is a good one, and
many hold it dear. Some would not own any other.
2/16/56: Il barbiere di Siviglia: Milano, Teatro alla Scala:
Tito Gobbi (Figaro); Luigi Alva (Almaviva); Nicola Rossi-Lemeni
(Don Basilio); Melchiorre Luise (Dr. Bartolo); Anna Maria Canali
(Berta); Pierluigi Latinucci (Fiorello); Giuseppe Nessi (Official);
Orchestra e coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano/Norberto Mola;
Carlo Maria Giulini; Regia di Carlo Piccinato; Direttore
dell'allestimento scenico Nicola Benois; Bozzetti e figurini di
Mario Vellani Marchi
MELODRAM MEL 26020
2/21/56: Il barbiere di Siviglia: Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 2/16/56
3/03/56: Il barbiere di Siviglia: Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 2/16/56
3/06/56: Il barbiere di Siviglia: Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 2/16/56
except: Nicola Monti (Almaviva); Carlo Badioli (Dr. Bartolo)
3/15/56: Il barbiere di Siviglia: Milano, Teatro alla Scala: 2/16/56
except: Nicola Monti (Almaviva); Carlo Badioli (Dr. Bartolo)
Callas sang two other Rossini roles. There were 4 Turco's in Rome 10/50.
Then the EMI recording of Turco from 8,9/1954 which is very good. The
famous Scala Turcos (5 total) came in 4,5/1955. These were directed by
the young Franco Ziffirelli who was Luchino Visconti's side kick.
Last, this gives me the opportunity to mention the Rossini opera Armida.
If I could travel backward in time to any Callas performance, this and
one the 1949 Neapolitian Nabuccos would be high on the list. The following
was written by Henry Wisneski in his fabuluos book 'Maria Callas; The Art
Behind the Legend', Doubleday & Company, Inc. 1975:
In the spring of 1952, Callas sang three performances of Gioacchino
Rossini's opera Armida at the Florence May Festival. For power and
beauty of voice, technical brilliance, intensity and range, the
April 26 broadcast of Armida is the most phenomenal of the
approximately eighty Callas opera performances known to exist in
sound.
In addition to negotiating the written difficulties of Armida'a
aria "D'amore al dolce impero," which include runs down to low G
in chest and a chromatic scale from middle C to high B flat and down
again, Callas interpolated high D's in her embellishments. During
Armida's twelve-minute final scene, Callas pushed her voice to its
limits, spanning almost three octaves. Armida's revilement of
Rinaldo, "E l'alma tua nutrita fu ognor di crudelta", was delivered
with torrents of sound as Callas hurtled through some of the most
florid music in operatic literature. Armida's final promise of
vengeance was sung with knife-thrust attacks for key words,
acidulous high notes and open chest tones.
This performance is available on Melodram. A few minutes of the opera was
lost due to transmission failure. The recorded sound is very bad. You will
forget all about the bad sound (and all about Normas) when you listen to the
singing in this Armida. This opera is almost never mounted because it has
four (or is it five) major tenor roles. There are just not words in the
world to describe it.
4/26/52: Armida: Firenze, Teatro Comunale (Maggio Musicale)
Francesco Albanese (Rinaldo); Alessandro Ziliani (Goffredo);
Antonio Salvarezza (Eustazio); Mario Filippeschi (Gernando, Ubaldo);
Gianni Raimondi (Carlo); Mario Frosini (Idraotte); Marco Stefanoni
(Astarotte); Orchestra e coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino;
Tullio Serafin (production by Alberto Savinio)
MELODRAM MEL 26024
4/29/52: Armida: Firenze, Teatro Comunale: 4/26/52
5/04/52: Armida: Firenze, Teatro Comunale: 4/26/52
Jon Conrad
>Yes. I have been an avid record collector and listener for several
>years. It is very difficult to come across good Callas recordings.
>They are mostly out of print and for some reason don't seem to
>be in reissue.
In fact, ALL of Callas's commercial recordings for EMI/Angel are
currently in print (the last missing link was her Beethoven aria, "Ah
perfido!", which they slipped onto the "Medea" they licensed from
Ricordi). They have even gotten the rights to issue 3 live recordings
that they didn't make - 2 Traviatas and a Lucia. It's been a long time
since her entire recorded work for Angel was available at the same time;
things are in fact better in this respect at the moment than they've
ever been.
>My interpretations: 1) record companies are fools who only reissue
>sure bets,
Maybe...but one of their "sure bets" is Callas, and Angel has kept her
easily available for us.
>2) anyone who has a good Callas recording is holding
>on to it (so invite us over to listen, dammit!)
There are indeed good "pirate" recordings of her, which have been
documented amply in books and articles. One must proceed with some care
as the sound can be excruciating.
>and/or 3) Callas recordings are so hit-or-miss that I've stopped
>spending money on them.
Well, they *are* hit-or-miss. Generally, her voice is weaker the later
you go, and the interpretations are more complete the later you go. The
trick is to find the right intersection of these two opposing slopes in
each particular case. For sure, you can't go wrong with the mono
"Tosca" or the Berlin "Lucia" (one of those classic live performances
Angel has made available).
Jon Alan Conrad
Jon Conrad
[In reference to the Callas Norma]
>Other overwhelming associations of great artists with powerful
>personalities matched with great roles occur to me:
Excellent list, Richard, and I agree with almost all of them. Let me
comment, and make some additions:
>Melchior - Tristan
Only excerpts commercially, but several live recordings are now
available.
>Rysanek - Senta
The commercial recording only suggests her greatness in this
role (you had to be there), but at least it suggests it.
>Milanov - Gioconda
>Schwarzkopf - Marschallin
Many Lottephiles will protest at your naming Schwarzkopf rather
than Lotte Lehmann for this role; but I agree with you.
>della Casa - Arabella
>Warren - Rigoletto
Those who saw him often in the role say that his RCA recording
was made too early to catch his full stature in the part.
>London - Golaud
This is the only one on your list I *might* take issue with.
London achieved greatness in several roles, but my only knowledge of his
Golaud is his recording with Ansermet, which I believe is his last
recording before illness forced him to retire, and I don't find the
aural results satisfactory.
>Chaliapin - Boris
>Pinza - Don Giovanni
I would add:
Lawrence Tibbett - Iago, Simon Boccanegra
Giovanni Martinelli - Otello
Maria Callas - [in addition to Norma already mentioned] Tosca
Enrico Caruso - Manrico
Friedrich Schorr - Hans Sachs
Leontyne Price - Aida
Frederica Von Stade - Cherubino
Alfredo Kraus - Werther
Others can certainly extend the list, or take issue with what we've
offered.
Jon Alan Conrad
R. Wilmer
>In article <22...@camex.COM> chr...@lloyd.Camex.COM (Chris Ischay) writes:
>>In article <23...@brahms.udel.edu> con...@brahms.udel.edu (Jon Conrad) writes:
>>
>>>The Callas Tosca - now THERE's a performance that's classic, legendary,
>>>whatever nice thing one wants to say.
>>
> Would anyone care to mention some
>>others?
A great Tosca recording is that of Milanov and Corelli recorded at
Covent Garden in 1957 available on CD on Legato Classics. They
are both at their best and sound the way I remember hearing them
at the Met in the 60s.
The same year Milanov recorded Tosca for RCA with Bjorling and Warren,
but only Bjorling sounds like himself on that recording. Except for
Il Trovatore, and some CDs of arias, Milanov's studio recordings
don't come close to her live performances (although her Cavalleria
and Aida came out OK and I haven't heard the current Met Gioconda release).
Richard
R. Wilmer
Yes, and I find that the live recording she made of Pirata in New
York with Rescigno is hair-raising in excitement and very well
sung. It is not only a good recording of Callas, but it is the
only document I know of that proves that Il Pirata is a great
opera. Callas and Rescigno did great service to Bellini as
well as themselves with their endeavor. The sound isn't bad either.
Richard
Chris Ischay
>[a list of artists and roles they "defined" or are closely associated with]
Melchior - Tristan
Rysanek - Senta
Milanov - Gioconda
Schwarzkopf - Marschallin
della Casa - Arabella
Warren - Rigoletto
London - Golaud
Chaliapin - Boris
>Pinza - Don Giovanni
In article <23...@brahms.udel.edu> con...@brahms.udel.edu (Jon Conrad)
writes:
>I would add:
Lawrence Tibbett - Iago, Simon Boccanegra
Giovanni Martinelli - Otello
Maria Callas - [in addition to Norma already mentioned] Tosca
Enrico Caruso - Manrico
Friedrich Schorr - Hans Sachs
Leontyne Price - Aida
Frederica Von Stade - Cherubino
Alfredo Kraus - Werther
>Others can certainly extend the list, or take issue with what we've
>offered.
Nothing to take issue with here. I would add a few:
Tito Gobbi - Scarpia
Eva Turner - Turandot
Enrico Caruso - Canio
Geraldine Farrar - Butterfly
And how about Birgit Nilsson? Could we name one role that she defines or
is closely associated with? Elektra, Brunhilde and Turandot all come to
mind.
Chris Ischay
chr...@bos.camex.com
R. Wilmer
>
>[In reference to the Callas Norma]
>
>>Other overwhelming associations of great artists with powerful
>>personalities matched with great roles occur to me:
>
>
> This is the only one on your list I *might* take issue with.
>London achieved greatness in several roles, but my only knowledge of his
>Golaud is his recording with Ansermet, which I believe is his last
>recording before illness forced him to retire, and I don't find the
>aural results satisfactory.
>
>
My criteria for my list were singers that were so overwhelming in their
parts that for a decade or more, they really owned those roles and
set a standard against which anyone who came later would have to
be measured.
I was fortunate enough to see four on my list:
Schwarzkopf's Marschallin
London's Golaud
Rysanek's Senta
Milanov's Gioconda
The first three of those really had to be seen live to realize the
effect. Indeed, Schwarzkopf's vocalism wasn't as good when I saw
her as it was in the Karajan recording (indeed Lisa della Casa
as Octavian outsang her that night), but visually she was extraordinary.
Likewise, London's Golaud (which, as you say, did not last long like
my other choices) was memorable largely through the depth and power of
his acting and physical presence.
Of the studio recordings of those four, only Schwarzkopf's Marshallin
gives a good idea of the true greatness of the artist in the role.
>I would add:
>
>Lawrence Tibbett - Iago, Simon Boccanegra
>Giovanni Martinelli - Otello
>Maria Callas - [in addition to Norma already mentioned] Tosca
>Enrico Caruso - Manrico
>Friedrich Schorr - Hans Sachs
>Leontyne Price - Aida
>Frederica Von Stade - Cherubino
>Alfredo Kraus - Werther
Indeed, those singers were certainly unrivalled in those
parts for many years. With Caruso I would also mention Canio.
Another occurs to me:
Tito Schipa - Ernesto
Also maybe Ninon Vallin as Louise and Manon, although I'm not
sure that her reputation was as internationally overwhelming as
the others.
Jon, tomorrow I leave for Bayreuth to sing Gurnemanz and Marke
in Anna Reynolds's Bayreuth training program for Wagner signers.
I also expect to see two of the Festival performances and two
rehearsals while I am there. So I will not be posting for
three weeks, but expect to have a lot to report at the end of August.
Richard
Greg Paley
>one would state the criteria for definitiveness. Jon mentions what may be
>the best candidate for this honor. Would anyone care to mention some
>others? One I would put on the list would be Beecham's La Boheme with
>Bjoerling and de los Angeles. I have a number of other favorites that are
>my personal definitives, but I'm not sure I'd be willing to defend them in
>the Court of RMC.
I consider "definitive" to indicate a performance that communicates the
essential character and expressive content of a work with such clarity
and force as to be superior to all others. A recording ceases, then, to
be "definitive" when another recording comes yet closer to the essence
of the same work. As such, a "definitive" performance can have serious
flaws in its execution which fail to prevent communication of its basic
statement, and there can be more flawless executions which fail in
this.
"Definitive" will still be subjective, since different listeners have
separate ideas of what that essential character and content are for a
given work, and therefore will have different judging criteria.
I agree on the Callas/de Sabata "Tosca". In addition to the solo singing,
the choral work, the orchestral playing (particularly in the Act III
prelude), and de Sabata's pacing and rhythmic inflections produce an
effect that (though recorded in Milan) unmistakably evokes Rome.
To me, however, the Beecham "Boheme" fails to capture the continuous
tension and dark undercurrent that underly the musical fabric. In many
cases, the tempi are simply too slow to achieve this. Therefore, for
"Boheme" I find myself returning to the Toscanini. The Beecham is much
more richly and beautifully sung, but the very opulence and maturity of
the voices is, again for my tastes, at odds with the essential character
of the work.
Other recorded performances of opera that strike me as "definitive" are
the Flagstad/Furtwaengler "Tristan", the 1942 Desormiere "Pelleas",
Britten's own recording of "Peter Grimes" (although I immensely like
the Vickers/Davis version), and the Toscanini "Otello." It's harder to
envision the adjective applying to song, given the immense variety of
"valid" approaches, but I feel that two examples of Mahler singing
deserve it: the Fischer-Dieskau/Furtwaengler "Lieder eines fahrenden
Gesellen" and the Baker/Barbirolli "Rueckert Lieder."
Greg Paley
Jon Conrad
>I consider "definitive" to indicate a performance that communicates the
>essential character and expressive content of a work with such clarity
>and force as to be superior to all others....
Fair enough as a working definition, I think. We all know (don't we?)
that no performance/recording can be truly "definitive" in any ultimate
sense. But some can certainly seem to come close, in the imperfect
world we inhabit.
>"Definitive" will still be subjective, since different listeners have
>separate ideas of what that essential character and content are for a
>given work, and therefore will have different judging criteria.
Of course. But perhaps we can reserve a category for recordings which a
high proportion of listeners, over a long period of time, have judged
close to ideal. (Chris's "consensus" category.) Like this one:
>I agree on the Callas/de Sabata "Tosca".
>To me, however, the Beecham "Boheme" fails to capture the continuous
>tension and dark undercurrent that underly the musical fabric. In many
>cases, the tempi are simply too slow to achieve this. Therefore, for
>"Boheme" I find myself returning to the Toscanini. The Beecham is much
>more richly and beautifully sung, but the very opulence and maturity of
>the voices is, again for my tastes, at odds with the essential character
>of the work.
Here, I think, the answer is that for "La Boheme" there is no
"consensus" or "widely regarded as definitive" recording. I know you
don't arrive at your choice of Toscanini lightly, and for you it
captures the essence of the work. To me it says relatively little, and
I turn with relief and renewed appreciation to the Beecham. So we have
our different prioritites with this opera (others would prefer
Serafin/Tebaldi, or Callas, or Gigli/Albanese), and no agreement on
"definitiveness" (definitivity?) is likely.
As to your other examples, just to keep the discussion going:
>the Flagstad/Furtwaengler "Tristan",
Certainly more than any other; for me, it still leaves sides of the work
unexplored that I've come to value. Maybe in the afterlife I'll hear my
ultimate "Tristan."
>the 1942 Desormiere "Pelleas",
I guess. Everyone says so, anyway. (I'm not trying to be disagreeable,
just haven't studied all the options deeply enough to be sure that this
is all THAT much better than some others I like.)
>Britten's own recording of "Peter Grimes" (although I immensely like
>the Vickers/Davis version),
Agreed on Britten's recording (and I'd add his Turn of the Screw too).
I was overwhelmed by Vickers' Grimes in live performance, but I resist
him on records in the role.
>and the Toscanini "Otello."
Absolutely. The greatest of Toscanini's recorded opera performances, I
think (in spite of quite evident imperfections in the cast). What
passion, what soul.
I don't want to just sit on the sidelines and kvetch, so here are some
more suggestions: the Nilsson/Solti Goetterdaemmerung, the
Eichhorn/Ludwig/Fischer-Dieskau Haensel und Gretel, the Kempe Ariadne
auf Naxos. (It's actually harder than I thought to think up items that
won't provoke automatic heated disagreement!)
Jon Alan Conrad
David Lieberman x2028
>
>
>This brings up a question. I was interested that no one mentioned Callas's
>recording of Carmen when someone asked for a recommendation. I've never heard
>it but I was a little surprised by the omission because this recording seems to
>have legendary status. Would anyone like to comment?
>
>Chris Brewster
>c...@cray.com
>GEnie: C.BREWSTER7
I admire Callas' artistry enormously but by the time she
recorded Carmen (1963-1964) her voice was in ruins. Much of
the role is sung in a baritonal chest register which makes her
sound like Marlene Dietrich or Lotte Lenya.
If you want to hear some wonderful Carmen excerpts there is an
EMI Reference CD of Concita Supervia singing 30 minutes of Carmen
plus 40 minutes from various Rossini operas. You can buy it
for approx. $9 and it would be a bargain at twice the price.
These excerpts were recorded in 1930. The sound is quite vivid
and the character of the voice comes through well but one must
not expect 1990 sound.
It is customary when discussing Supervia to warn the unwary about
her wide and rapid vibrato. I can see where it might put some
people off but I loved that voice the moment I first heard it.
The fun and sparkle come through amazingly. I have never felt
so strongly the physical presence of a singer from a recording.
It is also my kind of Carmen. The great secret about Carmen
is that it is funny. There is a lot of humor in the dialog
and a general comic/romantic spirit not too unlike, say,
Cyrano De Bergerac.
--
____*_ David Lieberman d...@indetech.com
\ / / Independence Technologies {sun,uunet,pacbell}!indetech!dl
\/ / 42705 Lawrence Place FAX: 415 438-2034
\/ Fremont, CA 94538 Voice: 415 438-2030
David Lieberman x2028
>years. It is very difficult to come across good Callas recordings.
>They are mostly out of print and for some reason don't seem to
>be in reissue. For a long time, I had to take it on faith that
>she was a great opera singer, since most of the recordings I
>came across were from late in her career when she was much in
>decline. Only a week or so ago did I hear a cut off a CD called
>"Movies go to the Opera" (in the lab at work, no less) that
>really showed what I now believe to be her true talents.
Roger,
Get thee to thy nearest Tower Records. ALL of Callas' commercial
recordings are on CD and there are a vast number of pirate (or
private or whatever) recordings of live performances. There are
even recordings of rehearsals, there are videos of recitals. No
singer in history has been so well documented and it is all
available.
>
>--
>Roger Knopf "It has a strong potential for
>SCO Consulting Services being dippy." --David Farmer
>uunet!sco!rogerk,rog...@sco.com 408-425-7222 (V) 408-458-4227 (fax)
Bill_P...@cup.portal.com
mentions how visually stunning Schwarzkopf was as the Marschallin.
I wish I could have seen her in the role (I've only seen her in lieder
rrecitals.) I remember someone who had seen her Marschallin once telling
me that the only problem was that she was too beautiful - so beautiful
that Octavian would never have abandoned her for Sophie!
Bill Pearce
R. Wilmer
>of the work.
>
>Other recorded performances of opera that strike me as "definitive" are
>the Flagstad/Furtwaengler "Tristan", the 1942 Desormiere "Pelleas",
>Britten's own recording of "Peter Grimes" (although I immensely like
>the Vickers/Davis version), and the Toscanini "Otello."
I nominate the Milanov, Bjorling, Warren, Barbieri, Moscona ``Trovatore''.
Richard
Greg Paley
>doesn't thrill me. Callas sounds to me like she's holding a
>potato in her mouth when she gets even moderately high in her
>voice (like in the 'pres des ramparts de Seville' aria). Is
>this what people mean when they describe her 'decline'?
>
shrill had, by the early 60's, started to cause a severe spread to the
sound in the upper middle (around F at the top of the treble staff). Her
way of countering this was a fairly extreme darkening of the vowels when
going through this range. It made for a more controllable and reliable
sound which was less inclined to wobble or spread, but made for a very
peculiar vowel coloration (giving the impression of all vowels being
colored by something like the French "eu" sound).
>My only other Callas recording is of the Barber of Seville, with
>a younger Luigi Alva (not so many h's) and Tito Gobbi. I rather
>like Callas in this one (no potato). 'Una voce poco fa' is
>wonderfully delicate. But the liner notes say that no one liked
>her as Rosina. Anybody care to comment?
>
I think that the "no one liked" applied to her stage performances
rather than the studio recording. From what one can tell of those performances,
based on a broadcast that was issued by various "private" companies,
her approach there was much broader and lacking the delicacy and refinement
of the later studio recording.
Greg Paley