These were Callas' only stage performances of Gilda. Unfortunately, the performance is shockingly underrehearsed. I suppose there was some sort of piano rehearsal, almost certainly no Sitzprobe. The Act Three storm trio is simply a mess with Callas soldiering on professionally and Sparafucile and Maddalena lost in the fray (had they never done their roles before?). Similarly, the quartet is very rough with Callas ending on the traditional interpolated top D-flat and the other three singers way off pitch. Di Stefano is very uneven. He joins Callas on an exciting D-flat at the end of the "Addio, addio" cabaletta, but sings the interpolated high B at the end of "La donna e mobile" distressingly flat. Even so, the audience demands an encore and he ends flat again! Even Callas falters momentarily when she forgets the words at the beginning of "Tutta le feste" and the heretofore obnoxiously loud prompter is nowhere to be heard. Nevertheless, Callas is terrific. In 1952 her voice would do anything she wanted it to and she creates a very believable Gilda. Incidentally, the top note she interpolates at the end of "Caro nome" is E-flat, not E natural (the giveaway is when Campolonghi reenters at "Riedo, perche?" and the original pitch is restored.) Her thrilling E-flat at the end of the second act is one for the record books. Campolonghi responds with a great A-flat and the crowd goes wild.Despite its many problems, Callas fans must hear this performance.