Bellini: I Puritani - Callas, Di Stefano, Campolonghi, Silva; Picco. Mexico City, 1952

$16.95



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If the lines between "Callas the Myth" and "Callas the Artist" have blurred for you over time, I highly recommend this recording. Vocally, it’s astonishing how a voice of her size could navigate this repertoire with such ease. Her coloratura in "Son vergin vezzosa" is so precise you could almost transcribe the melody directly from her performance. As the opera unfolds, she reveals the richness of her tone, which in 1952 was free from the mannerisms that marked her later years. She is accompanied by her frequent collaborator, Giuseppe Di Stefano, who sings with equal passion despite the immense technical demands placed on a tenor in this role. It raises the question: has any pair of singers since achieved this level of dramatic authenticity in a bel canto opera? The sound quality is excellent.

OD 10826-2

Customer Reviews
4.4 Based on 5 Reviews
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RD
10/29/2023
Robert D.
United Kingdom

Callas reigns supreme

The five stars are for Callas, three for everyone else edging to four for Di Stefano even though stylistically he is all over the place and ends up shouting his way (albeit in an exciting way) through most of his role. Callas is in wonderful voice and it is amazing how she can rise above lacklustre conducting, mediocre fellow principals and a certain amount of musical chaos. But rise above it she does in spectacular fashion and it a wonder to hear how she portrayed Elvira with such insight and understanding. Better than the EMI recording which followed later and is more studied and less spontaneous. I regard this performance as essential listening for anyone beguiled by her artistry.

RD
10/29/2023
Robert D.
United Kingdom United Kingdom

Callas reigns supreme

The five stars are for Callas, three for everyone else edging to four for Di Stefano even though stylistically he is all over the place and ends up shouting his way (albeit in an exciting way) through most of his role. Callas is in wonderful voice and it is amazing how she can rise above lacklustre conducting, mediocre fellow principals and a certain amount of musical chaos. But rise above it she does in spectacular fashion and it a wonder to hear how she portrayed Elvira with such insight and understanding. Better than the EMI recording which followed later and is more studied and less spontaneous. I regard this performance as essential listening for anyone beguiled by her artistry.

JH
07/28/2020
John H.

New discovery

Wasn't aware of this recorded performance and glad I've been able to add it to my collection. I've only given it 4 stars due to the sound quality in some passages but I can't fault the soloists in this performance. Was impressed with Di Stefano in particular as I wouldn't have associated him with the tenor role here. Nothing to add re Callas other than superb.

JD
08/28/2019
John D.
United States United States

I Puritani review

For this live performance the sound is good.

DB
06/19/2019
David B.

Callas alone

It is such a shame that we only have this one live recording of Callas in what was an iconic role for her. The performance is quite a train wreck, or rather a series of train wrecks, with very poor coordination between pit and stage. It sounds as if the rehearsal time had been very limited, and most of the cast have very little idea of the style necessary for this kind of work. Even Di Stefano sings in a crude way with little sense of style. Above it all is Callas, the only singer who both knows and understands the music, offering everyone a lesson in what this kind of work is all about and how it should be performed. She is on wonderful form, but even so there are times when she seems to get temporarily overwhelmed by the chaos around her. It is extraordinary to think what she was offering the world in these early performances in Mexico, thank goodness so many of these performances were recorded.