Maria Callas

[Lilas Pastia]

Thanks, Tsaras. If the Covent Garden performance ever comes to commercial life, I will certainly look into it.

I wholeheartedly concur with your assessment of Callas' Tutte le torture (but not, as you probably recall, of her other Mozart roles ). Callas sang this aria as if she not only owned it, but rejoiced in its extraordinary vocal demands - as well as flawlessly projecting the charater's toughness and mischievious assumption of womanhood. The famous Callas wobble is to be heard in the upper portion of the middle register (typical of a verdian soprano), but her upper register is simply glorious: pure, shining brightly and cutting like a diamond. There's no doubt that the italian language considerably softens the aria's pole-vaulting textual pyrotechnics. Worth noting, too, is how Callas does full justice to the role's unusual demands in the low register !

A little detail: I'm no musician, but from what I hear, I've always thought Konstanze's highest notes were Ds or even D sharp. They *sound* so high and so difficult. But as I write this, I hear in my mind Turandot's 'qual grido' (a high C) and there's no doubt it's the same note. I guess that's Mozart's genius !

I don't think there's been a more brain-frying "Martern" than Edda Moser's. . It's not just a matter of vocal ability, but the artist's extraordinary identification with the text and fluency in the language (so many consonants, each one giving a rythmic impetus to the vocal line: compare 'jede qual und not' and 'ordne nur, gebiete!' to their italian equivalent). Again, listen to Moser's extraordinary textual awareness in her rendition of the aria. Mozart knew what he was doing when he set a text to music, whether it was italian or german...

Sutherland sang the aria both commercially and in concert, a sure sign she relished the part (she could have sung whatever she wanted, just like Nilsson, who was allowed to do I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady (!!) as an indulgence without having the concert organizer cringe or wince (they would have had good reason to). Forget about any textual nuance, Sutherland could be singing about her latest Sears mail order and that would be the end of it !

For those interested, a soprano that combines Moser's steely flamboyance and Sutherland's ruby-like velvet voice is Anneliese Rothenberger. She is so minx-like and silvery in tone as to make you forget Konstanze is one determined lady you wouldn't want to have an argument with... . Note: this live performance is different from the commercial EMI Entführung. I particularly relish seeing as well as hearing the combination of stunning visual elegance and effortless vocalism on display here.

For even more stunning vocalism bordering on the circus act, the incredible Cristina Deutekom has it all: an even register from the low to the high and highest reaches, as well as her trademark eye-popping yodel on rapid coloratura runs. Throughout it all, she seems cheerful as an overeager puppy. Although she sings the aria in the original German, you'd be forgiven to inquire about  it. No match for Moser's frightening resolve, but what a vocal blast!

I know this is about Callas, but for those interested in Martern aller artern, sample Lois Marshall - from the Beecham EMi recording - and the surprising Eleanor Steber, singing in English, with spunk, fullness of tone and absolute techical confidence. Which brings me back to Callas: Steber was a great Mozart and Strauss singer, and hearing her here as Konstanze in 1947 makes us understand Callas was not a freak vocal show, but simply an uncommonly intelligent and understanding singer  - much more so than was common in her day. One last comment: Schwarzkopf's may be a cunning imitation, but she's no substitute for the real thing. Plus (or is it minus?), she distorts the line and dynamics to indulge in fussy flights of vocalism that flatter her beautiful, silvery high register.

[zamyrabyrd]

Thanks for the links to the Marten aller Arten--nice summer listening. Elenor Steber's approach and mastery of vocal technique is similar to Sutherland's and I don't think anyone would accuse the former here of a lack of expression. She doesn't go outside the frame of Mozart's composition that includes four solo instruments, resembling more a concert aria.

Together with the conventions of the musical lanugage at the time, all of the preceding is plenty to carry the aria itself without adding verismo from the singer, squeezing more than is necessary or even desirable from the music. This is what I object to in Callas' performance.  (I can't stand Dessay's grimacing and overdoing Donizetti as well.)

I turned off pretty early Anneliese Rothenburger because her facial expression was so bland. Callas said in her master classes that you have to show the aria in your eyes before anything. This minimum I'm sure even Mozart would be happy with.

ZB

[Lilas Pastia]

I didn't even watch the Dessay clip. I don't go for that kind of obvious facial acting. If you just listen, what you hear is an excellent voice, but she misses the last ounce of sophistication and poise (Rothenberger) and regal bearing (Steber) that bring the piece to life.

It's an atrociously difficult aria to sing. That supreme mozartean, Margaret Price, unfortunately shows the chip in her armour, namely a lack of heft in the tone. Without that ingredient, the aria lacks dramatic projection and sounds too cautious.

Rothenberger's clip is obviously from a gala event, the kind of thing where you dress up and show your diamonds. She was much in demand in viennese operetta, and I think it shows in her approach to singing. No to detract from the singing per se, which is superb.

[Tsaraslondon]

LP

Thank you for all those clips. I listened to each one. I totally agree with you about Moser's performance, absolutely stunning, though I'm surmising the voice itself was a good deal smaller than Callas's or Sutherland's.

I found Sutherland more convincing here than in the studio recording with Molinari-Pradelli, but, though she bites into the aria a little better, I feel the emotion is still somewhat generalised.

Rothenberger's is beautifully vocalised and articulated, but, like ZB, I was put off by the non-expression in her face. She looks like a beautiful, china doll. Nice use of appogiature though.

Deutekom is a puzzling singer. She certainly has the scale of the aria, but I find her singing of the rising and falling scale passages rather odd. She separates all the notes, not with Bartoli's infamous aspirated h, but with a sort of w. One critic once likened it to yodelling, and I do see his point.

Here I inserted Schwarzkopf's performance and I now find it underpowered and agree with you, LP, that it is something of a cunning imitation. She achieves something similar in her recording of Leonore's Abscheulicher!, from Fidelio.

Steber has always been one of my favourite singers (her Les Nuits d'Ete is still one of the very best), and I found this version a piece of wonderfully poised singing. Technically, all the challenges are met full on, and she also makes something of the dramatic situation. However, when returning to Callas again, after all these ladies, I still feel that hers is the only rendition, with the exception of Moser's, that gives the listener a sense of the danger of the situation Konstanze is in. I once played this aria to someone blind, that is someone who had never heard it before. I played several versions in turn, before finally coming to Callas. Up until that point, he had enjoyed the aria, without having the faintest idea what it was about. Without understanding a word of Italian, from the Callas version, he was able to pick up the defiance, and even begin to appreciate something of the dramatic situation. If this is what you mean by squeezing more than is necessary or desirable from the music, ZB, then I am all for it. Opera is not just pure vocalise, it is drama after all. Nor do I think Callas's approach is in any way veristic. Does she apply chest voice or glottal stops and sobs, in the manner of many verismo sopranos? No, she achieves her goals well within the confines of the music. Her legato is pretty nigh impeccable, and the accuracy with which she sings the coloratura, at a fairly fast speed, is incredible considering the size of her voice. It is the wide tonal palette she uses that gives us a sense of the dramatic import of the music, but she does this without once upsetting the musical line.

Apologies for concentrating so much on Callas's performance, but this is a Callas thread after all.

[zamyrabyrd]

First the disclaimer: Maria Callas was one of the most important singers not only in the 20th century but for all time. Because of the intensity of expression, the innate musicality, the commitment, the special timbre, the courage to go beyond the notes and much more, music is forever indebted to her.

Now for the gritty details: if a soprano would sing the whole role of Konstanze in
such a manner she would suffer the dubious distinction of heroically losing her voice that very night. (This already happened with a famous soprano whose swan song was belting out Maria Stuarda.)

I don't remember just now who it was, maybe Rachmaninoff, who said that one can express the music by changing tempi, but how much more difficult to so without.
For sure the intensity of the tone is something that pianists don't have up their sleeves as a means of expression, but a main stock in trade for singers. 

But there are other means as well: the words, the HOW of the phrasing, contrast and  even understatement (simmering but not necessarily explosive fury).

The best opera composers in the 19th century, Rossini and Verdi, for instance, were very considerate of the singers. Even though the role of Violetta is quite formidable, the build up and spacing of high notes is quite intelligent. Rossini's music is SO vocal friendly. And this doesn't mean that Mozart isn't.

The classic style is more formalized.  The conventions of the Baroque Affekt were still in effect, like the emotional associations of intervals like minor 2nds, etc.,  In other words, so much expression is built in the music, that is if you do it right.

I mentioned Dessay grimacing in Donizetti's Lucia, not Mozart, for me a huge distraction. And at least one recording of Callas in "Ah Non Credea" (Sonnambula) really crosses the frame of the music.  The first part is nice but the caballetta is completely overdone.

But over and above such relatively trivial complaints, I SO MUCH WISH I WERE A FLY ON THE WALL in the opera house when I listen to Traviata, Medea, Butterfly, Norma, etc. There are times when one can conjure up images from the expression. Maybe there are recordings in heaven's archives. Wouldn't that be NICE?

zamyra-byrd

[Tsaraslondon]

if a soprano would sing the whole role of Konstanze in
such a manner she would suffer the dubious distinction of heroically losing her voice that very night. (This already happened with a famous soprano whose swan song was belting out Maria Stuarda.)

Just a small point, Callas actually did sing the whole role at La Scala for four performances in 1952 (unbelievably the first time the work was ever staged at La Scala). Unfortunately no recording exists.

I'd also make a point about the production of La Sonnambula that Callas sang in. She only ever sang in Visconti's production, which was seen for two seasons at La Scala, at Cologne and in Edinburgh. This was what might be called a concept production now, the idea being that Callas was playing a prima donna playing the role. Not that that made much difference to Callas, who never for one moment sounds as if she is playing a role, so touchingly does she inhabit the very being of the young innocent Amina. However, when she sang Ah non guinge!, the cabaletta to Ah non credea, Visconti brought up all the houselights and had Callas come right down to the footlights and hurl the cabaletta into the audience, no longer Amina, but now Callas, the prima donna assoluta. This might explain your reactions to the recording you heard. It is especially evident in the Bernstein performance of the prima. Later performances find the effect toned down somewhat.

[zamyrabyrd]

Just a small point, Callas actually did sing the whole role at La Scala for four performances in 1952 (unbelievably the first time the work was ever staged at La Scala). Unfortunately no recording exists.

Well, she must have had vocal chords of steel back then. It's just that there are SO many high and long notes in this just one aria (in contrast to one crowning Bb or any other notes up to and including an Eb by other composers), that some kind of planning can be done so as not to kill oneself.

Then again, Mozart had unusually virtuosic singers at hand, so wrote accordingly. His concert arias are like concertos for voice. I do wonder about the pitch, though, at that time, if it were lower by a half tone or more. So many of the passaggio problems hovering around the E-F for sopranos would become instantly easier.
ZB

[Sarastro]

Callas sang this aria

I really like how Callas goes on "urla, manda, pesta".  There's another Italian version on youtube sung by Leyla Gencer. I heard that once they even had the same vocal couch.
Surprisingly, the name of Leyla Gencer never appeared on this board, except this one time when I announced her death last year. Very sad. Although she was under-recorded, her fame was great, and she was indeed a diva. I think her pianissimi are second best to Caballe's.

[Lilas Pastia]

There could be a Gencer thread ! IMHO she was second only to Callas as a tragédienne in the italian repertoire. Listen to her Norma here and here. Listen to the beginning of In mia man alfin tu sei: her Norma sounds overcome with emotion (and us with her!). Then listen to her take command of the scene and become the implacable, dangerous scorned woman (e Adalgisa !!). If your throat doesn't choke at hearing Norma's last scene here, nothing will. Present are her curious glottal attacks (many see this as a detriment) and almost hallucinatory identification with the character. One of the very best Normas, and a noble competitor to Callas in the role.

[Sarastro]

I heard a couple of Norma's with Gencer, Simionato and Prevedi... and just recently listened to the first volume of her Myto recital, that's why I mentioned it here.

I remember that when Callas once was asked if Tebaldi was her rival, Callas said that just to be considered her rival Tebaldi had to sing Callas' repertoire... Gencer became popular in late fifties, but with her role range she could match Callas. Gencer sang roles from Tosca and Leonore to Gilda and Lucia, and had great success in the role of Queen Elizabeth in Roberto Devereux, as well as the same Queen in Rossini's Elisabetta regina d'Inghilterra. Although I am not particularly thrilled with her coloratura, she was a noted Donizettiana, and I'd like to hear those recordings of Belisario and Caterina Cornaro some day... as well as the videos of Don Giovanni (where she plays Donna Elvira) and Il Trovatore with a tremendous cast: MDM (Mario del Monaco ), Bastianini, Barbieri.


Gencer said about Callas:

Maria had in her blood, in her veins, in her subconscious all the tradition of the Greek Tragedy. She was born that way.
She had in fact her best time during 10 years. That was very short. But it will continue for ever of course the "Myth of La Callas" because she did so much ! She was a magnetic force on stage, the others didn't exist anymore. It's a gift of Nature, a gift of God. It' a talent, a great talent.

[Franco]

I really like how Callas goes on "urla, manda, pesta".   There's another Italian version on youtube sung by Leyla Gencer. I heard that once they even had the same vocal couch.
Surprisingly, the name of Leyla Gencer never appeared on this board, except this one time when I announced her death last year. Very sad. Although she was under-recorded, her fame was great, and she was indeed a diva. I think her pianissimi are second best to Caballe's.

Just yesterday I posted a collection of seven of her roles that topped my Wish List - here

These last two days I have been listening to Callas' 1960 Norma with Corelli, Ludwig, Zaccaria/Serafin.  Some people feel that her voice had deteriorated by this time, but I can't help but feel that this recording is one of the greatest Norma's ever.

[Sarastro]

Just yesterday I posted a collection of seven of her roles that topped my Wish List - here

Ah, $27.98 for 7 operas with brilliant Gencer!! Impossible. Thanks for that.

[Lilas Pastia]

Ah, $27.98 for 7 operas with brilliant Gencer!! Impossible. Thanks for that.

Where? Where ??

Coincidentally, I've been catching up with a few days' posts wile listening to youtube clips of that 1960 Callas Norma. The voice was still there. Very much so. I'll have to investigate the complete set (never had it).

Listen to gencer and Olivero in Vissi d'Arte. For my money they rival Callas in the histrionic and vocal departments.

Although in the italian version of Mozart's Konstanze aria, nobody comes near Callas - even Gencer.

[Franco]

Arkiv Music

[Tsaraslondon]

I've just listened to the Gencer clips of Norma, that LP posted, and I agree with much that LP says. I find her, however, a much less musical singer than Callas. As Zamyrabird would no doubt point out, there is a little too much of the verismo  style creeping into her singing of this bel canto role. I have no doubt that this performance would have been absolutely thrilling in the theatre, but I find it lacking on a purely musical level.

Incidentally the 1960 Callas Norma was not only the first complete Callas set I owned, but also the first complete opera set I owned. My brother bought it for me, as a Christmas present back in 1970. For quite a long time it was the only opera set I owned, so I got to know the opera and the performance pretty well. In those days, I was less aware of the decline in Callas's voice, having nothing else to compare it with. However, though I have now come to regard some of the live performances (particularly Covent Garden 1952 and La Scala 1955) superior, I still find there are certain passages in the score more movingly represented here than anywhere else. I am thinking of her entry into the first Adalgisa duet (O rimembranza so touchingly and wistfully voiced), the way she shades her line in the second duet (Ah perche, perche almost more felt than sung), the exquisite tapering away of the line in Deh non volerli vittime, the baleful, chesty tone she uses for In mia man, and that sudden change of colour at pei figli tuoi. These are just a few of the passages I can hear in my mind's ear without listening to the recording. Were it not for the hard, strident quality at the very top of the voice when she puts pressure on it, I'm not sure that I wouldn't find it the greatest of all her Normas. In intention, maybe it is.

[zamyrabyrd]

There could be a Gencer thread ! IMHO she was second only to Callas as a tragédienne in the italian repertoire. Listen to her Norma here and here. Listen to the beginning of In mia man alfin tu sei: her Norma sounds overcome with emotion (and us with her!). Then listen to her take command of the scene and become the implacable, dangerous scorned woman (e Adalgisa !!). If your throat doesn't choke at hearing Norma's last scene here, nothing will. Present are her curious glottal attacks (many see this as a detriment) and almost hallucinatory identification with the character. One of the very best Normas, and a noble competitor to Callas in the role.

A force to be reckoned with, Gencer must have been impressive onstage, and with quite a voice, especially in the upper range, very expressive there. By way of comparison, Callas didn't treat her middle range as being unimportant and neither did Bellini. The first few bars of the "tu sei" sung by Gencer don't have the punch or depth vocally that one would expect from such an endowed voice. The lower range is well exploited, even scary at times.

Yes, I agree, with "less musical" here than Callas.

ZB

[zamyrabyrd]

Further to the discussion:
Leyla Gencer on Maria Callas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G2n_KkQtak&feature=related

Most of the short interview is translated below the film (other singers didn't exist) except for her saying at 51 while raising her eyebrows "je pense que je l'ai aussi" "grand talent, that I think I have also".

[Sarastro]

Arkiv Music

I actually looked up on Amazon - exactly same prices for the exactly same set.

[Sarastro]

Most of the short interview is translated below the film (other singers didn't exist) except for her saying at 51 while raising her eyebrows "je pense que je l'ai aussi" "grand talent, that I think I have also".

Ha-ha-ha! Well, in some of her recordings her vocal far from perfect, and she had problems with the bel canto style sometimes, however, what I read about her by the contemporaries states she possessed grandiose stage presence, and that is why was adored by many. I think, she refers to the talent of being a tragedienne there. This she had also, I agree.

[Sarastro]

Yes, I agree, with "less musical" here than Callas.

Speaking of musicality, it seems, Callas topped them all, though she herself thought that Ponselle was the greatest. But Callas' musical supremacy does not prevent me from enjoying other singers, even if they are less musical or whatnot.
As Tsaraslondon once noted, Caballe at times tended to lay her voice just to display its beauty, having no dramatic intent behind it. Besides, I personally sometimes notice phrasing oddities and inflexion problems as well. Sutherland did not have oddities, but was always criticized for mushy diction, Te Kanawa - for crooning, but with all that I just can't deny the power they had in their voices, and little flaws should be forgiven.

And as for the bel canto style, we nowadays have Florez, Garanca, Dessay (ahem!), and other lads and gals who can sing high, produce long trills and florid passages... but I'd rather listen to Gencer's imperfect coloratura than to those all. This is just an odd marginal note.