Search - Vincenzo Bellini, Maria Callas :: Bellini - Norma / Maria Callas

ARGUABLY CALLAS' GREATEST NORMA

L. Mitnick | Chicago, Illinois United States | 10/11/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am well aware of the comments which admonish Gala for splicing small snippets from other performances to replace a few moments of static in the opening of Act II of this performance, but I really don't see any big deal here. What we have here is Maria Callas, at her zenith, in her greatest operatic assumption. I do not find the sound on this release to be at all objectionable ---- in fact, it is far, far superior to most of the EMI issues of Callas' live performances (if you want to hear truly lousy and crumbly sound, try getting through the 1955 "Traviata", or even worse, the distortion-riddled "Andrea Chenier" from the same year!). That said, I can assure you that the sound on this "Norma" is highly listenable, sufficiently vivid, and in acceptable monophonic sound.

The performance itself is outstanding, and this has been duly noted by other posters on these pages. Callas was simply a creature whose art and voice resided on another planet. Del Monaco was not a subtle Pollione, but he certainly had a heroic voice, and what a voice it was!! The only other tenor in del Monaco's league in this role is Franco Corelli, who partnered Callas in her 1960 EMI studio recording. Giulietta Simionato was an outstanding Adalgisa, and her singing in thirds with Callas in the two duets is something right out of the bel canto textbook.

Votto was a far more compelling conductor here than he was in some of Callas' EMI studio recordings. This performance is invaluable to any admirer of Callas, and equally important, is a perfectly valid document of an operatic impersonation not even hinted at today."

The Norma for the Ages

J. Vos | Johannesburg, South Africa | 03/06/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Every Callas recording - no matter from which era in her career - has something to recommend it. Then there is the recordings which are just so outstanding that not to have it should probably be a crime. Some of these would be the 1953 studio Tosca, the 1957 Cologne Sonnambula, Anna Bolena from La Scala 1957... one of these would surely be the Norma reviewed here.



Norma is an opera a person could get lost in. From the first notes in the Overture, up to the last moments, one could listen to it over and over again and repeatedly be astounded by the sheer beauty as well as the dramatic aptness of the score. In my opinion it would be one of the 'most perfect' operas ever written (alongside Don Giovanni) and this - even with some sonic flaws - is the recording that I keep coming back to.



The atmosphere of an opening night at La Scala is hard to beat. Add to it that this was a year (1955) that saw Callas delivering such triumphs as the Traviata with Visconti/Giulini, the Sonnambula with Bernstein, the Berlin Lucia and more; it isn't surprising that one can feel the excitement on this recording.



Vocally it's all there. Dramatically too. The cast and conductor/orchestra in top form. How could one expect anything less than a performance for the ages? Just listen to it. The 'Son io' in the last act. The 'Teneri Figli'. The entrance scene 'Sediziose Voci...Ah Bello a me'.



There is no better Norma on record than Maria Callas. And this recording - albeit live - is her crowning achievement in this role. You won't be dissappointed...BUY IT."

This is "The" Norma

Garry Feeney | Sydney. Australia | 10/04/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Despite the fact that I am an Australian and have actually heard Dame Joan Sutherland sing Norma live at the Sydney Opera House, my loyalty in this piece remains forever with Callas. (Ponselle was probaly greater but she was very staid in the studio - everybody seemed to be in those days - and there is no live recording of her). Callas was a singing actress and she learnt to act with her voice so well that you can get the drama even on record. Her diction is superb and her use of the words to telling effect is first class.



The two studio recordings are flawed. The first one has inferior sound and inferior co-stars. The second has Corelli (fabulous - the best on record) but the Adalgisa is a little cold for my taste and the vocal production from Callas is frequently strained, sometimes ugly. Her performance on that second studio recording has great strengths as well, but flaws.



In this live recording the voice is very solid and her performance is superb. Her co-stars are worthy of her if not in her league (who was? Di Stefano ? maybe).



I have listened to and attended many a disappointing performance of Norma, mostly because I have been spoiled by listening to this. Be prepared for the fact that it's a live recording, but like her live Traviatas, it's worth the distractions.

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