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![Maria Callas, Franco Corelli, Christa Ludwig, Nicola Zaccaria, Piero De Palma, Edda Vincenzi, Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano, Tullio Serafin - Vincenzo Bellini: Norma (1960/2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz] Download](https://i0.wp.com/imghd.xyz/images/2022/08/29/0825646254040_600.jpg?resize=500%2C500&ssl=1)
Maria Callas, Franco Corelli, Christa Ludwig, Nicola Zaccaria, Piero De Palma, Edda Vincenzi, Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano, Tullio Serafin – Vincenzo Bellini: Norma (1960/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 02:41:32 minutes | 3,22 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © Warner Classics
This 1960 Norma represents Maria Callas’s final complete documented version of her signature role. Seven recordings of the opera exist with Callas (1950–60), plus numerous snippets and scenes captured between 1949 and 1965. With 89 performances, Norma is Callas’s most performed part; certainly no other 20th-century diva is more closely associated with the role, and no one since has even remotely eclipsed Callas in the perception of opera lovers. It was Callas’s mentor, Tullio Serafin, who understood the potential of her voice, temperament and musicality in terms of this iconic role, selecting her for performances in Florence in 1948, teaching her the role himself. At this time, Callas was singing Turandot, Aida and Isolde. And while dramatic sopranos who sang that sort of repertoire sometimes took a stab at Norma, it was never with Callas’s bel canto acumen. Her understanding of the drama as expressed through Bellini’s vocal line, her dazzling coloratura – unheard-of at the time in big voices – combined with her unique ability as a physical and vocal actress to set her Norma apart from, quite literally, all others. Eventually, the role served for her operatic debut in Mexico City, London, New York and Paris. The advent of stereo inspired a ‘remake’ of Norma with Callas, whose 1954 recording was already a classic. Urgency came in several forms: the Callas/Onassis affair, which had transferred the soprano’s passion for work to one for living (her performances in 1960, preceding this recording, amounted to a total of two Normas in Greece); statements about imminent retirement; and the toll the diva’s committed singing had taken on a once-indomitable voice. While there is no doubt top notes are steadier on the earlier Norma, coloratura easier, piano singing freer, this Norma offers a deeper, more introspective reading of the role, and more than its share of gorgeous singing – from Callas, and a superior supporting cast. Countless moments, too numerous to catalogue here, raise this Callas Norma to the level of genius. From a haunting ‘Casta Diva’ to a final scene of incomparable grandeur and sweep, in every startlingly brilliant detail, Callas is Norma. –IRA SIFF, 2014
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![Maria Callas, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Rolando Panerai, Nicola Rossi-lemeni, Angelo Mercuriali, Carlo Forti, Aurora Cattelani, Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano, Tullio Serafin - Vincenzo Bellini: I Puritani (1953/2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz] Download](https://i0.wp.com/imghd.xyz/images/2022/08/29/0825646254347_600.jpg?resize=500%2C500&ssl=1)
Maria Callas, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Rolando Panerai, Nicola Rossi-lemeni, Angelo Mercuriali, Carlo Forti, Aurora Cattelani, Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano, Tullio Serafin – Vincenzo Bellini: I Puritani (1953/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 02:22:04 minutes | 1,36 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © Warner Classics
In August 1947 Maria Callas, newly arrived back in Europe from an abortive search for roles in America, secured the role of Gioconda at the Verona Arena and met the second great musical influence on her life, the opera’s conductor Tullio Serafin. With Serafin, Callas went on at first to sing Turandot, Aida, Brünnhilde and Isolde (the last two in Italian).
Serafin was a passionate Wagnerian but he had other ideas for his protégée. In the 20th century up until then the bel canto roles of Donizetti, Bellini or Rossini had been taken generally by light coloratura voices like that of Elvira de Hidalgo, Callas’s teacher in Athens. Revivals of the operas thus became showcases for vocal agility rather than serious music drama. Callas, thought Serafin, could bring to these works a heavier voice that took all their agilitá in its stride while imbuing them with dramatic credibility.
Callas first studied Norma with Serafin (making her debut in the role at Florence in November 1948). Then, the following January at Venice’s La Fenice, the conductor persuaded her to learn and take over Elvira in I puritani at just three days’ notice after her last Brünnhilde of the season. Callas’s success in two such disparate roles yielded comparisons with legendary singers of an earlier generation like Lilli Lehmann.
It led Callas personally, and the repertoire in general, to a new focus on roles that had been written as vehicles not only for singers with exceptional vocal capabilities but for dedicated and effective actresses. In bel canto roles like Bellini’s Norma, Amina and Elvira or Donizetti’s Lucia and Anna Bolena Callas went on to uncover their sheer drama. This was the very quality (representation of character being at least as important as singing) that, at the expense of more accomplished vocalists, Bellini sought while insisting on Giuditta Pasta as Norma or, for that matter, Puccini when casting Hariclea Darclée as his first Tosca because of her beauty.
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Rome Opera House Orchestra, Tullio Serafin – Anna Moffo – Arias From Faust, La Bohème, Dinorah, etc (1960) [SACD Remaster 2005]
Rome Opera House Orchestra, Tullio Serafin – Anna Moffo – Arias From Faust, La Bohème, Dinorah, etc (1960) [SACD Remaster 2005]
SACD ISO (2.0/MCH): 1,76 GB | 24B/88,2kHz Stereo FLAC: 802 MB | 3% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: RCA Living Stereo # 67905 | Country/Year: US 1960, 2005
Genre: Classical | Style: Opera
This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.
Here is a vivid reminder of Anna Moffo, the Pennsylvania-born lyric-coloratura soprano who made her Met debut in 1959 and had an international career that went beyond the opera stage into pop music and film acting. This recital, led by the the legendary opera veteran Tulio Serafin, was recorded in Rome in 1960 and captures Moffo at her freshest and most brilliant in a selection that includes tender arias such as “Mi chiamano Mimi” from Puccini’s ‘La Boheme’ and Micaela’s Air from Bizet’s ‘Carmen,’ as well as more explosive coloratura fare such as “Bel raggio lusinghier” from Rossini’s ‘Semiramide’ and the delightful “Bell Song” from Delibe’s ‘Lakme,’ whose final high E is worth the price of the disc alone. But, if you need another reason, the sound, of the best RCA “Living Stereo” vintage, is spectacularly present. arkivmusic
This truly delightful disc of mostly coloratura arias forms a nearly perfect bookend with Leontyne Price’s classic “Blue album.” Both Living
Stereo discs were recorded within months of each other, featured the same forces (although here led by Tullio Serafin), and were recorded in
the same venues; and both featured amazing sopranos at the height of their vocal powers. Unfortunately, Anna Moffo, who was much in demand
early on in her career, peaked soon after and disappeared pretty much into obscurity.
This three-channel disc offers the first opportunity to hear these tracks as they were originally recorded, and this disc easily eclipses
all previously released digital versions – while managing to sound very analog-like in the process. Anna Moffo’s coloratura is superb; she
sings with a lovely lyrical quality and achieves admirable upper extension throughout. The disc pretty evenly mixes French and Italian
genres; on the French side, we get a sprightly rendering of the Jewel Song from Gounod’s Faust, while her heartfelt singing in Delibes’ Bell
Song from Lakme is nothing short of amazing! Traditional Italian fare comes in the form of well-known arias from Puccini and Rossini; for
good measure, Meyerbeer’s less frequently played (but truly superb) Shadow Song from Dinorah is included.
Tullio Serafin and the Rome Opera Orchestra are no strangers to this repertory, and offer lush and sympathetic accompaniments throughout.
The recorded sound here is remarkable – lets hope RCA/Sony continues to pump these discs out! The only caveat is the rather skimpy 44-minute
playing time the disc clocks in at – but truly, what would you pair it with? Very highly recommended!
– Tom Gibbs audiophile-audition
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VA – 5 Great Operas on Deutsche Grammophon & Decca (2014) [Esoteric Japan]
PS3 Rip | 9x SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 574:19 minutes | Scans | 23,1 GB
or FLAC (converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/96 kHz | Scans included | 11,6 GB
The reissue of historical music masterpieces by ESOTERIC has attracted a lot of attention, both for its uncompromising commitment to recreating the original master sound, and for using SACD technology to improve sound quality. This Box Set of “5 Great Operas on Deutsche Grammophon & Decca” features the four works of this time are historical name boards which were produced in the heyday of analog from 1962 to 1979, and at the time of recording, each record company gathered the best conductor, orchestra, singer, the best sound, It was recorded with an in-depth session organized at the proud recording venue.
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