Cherubini: Medea [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Leonard Bernstein learned the score to Medea in five days after another conductor fell ill. It was also the first time he worked with Maria Callas. The result is electrifying. Bernstein hardly sees the score as the "classical" composition it had been considered, and Callas agrees--this is high drama, as close to verismo as possible. The performance, taped live in 1953, is a whirlwind of emotions. Callas, at her vocal best, with high notes blazing and solid and chest voice so dangerously pushed that it's a wonder her career lasted as long as it did, is an utterly malignant Medea, spitting out her rage in a way that is almost visible. The rest of the cast is good enough (or better than that), and the La Scala forces are in a controlled frenzy. EMI has cleaned up the sound of this (previously) "private" recording and eliminated much of the applause (after her first aria, Callas received a 10-minute standing ovation). Even if you own the old, studio-recorded Callas Medea, this will open your ears to the opera anew. Simply staggering--and midprice. --Robert Levine

Tracks:

Ecco: Respiro Appena. Io Son L'umile Ancella
Poveri Fiori
La Mamma Morta
Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana
L'altra Notte In Fondo Al Mare
Una Voce Poco Fa
Ombra Leggera
Dov'e L'Indiana Bruna?
Merce, Dilette Amiche
Dei Tuoi Figli La Madre
Tu Che Invoco Con Orrore
O Nume, Tutelar
Caro Oggetto

Customer Reviews:

Early Callas.......2007-05-12

This is a very fine representation of Maria Callas in her early prime. The voice is in great shape and this is a wonderful introduction to her artistry and range of styles, especially for interested parties who do not know her. This is a must to have in your vocal collection.

A litmus test for appreciating Callas.......2006-03-17

I can remember my shock at eightenn when I was on my own for the first time and could play any recordings I wanted without offending my non-musical family. I knew Maria Callas by reputation and bought one of her famous performances, Carmen, only to hear not a celestially beautiful voice but a hooded, murky one that wobbled in all registers and screeched in the upper ones. Everyone who first encounters her discovers that Callas was possessed of a mesmerizing artistry but nothing like a lovely voice. In fact, she disdained lovely singing. This is too well known to repeat again; everything about Callas has been over-described, analyzed, worshipped, condemned, apologized for, and obsessed over.

Her Carmen came late in her career, unlike this famous mono recording from 1954, but its close miking and hard sound (made better by remastering) reveal all too painfully the same flaws. It could serve as a litmus test for whether a listener will ever "get" the Callas phenomenon. Her artistry couldn't be more intense and searching than it is in the five verismo arias at the beginning--even non-opera lovers know her 'La Mamma Morta' from its heartbreaking use in the movie 'Philadelphia,' where the dying Tom Hanks acts out its meaning as he walks in a trance of ecstasy clutching his IV stand.

I have lain awake listening to those five arias every night for a month, and it says something for Callas's art that I can foresee listening to them again. Not now, perhaps, becasue even the best things wear out with repetiiton. I just thought it was good to pay tribute to them and the deep emotions they inspired. My incidental motive, since EMI has rehashed every Callas item to death, is to point out that this indeed is one of her greatest recordings, an essential not just for lovers of singing but for the history of opera itself.

Great recordings of the century A label this recording deserves.......2005-09-21

Recorded in September 1954 together with Puccini Arias. This recording shows the La Divina in the prime of her vocal abilities. This 1954 recording presents Callas with enormous range of musical styles in which the La Divina was entirely at home. This recording refects Callas ability not just to sing but to put drama in every aria. I am happy that finally EMI gave this recording the recognition in it deserves "Great Recordings of the Century". For those who do not want to purchase the Recitals 1954-1969 [BOX SET] or plans to buy the recital collection one buy one , I strongly suggest to purchase this edition, the cover has the original cover artwork of the original LP (very nostalgic).

Average customer rating:

Just the best of the best.

Maria Callas Live

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Maria Callas 100 Best Classics
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Lyric & Coloratura Arias by Maria Callas (EMI's Great Recordings of the Century)
Maria Callas - At Covent Garden 1962 and 1964

ASIN: B000AMUU9E
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Tracks:

Casta Diva...Fino Al Rito...Ah! Bello A Me Ritorna
Oh, Rimembranza!...Ah Si, Fa Core
Perfido! Or Basti!
Mira, O Norma...Cedi, Deh Cedi!...Si, Fino All'ore Estreme
In Mia Man Alfin Tu Sei
Deh! Non Volerli Vittime
Sorgete; E In Me Dover...Quando A Un Tratto - Various Artists
Ah! Lo Sento
Cedo Al Destin Orribile
Oh! S'io Potessi Dissipar Le Nubi...Col Sorriso D'innocenza..Oh, Sole! Ti Vela Di Tenebra Fonda

Tracks:

Care Compagne...Come Per Me Sereno...Sovra Il Sen
Son Geloso Del Zefiro Errante
D'Un Pensiero E D'un Accento...Non Piu Nozze - Various Artists
Ah! Non Credea Mirarti
Ah! Non Giunge
Regnava Nel Silenzio...Quando Rapito In Estasi
Qui Di Sposa...Verranno A Te
Soffriva Nel Pianto...Tu Che Vedi Il Pianto Mio
Chi Mi Frena - Various Artists
Il Dolce Suono...Ardon Gli Incensi...Spargi D'amaro Pianto - Various Artists

Tracks:

Dei Tuo figli...O Fatal Vello D'or
Creonte A Me Solo
E Che? Io Son Medea!
Come, Innocente Giovane...Non V'ha Sguardo
Io Sentii Sulla Mia Mano - Various Artists
Ove Sono?...In Quegli Sguardi Impresso...Ah! Segnata E La Mia Sorte - Various Artists
Va, Infelice
Fin Dall'eta Piu Tenera...Salira D'Inghilterra Sul Trono
Piangete Voi?...Al Dolce Guidami...Qual Mesto Suon?...Coppia Iniqua - Various Artists

Tracks:

Di Mio Padre...Deh! Pelopea Stirpe!...O Tu, Che In Tua Pieta Crudel
Sommi Dei!...O Sventurata Ifigenia
Il Voto Pago Andra...Io Ti Veggio
Ah! L'esecrando Rito...Io T'imploro Anelante
Di Quai Soavi Lagrime
Omai Da Lunge...Perche Di Stolto Giubilo
Donna...Che! Possente Numi!...Quest'alma E Troppo Debole
Ah! Fuggi Da Morte
Ecco Il Segnal!
Ecco L'orrido Campo...Ma Dall'arido Stela Divulsa
Teco Io Sto...O Qual Soave Brivido
A Tal Colpo...Morro, Ma Prima In Grazia

Tracks:

Libiamo, Ne' Lieti Calici
E Strano! E Strano...Ah! Fors'e Lui...Sempre Libera
Non Sapete...Ah! Dite Alla Giovine
Dammi Tu Forza, O Cielo!
Teneste La Promessa...Addio Del Passato
Ah, Violetta!...Se Una Pudica Vergine - Various Artists
Ritorna Vincitor!
Al Tuo Consiglio Io Cedo...Gloria All'egitto - Various Artists
Qui Radames Verra!...O Patria Mia
Ciel! Mio Padre!
O Terra, Addio

Tracks:

Nel Di Della Vittoria...Vieni! T'afferetta!...Or Tutti Sorgete
La Luce Langue
Una Macchia E Qui Tuttora
Gente La Dentro!...Mario! Mario!...Non La Sospiri, La Nostra Casetta
Orsu, Tosca, Parlate - Various Artists
Vissi D'arte
Senti, L'ora E Vicina...Amaro Sol Per Te...Presto! Su, Mario! - Various Artists
Ecco L'altare...Ervate Possente
Come Sa Amare!...La Mamma Morta
Benedico Il Destino! - Various Artists

Tracks:

Ben Io T'invenni...Anch'io Dischiuso Un Giorno (Abigaille, Act II)
Dov'e L'indiana Bruna? (Bell Song) (Lakme, Act II)
Tutte Le Torture (Costanze, Act II)
Ahime! Che Notte Oscura...Ombra Leggera (Shadow Song) (Dinorah, Act II)
Depuis Le Jour (Louise, Act III)
D'amore Al Dolce Impero (Armida, Act II)
Bel Raggio Lusinghier (Smiramide, Act I)
Ma Chi E Questa Bella...Ai Vostri Giochi...Ed Ora A Voi (Ofelia, Act IV)
Vanne, Lasciami...D'amor Sull'ali Rosee (Leonora, Act IV)
Pace, Pace, Mio Dio! (Leonora, Act IV)
Dolce E Calmo (Liebestod) Isolde, Act III)

Tracks:

Una Voce Poco Fa (Rosina, Act I)
Tu Che Vedi Il Mio Tormento (Tu Che Invoco) (Giulia, Act II)
Surta E La Notte...Ernani! Nernai, Involami (Elvira, Act I)
Tu Che Le Vanita (Elsabetta, Act IV)
Si. Mi Chiamano Mimi (Mimi, Act I)
L'altra Notte In Fondo Al Mare (Margherita, Act III)
L'amour Est Un Oiseau rebelle (Habanera) (Carmen, Act I)
Pres Des Remparts De Seville (Seguedille) (Carmen, Act I)
Nacqui All'affanno...Non Piu Mesta (Cenerentola, Act II)
Je Ne Suis Que Faiblesse...Adieu, Notre Petite Table (Manon, Act II)
Werther! Qui M'aurait Dit...Des Cris Joyeux (Charlotte, Act III)
Tu? Tu? Piccolo Iddio (Butterfly, Act II)
O Mio Babbino Caro (Lauretta)

Customer Reviews:

Just the best of the best........2006-02-08

From all the compilations of Maria Callas EMI has issued this is BY FAR the best one.

Unlike her studio recitals, unequal and mostly recorded when her voice was starting to decay, this live records take you back to the glorious early fifties when the young Callas was changing the history of opera forever.

The first 6 CD's are scenes from stage performances and the last 2 from recitals.

Chronollogically, this compilation starts with the legendary (and controversial) 1951 Mexico-City "Aida" and ends with the 1964 Covent Garden "Tosca" (when Callas' voice was just the shade of itself but at the peak of her dramatic skills).
Listen to the electrifying poetry of the 1952 "La sonnambula", to the devorating flame of 1955 "La traviata" and "Lucia". Not to forget the 1952 "Norma", the 1957 "Ana Bolena" and some rarities like "Andrea Chénier", "Ifigenia in Tauride" and "Poliuto".
The only great absent of this collection is "Armida"...

As for the the 2 recital CD's, the first one contains arias from concerts between 1952 and 1958, when Callas was in full command of her voice. Nobody else was capable of singing arias from Nabucco and Lakmé on the same recital! And listen to the last aria: Wagner's Isolde's dead.

The second one, contains arias from 1959 to 1963. Here, Callas voice had diminished considerably and she was not anymore capable of the same technical miracles, but she still managed to give thrilling dramatical interpretations (listen to the dead scene of Madama Butterfly of the 1963 Paris recital!!!)

In 80% of this compilation you can hear the young Callas creating her own legend, giving herself completly on the stage.

Cherubini: Medea (complete opera live 1953) with Maria Callas, Fedora Barbieri, Leonard Bernstein, Orchestra & Chorus of La Scala, Milan

Average customer rating:

Why 5?... Find Out!
A classic
Great performance - terrible mastering
The Mighty Medea
Great

Cherubini: Medea (complete opera live 1953) with Maria Callas, Fedora Barbieri, Leonard Bernstein, Orchestra & Chorus of La Scala, Milan
Maria Callas , Cherubini , Lsc , and Bernstein
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Donizetti: Anna Bolena (complete opera live 1957) with Maria Callas, Gianni Raimondi, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Orchestra & Chorus of La Scala, Milan
Bellini: La Sonnambula (complete opera live 1955) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe Modesti, Leonard Bernstein, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
Verdi: Macbeth (complete opera live 1952) with Maria Callas, Enzo Mascherini, Victor de Sabata, Orchestra & Chorus of La Scala, Milan
Ponchielli: La Gioconda (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Fiorenza Cossotto, Antonino Votto, Orchestra & Chorus of La Scala, Milan
Bellini: I Puritani / Callas, di Stefano, Rossi-Lemeni, Panerai; Serafin

ASIN: B000069V7R
Release Date: 2002-11-05

Tracks:

Sinfonia
Act One: Che? Quando Gia Corona Amor
Act One: O Amore, Vieni A Me!
Act One: No, Non Temer
Act One: O Bella Glauce
Act One: Colco! Pensier Fatal!
Act One: Or Che Piu Non Vedro
Act One: Ah, Gia Troppo Turbo
Act One: Pronube Dive
Act One: Signor! Ferma Una Donna
Act One: Qui Tremar Devi Tu
Act One: Taci, Giason
Act One: Dei Tuoi Figli La Madre
Act One: Son Vane Qui Minacce
Act One: Nemici Senza Cor

Tracks:

Act Two: Introduzione
Act Two: Soffrir Non Posso
Act Two: Date Almen Per Pieta
Act Two: Medea, O Medea!
Act Two: Solo Un Pianto Con Te Versare
Act Two: Creonte A Me Solo Un Giorno Da?
Act Two: Figli, Miei, Miei Tesor
Act Two: Hai Dato Pronto Ascolto
Act Two: Ah! Triste Canto!...Dio Dell'Amor!
Act Three: Introduzione
Act Three: Numi, Venite A Me
Act Three: Del Fiero Duol Che Il Cor Mi Frange
Act Three: Neris, Che Hai Fatto
Act Three: E Che? Lo Son Medea!

Amazon.com

Leonard Bernstein learned the score to Medea in five days after another conductor fell ill. It was also the first time he worked with Maria Callas. The result is electrifying. Bernstein hardly sees the score as the "classical" composition it had been considered, and Callas agrees--this is high drama, as close to verismo as possible. The performance, taped live in 1953, is a whirlwind of emotions. Callas, at her vocal best, with high notes blazing and solid and chest voice so dangerously pushed that it's a wonder her career lasted as long as it did, is an utterly malignant Medea, spitting out her rage in a way that is almost visible. The rest of the cast is good enough (or better than that), and the La Scala forces are in a controlled frenzy. EMI has cleaned up the sound of this (previously) "private" recording and eliminated much of the applause (after her first aria, Callas received a 10-minute standing ovation). Even if you own the old, studio-recorded Callas Medea, this will open your ears to the opera anew. Simply staggering--and midprice. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Why 5?... Find Out!.......2006-12-29

As is often the case with me, this Medea is my favorite but not my first. I purchased the Serafin Medea (Picchi + Scotto) just in time for summer break. I became very, very closely acquainted with a very, very bad version of the opera. Then, a month later, intrigued, I purchased this one. I was completely blown away! This recording is one of the few Callas recordings where no one in the cast is bad. Everyone (especially, as Berger puts it, "good old Gino Penno") sings wonderfully, and Callas provides a stunning example of what she dubbed in her later years as "bloody miraculous" singing. The dramatic aspects of her voice are completely overshadowed by the fact that she sang OUT! Callas herself said that Medea is "a role for moderation". As is stated in the libretto, if this recording has been somehow moderated or toned down, it makes one wonder what an UN-moderated performance might sound like. This thrilling Medea has certainly earned its five stars!

A classic.......2006-08-30

While the performance is first rate, the quality of the recording leaves a lot to be desired; some cases of "static" on Disk 2.

Great performance - terrible mastering.......2006-03-28

This great recording is totally sabotaged by the mastering EMI used. This was one of the recordings issued by EMI in conjunction with Callas' horendous sister Jackie, who claimed ownwership of Callas' live material (and EMI believed her????) Anyway this is a copy of old Verona CDs but the sound is muffled - if you want this performance in better sound, try and find the original Verona CDs 27088/9; also the Melodram is supposed to be OK. But avoid this set.

The Mighty Medea.......2005-11-02

This EMI recording will never dare get out of print. Recorded at La Scala in the 50's it finds Maria Callas in her prime, singing with bite, feral power and dramatic commitment in a role that equalled her greater performance as Bellini's Norma. This would be her second greatest role. The rest of the cast sings well and supports her with harmonic and dramatic integrity, particularly Fedora Barbieri, one of the few mezzo-sopranos who could raise her chest voice above the orchestra. Leonard Bernstein, ranking high in the list of quality conductors of the 20th century, takes the baton in a powerful, visceral interpretation of Cherubini's originally classical/Gluckian score. Bernstein was the one conductor who stood out by pulling out all the stops and delivering tricks that were innovative. His conducting was bombastic and modern and usually strayed from the mainstream, orthodox, old-school way of conducting that such famous names as Toscanini, Stokowski and Karajan conducted. Bernstein works well with Callas, bringing out more passion and dynamics than even De Sabata or Tullio Serafin, her champion conductors, ever did. Bernstein knows that Callas was at this time at the top of the opera scene and he wholly supports her temperament and bravura in a sublime performance. Medea is based on the old Greek legend of the wife of Jason, leader of the Golden Fleece-searching Argonauts. When Jason was unfaithful, Medea became crazed with jealousy and even murders her own children. The intensity of the opera lies in Medea's emotional downward spiral, which Callas, with terrific musicianship and vocal ability gets into easily. This is a must have for fans of the diva and while I don't much care for all her roles I think that Norma, Medea and Tosca are his best roles.

Great.......2005-10-01

Artists: Maria Callas, Gino Penno, Fedora Barbieri, Maria Luisa Nache et al.

Maria Callas' approach to Medea changed somewhat through her career. Here, her Medea, much like her Norma at Covent Garden in 1952, is of greater elemental strength than later in her career, compared with her portrayal at Dallas in 1958 for example, although not quite so complete. At Dallas, her voice was no longer the same dramatic soprano that graced the stage in 1953; instead, the voice is even finer on the coloratura high notes, if less secure than before, and Medea becomes less of a tigress and more `human'. However, her Medea remains remarkable at La Scala.
Gino Penno, an exciting singer, is a fine partner - he was at home in the heavier Italian repertoire e.g. Pollione (Norma), Manrico (Il Trovatore) and Ernani - several excellent "live" recordings and broadcasts of his exist; the Ernani with Cetra was particularly great.
Maria Luisa Nache was a quality singer and makes Glauce seem interesting.
Leonard Bernstein's conducting remains somewhat controversial but the result is extremely exciting and potent.
The sound is average - the chorus is tarnished by distortion and swamps just about everything else - soloists and orchestra - when at full pelt. The sound is usually adequate, if rather murky - excluding some high-notes and occasionally overpowering bass.

Recommended
D. Bennett

Average customer rating:

Fantasic
Sorry, not that impressed.
MUST have 4 Callas fans and singers!
AN INVITATION INTO CALLAS' WORLD

Maria Callas at Juilliard

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Callas at Juilliard: The Master Classes
Maria Callas - The Callas Conversations (EMI Classic Archive)
Maria Callas Remembered: An Intimate Portrait of the Private Callas
Cherubini: Medea (complete opera live 1953) with Maria Callas, Fedora Barbieri, Leonard Bernstein, Orchestra & Chorus of La Scala, Milan
Maria Callas: Live In Concert

ASIN: B000002S6X
Release Date: 1995-09-19

Tracks:

Don Giovanni: Non mi dir (Act II)
Don Giovanni: Non mi dir (Act II) - Master Class: Kyu Do Park
Don Giovanni: Non mi dir (Act II) (With Recit: 'Crudele...')
Fidelio: Abscheulicher! (Act II) - Master Class: Pamela Hebert
Medea: Dei tuoi figli (Act I) - Master Class:Luba Tcheresky
Medea: Dei tuoi figli (Act I)

Tracks:

Norma: Casta diva (Act I) - Master Class: Pamela Hebert
Norma: Casta diva (Act I)
Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Una voce poco fa (Act I) - Master Class: Syble Young
Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Una voce poco fa (Act I)
Rigoletto: Cortigiani, vil razza dannata (Act II) - Master Class: Sung Kil Kim
Don Carlo: Nei giardin del bello (Act II) - Master Class: Sheila Nadler

Tracks:

Werther: Qui m'aurait dit...Des cris joyeux (Act III) - Master Class: Anita Terzian
Werther: Qui m'aurait dit...Des cris joyeux (Act III)
La Boheme: Si, mi chiamano Mimi (Act I) - Master Class: Kyu Do Park
La Boheme: Si, mi chiamano Mimi (Act I)
Madama Butterfly: Che tua madre (Act II) - Master Class: Akiko Ikuo Hayashi
Madama Butterfly: Che tua madre (Act II)
Callas' Farewell To The Students

Customer Reviews:

Fantasic.......2006-09-26

This is the first time I have heard Callas speak outside of operatic performance, and even in her normal speaking voice you Listen. It is amazing to hear this passionate teacher share her love of music, and in mid-sentence come out with examples of her singing - like a higher power.
I highly recommend this to true music lovers and musicians.

Sorry, not that impressed........2006-09-21

If you are a voice major, then buy this set. It is more instructional perhaps in that sense. But for true enjoyment? It is just not for me.

Take the money you would spend on this set and buy the LA DIVINA CALLAS set. Well worth the money if you want to hear the divine Miss Callas. There are also numerous EMI classic sets out there for her opera performances that I think would be much more of an enjoyable listening experience than the Julliard recordings.

MUST have 4 Callas fans and singers!.......2005-12-11

This is a treasure recording! Totally an amazing! I'M THRILLED!!!
My favorite part is the "Cortigiani, vil razza dannata" lesson! It is interesting how Callas is teaching Baritone part and she is absolutely amazing! I cry almost everytime I listen to this track. You will learn a lot! A MUST have!

AN INVITATION INTO CALLAS' WORLD.......1999-05-17

Long acknowledged for its contribution to the teaching of singing, Callas at Juillard is indeed worth a listen. Recorded during her sessions at Juillard, Callas goes through the sung repertoire ranging from Mozart to Bellini to Verdi with both roles that she was famed for as well as roles that she had never sung. What is special about this record is that each session covering an aria is paired up with the same aria as performed previously by Callas if possible. This allows us to compare the differences that may have resulted in the gap of the performances. Callas shows us the insight she had gained as a student while she took a sabatical from the stage and takes this as an opportunity to impart her experience and knowledge to the students. Covering arias like "Non mi dir" from Don Giovanni, Norma's "Casta Diva" which was her calling card, to even the veil song for Princess Eboli in Don Carlos and even Rigoletto's aria, Callas reveals her natural instinct and understanding of roles and how they are to be sung. At a time while she was not in her vocal prime, Callas astounds when she accompanies the students demonstrating a phrase or two. Her voice still shows the beauty and tenacity that she was known for, at times matched that of her voice at its peak. Peppering the sessions with comments, she shows the students what is done and why it is done and at times, even shows her sense of humour. This recording is as precious as any can get and more so than any of her records, show Callas at her most relaxed and natural and thereby at her best. Combined with John Ardoin's book, this CD is unmatched for its value and worth as a study guide.

Average customer rating:

The single greatest recital CD from Callas

Maria Callas: Opera Arias

Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002RNU
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Customer Reviews:

The single greatest recital CD from Callas.......2005-09-27

This is Callas in her prime, and every single selection sets the standard for that aria. Her famous La mamma morta from Andrea Chenier, the centerpiece of an unforgettable scene with the dying Toms Hanks in the movie Philadelphi, comes from this recital. In eveyr respect this is a supreme recording, matched only by her mad scenes recital and perhaps her first Verdi recital--they're are all indispensable.

Maria Callas ~ Cherbini - Medea [selection]

Average customer rating:

Deserved Reputation
A stage on fire!
ruslan
When ancient greek spirit meets opera, in one word, Callas..
Callas' musical abilities

Maria Callas ~ Cherbini - Medea [selection]
Luigi Cherubini , Nicola Rescigno , Vittorio Gui , Maria Callas , Teresa Berganza , Judith Raskin , Jon Vickers , Nicola Zaccaria , Peter Bender , Mary MacKenzie , Fedora Barbieri , and Carlos Guichandut
Manufacturer: Gala
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Callas, Maria | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Verdi: La Traviata
Verdi: Aida (complete opera live 1951) with Maria Callas, Mario del Monaco, Oliviero de Fabritis, Orchestra & Chorus of del Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City
Bellini - Norma / Maria Callas
Bellini: La Sonnambula (complete opera live 1957) with Maria Callas, Nicola Zaccaria, Antonino Votto, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
Donizetti: Anna Bolena (complete opera live 1957) with Maria Callas, Gianni Raimondi, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Orchestra & Chorus of La Scala, Milan

ASIN: B000001XNI
Release Date: 2000-06-06

Tracks:

Medea: Act Two - Creonte a me solo un giorno da? (Medea) (Neris) (Giasone)
Medea: Act Two - Figli miei, miei tesor (Medea) (Giasone)
Medea: Act Two - Hai dato pronto ascolto (Medea) (Neris)
Medea: Act Two - Ah ! Tristi canto ! ... Dio dell'Amor ! (Medea) (Giasone)
Medea: Act Three - Introduzione
Medea: Act Three - Numi, venite a me (Medea) (Neris)
Medea: Act Three - Del fiero duol che il cor mi frange (Medea)
Medea: Act Three - Neris, che hai fatto (Medea) (Neris)
Medea: Act Three - E che? Io son Medea ! (Medea) (Giasone) (Neris)
Medea: Act Three - Introduzione
Medea: Act Three - Numi, venite a me (Medea) (Neris)
Medea: Act Three - Del fiero duol che il cor mi frange (Medea)
Medea: Act Three - Neris, che hai fatto (Medea) (Neris)
Medea: Act Three - E che? Io son Medea ! (Medea) (Giasone) (Neris)

Tracks:

Medea: Sinfonia
Medea: Act One - Che? Quando gia corona Amor
Medea: Act One - O Amore, vieni a me!
Medea: Act One - No, non temer (Giasone)
Medea: Act One - O bella Glause
Medea: Act One - Colco! Pensier fatal! (Giasone)
Medea: Act One - Or che piu non vedro (Giasone)
Medea: Act One - Ah, gia troppo turbo
Medea: Act One - Pronube dive (Giasone)
Medea: Act One - Signor! Ferma unna donna (Medea) (Giasone)
Medea: Act One - Qui tremar devi tu
Medea: Act One - Taci, Giason (Medea) (Giasone)
Medea: Act One - Dei tuoi figli la madre (Medea)
Medea: Act One - Son vane qui minacce (Giasone)
Medea: Act One - Nemici senza cor (Medea) (Giasone)
Medea: Act Two - Introduzione
Medea: Act Two - Soffrir non posso (Medea) (Neris)
Medea: Act Two - Date almen per pieta (Medea) (Neris)
Medea: Act Two - Medea, o Medea!
Medea: Act Two - Solo un pianto con te versare (Neris)

Customer Reviews:

Deserved Reputation.......2005-06-05

This recording deserves its reputation. The recording quality is
good (for the time and place) and Callas is terrifying. The searing
quality of her chest voice is ( and needs to remain) unique. Young
singers, beware: don't attempt this at home, or any place else. When
you hear this and other recordings of Medea, you understand her
later vocal collapse, but hey: better 10 years of glory than 20 of
treading operatic water. While other singers might challenge her
in other rep, NO ONE can touch her in this role. There is a reason it
stays out of the repertiore: the tessitura is deadly.
Musically, it has some very interesting moments, and Cherubini's harmonic language takes some daring turns. Great performance ,
great music, great theater.

A stage on fire!.......2005-05-30

A friend who attended this performance told me he was totally flabbergasted by the riveting performances of everyone on stage that night. But don't take his word for this, listen to the performance and hear for yourself!

Callas' fury that night certainly made me believe the story that says she was addressing her curses both to Jason and Mr. Bing for sacking her. Her frightening vocal attacks that night are not for the faint-hearted. This is a lesson of what not to do when singing but I guess knowing no limits is what made Callas so popular and unfortunately voiceless in the end. She was in unusually firm voice that evening and delivers all the drama there is in this classic heroine.

For once she's parted by excellent artists! The young Vickers makes a heroic, mythical Jason and the even younger Berganza soars as Neris. Zaccaria offers his usual sumptuous bass and noble stage personality. For some reason I've never taken Rescigno seriously but he succeeds in creating an exciting atmosphere. The Gala sound is an improvement and the beautiful set offers excerpts from Callas' earlier Florence Medea.

One of Callas' all-around best recordings!

ruslan.......2005-02-25

if it were embodiment of Drama it would be Callas in this Medea.
outstanding performance.don't miss you chance to listen real Opera .

When ancient greek spirit meets opera, in one word, Callas.........2004-11-15

In 1958 Maria Callas was on a tour, right after recording the Mad scenes and Verdi arias I for the EMI in september, she arrived in octomber in New York and lunched with Mr Bing for the following season at the Met. They discussed for Traviata, Tosca and Lady Macbeth.

She began her tour with a concert in Birmingham, then in Atlanta, in Montreal, in Toronto and then she gave two performances of Traviata and two performances of Medea in Dallas. In her first performance of Medea she received a telegram from Mr Bing with which he was dissapointed from the Diva and confirmed that their agreement had ended, because she didnt agree to the repertoire he was offering her. She was quite furious and this can be understood by the way she sung in this Medea, with anger and dissapointment, which was fortunatelly preserved in good sound. She gave about five more concerts ending her tour in Los Angeles in a concert which is also preserved.

In this Medea we can see her acting like Callas, the furious Diva that the press had created, but this made her act as well her best as Medea. She was not a singing machine. This is why she used to cancel her performances when she was sick ....not in the mood to sing and to give her best performance (sviatoslav rochter could cancel a perfoamnce 3 minutes before its beginning if the lights were not good enough!!!).

She gives her voice in full sound and does not stop singing passionatelly from the first note to the last one. I consider it to be her best live Medea, because her voice is totally sublime. Even if she had given so many concerts and recorded in studio a month earlier, she sung her best . This was Callas, the phenomenon. No other artist gave so much to this opera. No other artist could sing Medea like Callas did , she was unique in this role. Some people that worked in La Scala in Milan had said that in her Medeas there, the blood of the public froze in the first words of hers...'e fors'e qui...io Medea!!!'.

For those who wish to listen to a more clear sound, but a Callas Medea as she only knew how to sing it, buy the recorded Medea in 1957. Her voice is a bit exhausted there, because of an exhausting tour of La Sonnambula in Cologne, a Lucia in Rome, then studio recordings of Manon Lescaut and Turandot, (Manon recording sessions ending on 15 of july and turandot's starting on 18 of July (!!!)), which were also recorded at La Scala in Milan with terrible conditions, then a tour in Edinburgh with La Sonnambula again...(and i still cant think of the reason why she didnt agreed to sing the fifth performance of La Sonnambula which was scheduled on 3rd of September, for which she was not contracted, by the way...she was not that tired..what do you think???...just kidding..)...and after all in september, her studio Medea, for which everyone can easily jump to conclusions, that she seemed to be tired.

Of course Tereza Berganza was a great artist and a great Neris, Nicola Zaccaria a wonderfull Creonte and of course Jon Vickers, her companion in her last Medeas in Milan, a strong and wonderfull Jason with a magnificent voice. (This recording also contains the third act of her first Medea, in 1953 when her voice was like a thunder, and what a thrill it is to be able to listen to her first steps in this role...)

Enjoy Medea, in flesh and blood, and be amazed by her unique artistic nature......

Callas' musical abilities.......2004-02-20

Reading one reviewer's idea of Callas admitting to not being interested in her voice and technique and her being a sloppy vocalist I had a good laugh because it's totally untrue. Young Callas spent 14 of 24 hours a day at the conservatory. Then, a sloppy vocalist is hardly capable of singing Rossini's Armida to perfection, learning this most difficult role (Sutherland never sang it) in five days only, a time in which other famous songbirds struggle with just one cadenza. A sloppy vocalist isn't capable of doing "I Puritani" and "Die Walküre" in the same week. Before you act like an expert, do your homework or you'll expose yourself to ridicule.

Tracks:

Ov - Orch Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Thomas Schippers
Act One: (Intro) - Orch Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Thomas Schippers
Act One: O Amore, Vieni A Me! Fa Cessar Questo Duol - Ivan Tosini
Act One: No, Non Temer; T'affidi Il Mio Parlar - Nicolai Ghiaurov/Ivan Tosini/Jon Vickers
Act One: (March & Chor) - Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan
Act One: Or Che Piu Non Vedro Quella Sposa Crudele - Jon Vickers
Act One: Pronube Dive, Dei Custodi - Nicolai Ghiaurov/Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Ivan Tosini/Jon Vickers
Act One: Signor! Ferma Una Donna - Alfredo Giacomotti/Nicolai Ghiaurov/Maria Callas/Jon Vickers/Ivan Tosini...
Act One: E' Forse Qui Che Il Vil Sicuro Sta - Maria Callas
Act One: Qui Tremar Devi Tu - Nicolai Ghiaurov/Ivan Tosini/Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan
Act One: Taci, Giason - Maria Callas/Jon Vickers
Act One: Dei Tuoi Figli - Maria Callas
Act One: Son Vane Qui Minacce - Jon Vickers

Tracks:

Act Two: Soffrir Non Posso Troppo E L'offesa! - Maria Callas/Giulietta Simionato/Nicolai Ghiaurov
Act Two: Date Almen Per Pieta - Maria Callas/Nicolai Ghiaurov/Giulietta Simionato/Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan
Act Two: Ebben! Tutto Mi Manca! - Maria Callas/Nicolai Ghiaurov/Giulietta Simionato/Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan
Act Two: Medea! O Medea! - Giulietta Simionato
Act Two: Solo Un Pianto Con Te Versare - Giulietta Simionato
Act Two: Creonte A Me Solo Un Giorno Da? - Maria Callas/Giulietta Simionato/Jon Vickers
Act Two: Figli Miei, Miei Tesor - Maria Callas/Jon Vickers
Act Two: Hai Dato Pronto Ascolto Al Mio Pregar - Maria Callas/Giulietta Simionato
Act Two: (March & Chor) - Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan
Act Two: Il Mio Furor La Vostra Gioia Affina - Maria Callas
Act Three: (Intro) - Orch Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Thomas Schippers
Act Three: Numi, Venite A Me, Inferni Dei! - Maria Callas/Giulietta Simionato
Act Three: Del Fiero Duol Che Il Cuor Mi Frange - Maria Callas
Act Three: Neris, Che Hai Fatto Tu Del Dono Mio? - Maria Callas/Giulietta Simionato
Act Three: E Che? Io Son Medea - Maria Callas/Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Jon Vickers/Giulietta Simionato
Act Three: Oh Dei, Pieta Di Noi - Maria Callas/Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Jon Vickers/Giulietta Simionato
Act Three: Ah Signor La Crudele - Maria Callas/Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Jon Vickers/Giulietta Simionato

Customer Reviews:

Great Ruins.......2007-07-10

I have all the recorded performances of Maria Callas as Medea: Florence 1953, La Scala 1953, the 1957 EMI recording, Dallas 1958, Covent Garden 1959, and this final 1961 version.
I must admit this 1961 Scala live recording is the worst by far. Her voice still possesses some volume but the vibrato is monumental, the high notes flap out of control and sometimes the tonality is completely lost (what the French call "la voix bouge"). She frequently resorts to exaggerated chest notes. The breath control is short. Of course her phrasing and dramatic inflection are always impeccable but the vocal deficiencies make for uneasy listening. Vickers is very good as Jason, Thomas Schippers' conducting and choice of score cuts is erratic. The evening's vocal honours go to Giulietta Simionato who is simply magnificent as Neris and who delivers an unforgettable rendition of the sublime aria "Solo un pianto".
To hear Maria at her pristine best as Medea one must absolutely refer to the live 1953 Scala recording, conducted by Leonard Bernstein. Her performance here is superhuman, the voice fearless. One can understand the price she paid by listening to the 1961 recording back-to-back. Gino Penno is excellent as Jason, and Fedora Barbieri equally magisterial as Neris. Bernstein brings immediate, fiery passion to the Scala orchestra.

1961 live performance by Callas in one of her greatest roles.......2006-02-21

Source: Live performance recorded on December 14, 1961 at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan.

Sound: Not bad by the standards of live recordings from the 1960s. The voices are generally well-caught, although there is noticeable variation as they move from place to place on the stage. At one point in Act I, while Callas is singing, some backstage bonehead chooses to indulge in a longish monologue. The chorus and orchestra sound all right, but in a more limited and boxy way then customary in digital-era recordings.

The La Scala audience was more disciplined than has sometimes been the case. For the most part, they applauded only at the appropriate places. Quite obviously, they were bowled over by the glorious presence of La Divina. Medea first appears midway through Act I. The recording nicely captures what it is to be in the presence of a true star. When some members of the audience caught sight of Callas, they broke into spontaneous applause while others hissed out sharp shushing sounds, demanding silence.

Cast: Medea (soprano) - Maria Callas; Jason (tenor) - Jon Vickers; Creon (bass) - Nicolai Ghiaurov; Neris (mezzo-soprano) - Giulietta Simionato; Glauce (soprano) - Ivan [sic] Tosini; Captain of the Guards - Alfredo Giacomotti; Maidservants - Edith Martelli and Limbania Leoni. Conductor: Thomas Schippers with the Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala, Milan.

Text: This is an effective performing text that omits passages that are of interest to the purists and completests who hold every written note sacrosanct and are indifferent both to the second thoughts of composers and to the practical insights of people who actually work each day in the theater.

Documentation: The usual anemic Od'O package. No libretto. A couple of hundred words on the composer and opera. The same in summary of the plot by Act. Track list that fails to identify who is singing or to provide timings.

"Medea" premiered as "Medee" (curses on the Amazon system for not leting me use the proper forms of the letters) in Paris in 1797. It is based on Greek tragedy as interpreted in a 1635 play by Pierre Corneille. The composer, Luigi Cherubini (1760-1842), lived long enough to see his time come and then go. Cherubini arrived in Paris during the heady days of the French Revolution. He became the musical darling of the revolutionaries by grinding out operas in what might be called the French Republican Realist style, providing much the same sort of thing that Shostakovich and Prokofiev provided to Stalin's revolution. By 1797, revolutionary fervor had subsided and a taste for neo-Classicism had emerged, hence this re-entry of Greek legend into French opera.

"Medee" was written in typical French fashion with spoken dialogue connecting the musical passages. It was not until 1855, long after Cherubini's death, that lesser hands converted the dialogue into sung recitatives. The 1855 version of "Médée" was translated into Italian as "Medea," finally to achieve the success that had eluded it among the French.

Beethoven was an admirer of the opera. The extent of that admiration may be measured by comparing the first half hour of "Medea" with his "Fidelio." It can hardly be doubted that Beethoven, who was not instinctively a man of the theater, used the form and musical idiom of "Medee" as a template for his only opera.

All too often, Callas' live recordings fail to achieve the heights by reason of leaden performances from second- and third-rate supporting singers. That is not the case here. La Scala clearly pulled out all the stops to provide a festival-quality cast.

This recording presents Maria Callas in the latter days of her stage career. She takes the stage at La Scala in one of her greatest roles. It is obvious to anyone who hears this performance that her top notes are not what they had been only a few years earlier. It is equally obvious that throughout most of her range, she continued to be one of the greatest singers and dramatic interpreters of all time. Despite bobbles here and there, La Divina's final recorded assumption of the role of Medea is a magnificent and searing portrait.

Each of the three other principal singers, Vickers, Simionato and Ghiaurov, is brilliant in his or her own way.

Thomas Schippers conducts in a workmanlike and, I suppose, sometimes insightful way. His work strikes me as solid rather than brilliant.

Every serious fan of opera should have a recording of Maria Callas singing Medea. This one, though late, is inexpensive and probably the best all-around version.

Five stars.

Medea Cherubini.......2005-11-29

The opera is a very interesting and rarely performed work. However, I purchased it ONLY because the conductor is Thomas Schippers. It is a "live" recording done at La Scala in 1961 and therefore the quality leaves much to be desired as far as the orchestra is concerned. Of course, Maestro Schippers was able to redeem nearly any orchestra he conducted! For those who are Callas fans, her performance is, as usual, exceptional. I would recommend it for its historic value and valid interpretation.

EVEN AT THE END -- CALLAS' MEDEA STILL A FIRE EATING DRAGON!.......2001-07-30

This 1961 performance is a great surprise to me. By 1961 Maria Callas' vocal problems (as well as her relationship with Aristotle Onasis) were fodder for gossip columns all over the world. Her operatic appearances were becoming rarer and rarer and every Callas performance by then had an almost circus-like atmosphere about it. This "Medea" finds Callas in her last La Scala season, and though the later performances of this Medea series in May of 1962 found her in very serious vocal difficulty, the premiere performance recorded here finds her very much at the top of her form. Well, admittedly, the climatic top notes do tend to waver, but never alarmingly so. But the voice as a whole is rock solid, powerful ----- and the fabled chest tones are as menacing as ever. Whether venemous, tormented or triumphant, Callas rises to every dramatic challenge masterfully. After listening to any Callas Medea performance, one does not have to wonder why the opera is not performed today ---- who could even hope to attempt such an Amazonian role? The supporting cast heard here at La Scala may constitute the greatest ever encountered in any Callas Medea performance.As Neris, the faithful maid, the great Italian mezzo soprano Gulietta Simionato makes the most of her role, most notably her beautiful aria in Act II (though it must be said that as good as she is, she is no better than Teresa Berganza and Fedora Barbieri ---- who partnered Callas in previous Medea performances). Jon Vickers IS the greatest Jason of any Callas Medea. Vickers was probably the only tenor capable of meeting Callas on her own musical and dramatic plane --- and he is heard here at the very beginning of his international career. The same might also be said about Nicolai Ghiaurov, who was also at the dawn of what was to be one of the most important careers in opera. Thomas Schippers may not pace this opera with the sheer animal intensity of Leonard Bernstein (at La Scala in 1953) or Nicola Rescigno (in Dallas in 1958), but he generates an excitement that is substantial enough. The sound of this recording is, to my ears, superior to both the 1953 La Scala and 1958 Dallas live recordings. The price is incredibly cheap ----- and Callas proves that, even in 1961, she still had the capacity to wrench more out of this opera than anyone else. A real bargain!

Callas' Last Medea.......2000-08-13

Although some Opera D'Oro releases suffer from over-filtering/noise-reduction techniques, this is not one of them. The sound is clear and undoctored. Moreover the speed seems to be accurate. One had always read that in this, her final series of Medeas (and her last appearances at La Scala), Callas was in sadly diminished vocal form. Not so. True, the highest notes flap about alarmingly, but the middle register is rock-solid and the chest tones are full and without the dessicated quality of her later years. And the remaining cast members are superb!

Average customer rating:

A Solid French Recital

Marilyn Horne - Recital
Daniel-François-Esprit Auber , Camille Saint-Saëns , Jacques Offenbach , Charles Gounod , Benjamin Godard , Jules Massenet , Gaetano Donizetti , Luigi Cherubini , Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra , Lawrence Foster , and Marilyn Horne
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Horne, Marilyn | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000005EDX
Release Date: 1995-05-02

Tracks:

Air De Zerline: O Palerme! O Sicile
- Samson et Delila: Mon coeurs s'ouvre a ta voix
Ah! que j'aime les militaires - Offenbach
O ma lyre immortelle
La Vivandiere: Viens avec nous, petit
Herodiade: Venge-moi d'une supreme offense
La Favorite: Oh! mon Fernand
Hero sur la tour solitaire
- Medee': Ah! nos peines

Customer Reviews:

A Solid French Recital.......2001-07-15

This is a very good mixture of familiar and unfamiliar arias and Marilyn Horne is still in fine voice at this date (1985). My only quibble is the relatively short timing which seems to afflict other items in this series such as Berganza singing Haydn (also an excellent disc). If you are looking for the full glory of Horne's voice a recital of Handel arias also on Erato from 83 or so is now deleted but keep an eye out for it. Now available for under 6 bucks are two volumes of live excerpts on Gala in very good sound (for "pirate" recordings) one of which has a drop dead 20 minutes or so of Les Troyens.

Una voce poco fa: A Portrait of Teresa Berganza

Average customer rating:

A FORTY YEAR LOVE AFFAIR

Una voce poco fa: A Portrait of Teresa Berganza

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Brava Berganza! A Birthday Tribute
Teresa Berganza
The Very Best of Victoria de los Angeles
The Very Best of Lucia Popp
Isabel Bayrakdarian ~ Azulão

ASIN: B0001M09OO
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Tracks:

Una Voce Poco Fa
Non So Piu
Voi Che Sapete
Temerari!...Some Scoglio
Ch'io Mi Scordi Di Te?...Non Temer, Amato Bene
Che Faro Senza Euridice?
Che Puro Ciel!
Divinites Du Styx
Medea! O Medea!...Solo Un Pianto
Mi Lusinga Il Dolce Affetto
Verdi Prati, Selve Amene
Quand Je Vous Aimerai?...L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle - The Ambrosian Singers
Pres Des Remparts De Seville - Placido Domingo
Cruda Sorte! Amor Tiranno!
Nacqui All'affanno...Non Piu Mesta

Tracks:

Ahi! Che Forse Ai Miei Di
Intorno All'idol Mio
Confusa, Smarrita
Qual Mia Colpa, O Sventura...Se Delitto E Adoravi
Chi Vuol Innamorarsi
La Rosaura (Un Cor Da Voi Ferito)
Elitropio D'amor
Como Quieres Que Adivine
Mananita De San Juan
Cuatro Canciones Vascas
Saeta En Forma De Salve A La Virgen De La Esperanza
El Tra-La-La Y El Punteado
El Majo Timido
La Maja Dolorosa
Farruca
El Pano Moruno
Seguidilla Murciana
Asturiana
Jota
Nana
Cancion
Polo
Sagrario's Romanza
Margarita's Romanza
Txalopin Txalo
Nere Maitea
Atea Tan Tan
Tun, Kurrun, Kuntun
Arranoak Bartuetan
Ainoarra Nimino
Anderegeya
Amak Ezkondu

Customer Reviews:

A FORTY YEAR LOVE AFFAIR.......2004-09-02

The lack of a fifth star reflects the shortcomings of Decca, not of the artist.

DISCLAIMER: What you are about to read are the judgments of a man not completely rational about the subject at hand.

Teresa Berganza has the most gorgeous female voice I've ever laid ears on. There, I've said it! Biased? Proudly. Smitten? To my core. From the moment I heard her in recital forty years ago, until this very day, I have been completely enamored of this gracious and sensitive artist. I own, I think, every note she has ever recorded. I have seen her in recital or on the opera stage several times, and I have never heard a vulgar sound emerge from her throat. The sheer depth and harmonic richness of her mezzo simply shower warmth and luxury on the listener.

She is also arguably the most versatile singer of the last generation. Most people think of her as just a Mozart and Rossini specialist, and indeed she is. But her repertoire ranges from Cesti to Stravinsky, from Fernando Sor to Mussorgsky to Villa Lobos. She has also been a devoted advocate for the music of her native Spain, along with Latin and South American music. At a Carnegie Hall recital the program included Faure, Schubert, Mozart, Wolf, de Falla, Rodrigo, Garcia Lorca, and Toldra, with encores of Gimenez, Rossini, and Schumann. Phew! One might think it impossible to hold together such a varied program, but Berganza did it seamlessly.

Now to the appointed task. This Decca compilation is a mostly fair cross section of her core work. I could gripe about the inclusion of material that is available on multiple other CDs, or prattle on about this omission or that, but considering how generously this package is filled out, I'd be arguing for an extra disc or two.

The Rossini on the disc doesn't require much comment. A true mezzo with voluptuous tone, a completely secure and supple fioratura, and the temperament to make the character come alive... what else could one possibly want? It's hard to imagine a Naqui all'affanno... Non piu mesta sung with more bravura brilliance. Much the same thing could be said of the Mozart. Finding something to criticize would require a truly picayune personality. The 1963 Mozart LP on London put Berganza firmly on the international map. The reviews were extravagant with praise, and the selections here are some of the finest, although the inclusion of Come scoglio shows the least flattering side of her vocal talents - the tessitura lies just a bit too high for her compass. The nearly complete CD version of the LP is available on Decca's "The Singers" series, where you can sample her Dorabella and Sextus.

Disc 1 is rounded out with selections from Handel, Gluck, Bizet, and Neris's second act recitative and aria from Medea. To enter a note of criticism, I find the Gluck rather straight-jacketed; she certainly doesn't have the cutting edge or the horsepower to make Divinites du Styx very convincing. The Orfeo tracks suffer some of the same deficits, although, because the voice is not overtaxed, she is able to maintain equilibrium of tone, but in the end they come up flat sounding. These problems are more than made up for by her Ruggiero from Handel's Alcina and Neris's heart-rending aria, where her strengths are fully evident. The chestnuts from Carmen give a taste of what is certainly one of the most unusually conceived assumptions of this often hackneyed role. This is no tramp cigarette girl, but a fully realized independent woman, whose goals will not be thwarted by mere convention - and Berganza has the vocal and dramatic resources to back it all up. The recording is still in the DGG catalog - snap it up.

If the contents of disc 2 seem a bit scattered, that would be because they are a bit scattered. This is where Decca should have made more coherent choices. The most grievous example: Arambarri's Ochos canciones vascas comes form a 1967 Zacosa LP. The fact that the flip side of that record, Gombau's Siete claves de Aragon, is omitted borders on the incomprehensible. Both of these song cycles are piquant, wonderfully conducted by Gombau himself, and show Berganza's interpretative range in singing Spanish music, plus they are perfect companion pieces. As fine as they are, we did not need the umpteenth incarnation of her collaborations with her then husband, pianist and composer Felix Lavilla.

These discs are billed as having four "First international releases" on CD (whatever that means). But de Falla's Siete canciones populares espanolas has appeared on at least two discs that I know of. Possibly it was never released in the Philippines. The Arambarri and the two zarzuela songs are the other "firsts." Speaking of zarzuela... for anyone unfamiliar with this delightful and important genre, you are in for a treat. It is often referred to as Spanish operetta, but that fails to hit the mark. These are musical slices of working class Madrid streetlife, with a unique combination of the rough and the refined, all shot through with a verve that is utterly Spanish. Once bitten by this bug, you will find it difficult to not learn more. The excerpts presented here give only a tiny peek into the enormous amount of this music Berganza sang. From the mid 50's through the early 70's she committed thirty-some (!) of these roles to tape. Many of them are available on CD in Spain (the transfers, however, are among the worst I've ever heard). For present purposes, I would have included one of the rhythmically passionate or playful songs, instead of picking two rather melancholic romanzas. If one wants a better survey of her contribution to zarzuela, they can seek out the two still available discs on Ensayo, with Asensio and the English Chamber Orchestra. With such rivals as Caballe, de los Angeles, and Bayo, it is a tribute to Berganza's commitment to the form that these recordings are the best ever.

The remainder of the recording presents some truly wonderful songs. Among my favorites are all of the Scarlatti. Because she is so acutely aware of the value of rhythmic flexibility and pacing, she is able to reveal all the subtlety in the work of this baroque genius. The Guridi tracks show her skill in mating the music with the words, with perfect dynamics and some tricky intervals that are flawlessly negotiated. It's a shame there wasn't room for the whole song cycle of this unfairly neglected composer. Manual de Falla's Siete canciones don't reach the same rare heights of, say, Granados' La maja dolorosa, but Berganza makes it seem so. The Seguidilla and Jota are particularly sprightly and fetching. Finally, the Farruca of Turina combines her ability to effortlessly spin out a high lying line, then switch into the song's rapid passage work without any trace of the shifting of the gears..

As for the recording quality, the various tracks pretty much reflect the recording technology of their time. The only exception to a range of pretty good to excellent is the Arambarri. The recording is shrill and thin, with some badly clipped peaks. What a pity; the LP is well recorded, and I know a good transfer is possible, because I've done my own with an outdated computer and $69 worth of software. Sometimes I wonder whether anyone actually listens to what the final product sounds like. As with most every twofer, no texts and translations are included.

The subtitle of this release is A portrait of Teresa Berganza, and it does a decent job of living up to its billing, but it's only one portrait of an incredibly versatile artist, whose spell I've been under for my entire adult life. If this has all ended up sounding more like a paean to Berganza than a record review, I plead guilty.

Average customer rating:

Enthusiasm, characterization, but rough edges. . . .
Absolutely Wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bel Canto Heroine
Queen of Pirates

Leyla Gencer, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Opera D'oro
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Leyla Gencer, Vol. 2
Donizetti: Roberto Devereux
Donizetti: Anna Bolena
Pacini: Saffo
Leyla Gencer performs Bartok, Liszt, Donizetti & Bellini

ASIN: B00004UDE5
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

Medea: 'E Che? Io Sono Medea'
Norma: 'Sediziose Voce... Casta Diva'
Norma: 'Deh! Non Volerli Vittime'
Belisario: 'Egli E Spento'
Maria Stuarda: 'Figlia Impura Di Bolena'
Maria Stuarda: 'Di Un Cor Che More... Ah! Se Un Giorno'
Anna Bolena: 'Come Innocente Giovane'
Anna Bolena: 'Piangete Voi?... Al Dolce Guidami (Finale)'

Customer Reviews:

Enthusiasm, characterization, but rough edges. . . ........2007-04-25

The liner notes to this CD observe that Leyla Gencer has "a cadre of fans [who have] always rooted for her devotedly." The notes go on to say that "Her voice was not large, nor her production absolutely even; but she compensated for these liabilities with many other talents."

Uneven is a good term to describe her singing. . . . Let's take a look at a couple "cuts" from this CD. From Bellini's "Norma," she sings "Sediziose voce. . .Casta diva." Hers is not a lovely voice, although there is a richness to it. She has a heavier tone than other singing the repertoire. There are harsh edges to her voice. She does transmit a sense of the character.

She also sings ""Egli e spento" from Donizetti's "Belisario." Again, there are genuinely rough edges to her singing, although she does serviceable work. She just does not seem "ready for prime time." Coloratura technique is minimal across the various cuts--including this one. She does hit a nice high note at the end of this aria.

From "Maria Stuarda," by Donizetti, she sings "Figlia impure di Bolena." She shows the emotions of Maria Stuarda nicely. Still, vocal qualities are not very attractive. Her voice is also overwhelmed by the orchestra at times. Once more, little coloratura technique. Nice high note at the end, but her voice does not soar.

From Donizetti's "Anna Bolena," Gencer sings "Come innocente giovane." Her singing here is animated, but vocal qualities a bit uneven. Finally, from the same opera, she sings "Piangete voi?. . .Al dolce guidami." There is some coloratura technique here, although not outstanding.

So, what to make of Leyla Gencer? She sings enthusiastically; she provides a sense of the character. But somehow, from what I hear, her voice and technique are not up to the task of providing excellent renderings of the works selected for this CD.

Absolutely Wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-04-06

I can't say enough about Leyla Gencer. A star who was exciting as Callas yet easier to listen to. Enjoy what recordings you can find. They are sparse! Though we can delight in some wonderful voices in 2005, this lady can't be beat. Don't know anyone like her today.

Bel Canto Heroine.......2004-07-09

Gencer's story is one of the most interesting of opera during the 20th century. How is it possible that, during the "bel canto revival" of the 50's and 60's, one of its very few specialists was never offered a recording contract? As Gencer states in an interview given recently, the reason may be that the American recording companies only wanted a "voce pura." Although technically speaking, Gencer ranks with the very best, she did have some peculiarities in her voice that you have to develop a taste for. In this regard, she reminds me much of Raina Kabaivanska, a celebrated Butterfly with a cult following in Italy who barely made a splash here in the U.S.

A little known fact is that, had Gencer been available when Marilyn Horne pulled out of the AOS production of Lucrezia Borgia, Montserrat Caballe would have been denied her overnight rise to international stardom (though it is safe to say it would have come sooner or later).

Here, on Disc 1, you have a sampling of some of Gencer's bel canto forays. Unfortunately, most were recorded in the late sixties, when she was moving past her prime. To have an idea of the youthful Gencer, listen to the two selections from Anna Bolena that appear at the end of the CD. However, even a little past her prime, Gencer enthralls you with her varied gifts. Like Callas, she had a fiery temperment, best captured on the finale to Medea, included here, as well as "Deh, non volerli" from Norma, which is truly heart-rending. However, unlike Callas, she knew that fire-and-brimstone should not be turned on all the time, which is why she also developed a wonderful pianissimo, like Caballe. Just listen to the long, long pianissimo she floats at the end of "Sediziosi voci."

Although never allowed to rise to the level of fame of Callas, Sutherland, Caballe, and Sills, Gencer was and is an integral part of bel canto singing, and the current interest in live recordings will ensure that her legacy is not forgotten.

Queen of Pirates.......2004-06-02

Leyla Gencer is a lesser known soprano who was often compared to maria callas and able to not only hold her own during an era of Tebaldi and Caballe but to excell. You will find with Gencer the full diva package. Here we have a voice which is distinctive and expressive. Gencer makes full use of all the shades and power of her instrument to bring her charcters to life. She is a coluratura dramatic in the truest sense. Though she didn't possess the well rounded and full beauty of tone that tebaldi did.. her sound is pleasant and can be quite beautiful. Especially in her piani and pianissimo we are treated to exceptionally beautiful notes. Her style of singing is quite similar to Caballe, though gencer did come first and single handedly caused the return of many Donizetti and other bel canto composers back to the forefront of opera. Before there was Sills great queens- we had Gencer. We are treated to a Norma, Macbeth, and Medea all in the same league as Callas with a less flawed sound. Although Gencer was never able to match callas' expressive nuances or acting genius.. fans will no doubt come to hold gencer in their hearts as well. This inexpensive disc provides a good intro to one of the greatest and least known divas of our times. Gencer remains the queen of the Pirates- no commercial recordings yet able to be one of the best represented singers on disc thanks to her pirated performances.

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