Maria Callas

[knight66]

Sarastro, Thanks. I followed Andre's links and have listened to quite a few extracts. I have ordered the set, costing rather less from the Amazon marketplace. Most are not operas I would usually get hold of, but for such a small outlay, I will get a chance to listen to what was clearly an exceptional singer.

Mike

[Lilas Pastia]

I've made the purchase too. thanks for the tip for Amazon Marketplace, Mike !

I agree with you all about Callas' musicality winning over Gencer's. As I said, she is second to La Divina in that respect. ZB justly noted Gencer's habit of sometimes undersinging some phrases. I believe this was intentional, she would save her guns for the climactic phrases, chosen for maximum histrionic effect. Not exactly a musical choice I suppose  . But in the end, she remains one of the giants of italian opera singing. No question in my mind she outsings and leaves trailing in the dust most sopranos who have sung Verdi, Donizetti or Bellini in the past 50 years.

Sarastro rightly interprets Gencer's phrase about Callas: 'Je pense que je l'ai aussi' referred to 'une force magnétique sur la scène', which is 'un don divin, un grand talent'. Gencer bows to 'il mito', but only reluctantly. I guess if you don't have that kind of character, you're not a diva!

[knight66]

I saw some comment or other, I think on one of the Youtube offerings....it went something like: 'Well, if both Caballe and Schwartzkopf went to her for technical advice, she must have been doing something right.' I have no idea what the source would be for this suggestion, but if true, it does indicate she was well respected. I really enjoyed the extracts from Norma; but the available CDs of her in it are currently at a premium. I can wait!

When listening, she often reminded me of Caballe with a heightened sense of drama.

Mike

[Tsaraslondon]

I saw some comment or other, I think on one of the Youtube offerings....it went something like: 'Well, if both Caballe and Schwartzkopf went to her for technical advice, she must have been doing something right.' I have no idea what the source would be for this suggestion, but if true, it does indicate she was well respected.
Mike

Somehow I doubt Schwarzkopf ever sought the advice of any of her contemporaries. It just doesn't chime with her character. Callas, on the other hand, did seek advice from Schwarzkopf, quite publicly on one occasion at Biffi Scala, and Caballe sought advice from Callas, though mostly about roles and repetoire, it would seem.

[Sarastro]

D'amore al dolce impero from Rossini's Armida. It is quite a famous recording, and despite its poor quality, the singing is brilliant and unforgettable.

[Tsaraslondon]

D'amore al dolce impero from Rossini's Armida. It is quite a famous recording, and despite its poor quality, the singing is brilliant and unforgettable.

Thanks, Sarastro, I hadn't heard this version of the aria in years. I have her later 1954 recording (taken from a RAI radio concert), and, though that is pretty amazing by any normal standards, this 1952 performance is little short of miraculous. It is a from a fully staged performance of the role at the Maggio Musicale, Fiorentino, and, unbelievably, she learned the role in only 5 days!

[DarkAngel]

D'amore al dolce impero from Rossini's Armida. It is quite a famous recording, and despite its poor quality, the singing is brilliant and unforgettable.

Another live 1952 version almost 1 minute faster timing and nice slide show of La Divina
Could be same recording with orchestral intro cut back......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlcfOqVN8W8

[Tsaraslondon]

Another live 1952 version almost 1 minute faster timing and nice slide show of La Divina
Could be same recording with orchestral intro cut back......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlcfOqVN8W8

I'm pretty sure it's the same performance, if only because I'm also pretty sure that only one of that series of performances exists in sound.

After this I listened to Renee Fleming's version. It's actually technically pretty stunning, though, as usual, she now and again indulges in infuriatingly unstylish crooning, and, taken on its own merits, would no doubt bring the house down, which indeed it does. But (isn't there always a but?) there is little of Callas's almost insolent ease, nor her imperious command. I was much more impressed by Fleming's performance than I expected to be, given that I don't normally like her in Italian opera, but it didn't thrill me.

[DarkAngel]

I'm pretty sure it's the same performance, if only because I'm also pretty sure that only one of that series of performances exists in sound.

After this I listened to Renee Fleming's version. It's actually technically pretty stunning, though, as usual, she now and again indulges in infuriatingly unstylish crooning, and, taken on its own merits, would no doubt bring the house down, which indeed it does. But (isn't there always a but?) there is little of Callas's almost insolent ease, nor her imperious command. I was much more impressed by Fleming's performance than I expected to be, given that I don't normally like her in Italian opera, but it didn't thrill me.

Yes Renee Fleming as usual very smooth delicate delivery, lovely floated notes............but where is the dramatic intensity, the spontaenous passion

A more serious challenge to Maria's mastery is the very fine Caballe version here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qey1SCREubw

The colortura varitions sound even better with Caballe, but again the dramtatic intensity of Callas often trumps all else overall

[Sarastro]

After this I listened to Renee Fleming's version.

Despite my disregard to Fleming (certainly not my singer), her version sounds quite good to my ears. The one from Pesaro'93. I wonder how she'll perform this role at the MET'10 after sixteen years.

There are other versions of this aria on youtube - Caballe's, Deutekom's, Anderson's, and even Larmore's (my least favorite, except this "death of belcanto" clip with Adelaide Negri).

[Sarastro]

I have her later 1954 recording

Is it a full recording of the opera?

[Tsaraslondon]

Is it a full recording of the opera?

No, she only performed the complete opera at that one series of performances in Florence in 1952. The 1954 aria is from one of those Martini Rossi radio broadcasts, when she also sang Martern aller Arten (in Italian), Ombre legere, from Dinorah (also in Italian), and Depuis le jour, from Louise (the first occasion on which she sang in French).

[Lilas Pastia]

I have 46 minutes of extracts from the 04.1952 performance (as well as a 1956 version of the aria). Even more astonishing than the coloratura are the astonishing power and purity of those immense leaps. The audience must have dropped its collective jaw in the theatre. I'll bet a few dentures were lost that evening.

[DarkAngel]

No, she only performed the complete opera at that one series of performances in Florence in 1952. The 1954 aria is from one of those Martini Rossi radio broadcasts, when she also sang Martern aller Arten (in Italian), Ombre legere, from Dinorah (also in Italian), and Depuis le jour, from Louise (the first occasion on which she sang in French).

This excellent 2CD set has 1954 San Remo D'amore al Dolce, a goldmine of misc tracks made to compliment the live recital EMI series, $2 used at Amazon.
Also contains a 1952 Lakme Bell Song that has Callas hitting some thrilling high notes

[Lilas Pastia]

Speaking of Callas' musicality, one of the outstanding attributes of her art was her uncanny ability to give musical meaning to those high notees. In italian opera they generally come at the height of an aria and in the cadenza (often a cabaletta in bel canto operas).  There are tons of singers who can nail a high C or E Flat, often with more beautiful tone than Callas. Sutherland for example made it a textbook demonstration of carefully, confidently building the harmonic progression and rythmic edifice to showcase the high notes. But La Divina had the unique gift of giving musical value and dramatic interest to those  stock conventions. By doing so, she takes us along the ride and makes it much more eventful. The high notes then acquire their real function: stun the listener and bring the scene to a showstopping conclusion.

[Sarastro]

Speaking of Callas' musicality, one of the outstanding attributes of her art was her uncanny ability to give musical meaning to those high notees. In italian opera they generally come at the height of an aria and in the cadenza (often a cabaletta in bel canto operas).  There are tons of singers who can nail a high C or E Flat, often with more beautiful tone than Callas. Sutherland for example made it a textbook demonstration of carefully, confidently building the harmonic progression and rythmic edifice to showcase the high notes. But La Divina had the unique gift of giving musical value and dramatic interest to those  stock conventions. By doing so, she takes us along the ride and makes it much more eventful. The high notes then acquire their real function: stun the listener and bring the scene to a showstopping conclusion.

So, you say that no other singer other than Callas can actually bring meaning to a high note? I think that's quite a bold statement. As you can see, I like Callas, but I wouldn't go into extremes saying that other singers were not able to give "musical value and dramatic interest those stock conventions," although in many respects she was unique. However, there were others... and who knows what kind of quality Giuditta Pasta or Maria Malibran had... we just have no tangible evidence.

[Lilas Pastia]

I didn't write any such thing. Just read carefully.

[Sarastro]

I re-read your post several times. According to Merriam Webster, "unique" means "being the only one," "existing as the only one or as the sole example." So, when I read that "La Divina had the unique gift of giving musical value and dramatic interest to those stock conventions," I understood it as she was the only one who could ever do it. I disagree.

But sorry if I misinterpret your point, I think I don't quite get it.

[Anne]

Sutherland owes some of her high notes to her husband who made her believe she was singing lower notes when actually she was singing higher ones.

Pavarotti came to glory with the 9 high C's in Daughter of the Regiment.  I love to listen to that cd; it is so thrilling.

In I Puritani did he always sing falsetto on that F note or is there any place where he sang it normally?  Maybe it was an E?  I can't remember. 

That was the very first complete opera that I bought.  Being shocked at the sticker price of $40, I could see I would not be buying much music at that rate.  Fortunately I was able to conquer that problem.   0:)

[zamyrabyrd]

Sutherland owes some of her high notes to her husband who made her believe she was singing lower notes when actually she was singing higher ones.

I sort of doubt that a singer like Sutherland would be so fooled that she is not singing high C's. 
However, her husband was an excellent coach and if he was the one to convince her to be grounded (other teachers if they are good, say the same thing), then singing high would not be feel like straining--on the contrary.

As for the tenors, they have more to offer than high notes. Usually, the upper reaches in any kind of voice are not expressive by themselves, except for intense emotion balanced out by the rest of the pice or floating high C's like at the end of the first act of Boheme. But more to the argument, Callas' emotion laden high notes in Tosca come to mind. I don't think she ever sang any note without weighted consideration.

Two versions of Callas as Ophelia in the mad scene of Hamlet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dsEeX0ggZM&feature=related

In Italiano ("ai vostri giochi") Athens, 1957
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB7GEAm6RWo&feature=related

ZB