Customer Reviews

Bellini: La Sonnambula (complete opera live 1955) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe Modesti, Leonard Bernstein, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

To be frank, I initially approached this 2CD set, the first official release of the live recording of that legendary 1955 production of La Sonnambula at La Scala, with a fair amount of trepidation, for the LP set that I owned (released by a private Italian label years ago) is in such atrocious sound that renders the LPs virtually unlistenable. Happily, the sound engineers at EMI have done an excellent job in re-mastering the tapes and we now are able to admire this fabulous historical performance in decent sound with the additional benefits of the articles and full libretto (with translation) that come with this treasurable release.

Maria Callas was, of course, the central attraction, and indeed the raison d'etre, for this Visconti-directed production and, judging from what we hear on this set, she was in excellent form on the first night (when this recording was taped). In portraying the innocent and virginal village girl Amina, Callas uses her meltingly tender tone to enchanting effect, whether in her serene reflection of the beauty of nature or her sweet anticipation of marital bliss. Indeed, this recording documents some of Callas' most lyrical singing that has ever been captured on record. Her mesmerising interpretation of the sleeping walking scene would, by itself, ensure her a lasting place in the annals of operatic singing. Conjuring a magical half-lit tone which most convincingly evokes the fragility and the melancholic musings of a girl whose mind is then residing in the realm just beyond consciousness, this mistress of bel canto not only demonstrates how to phrase the long melodies of Bellini with liquidity and musicality, she also shows how these purely vocal devices can contribute towards expression. Her coloratura singing is also brilliant with top E flats securely in place. The Act I cabaletta "Sovra il sen", with the increasingly ornate embellishments with each reprise of the melody and the cascades of chromatic scales at the end, is superbly done and the rondo finale, "Ah! non giunge", provides a spectacular conclusion to the opera where the awakened Amina is amazed and dazzled by the jubilation that surrounds her, which for once made those vocal pyrotechnics an apt reflection of the heroine's sense of awe and elation. While some slight unsteadiness in tone does intrude once in a while, these are comparatively minor in 1955 when the diva was still in her vocal prime. This is truly a great vocal performance and an unforgettable assumption.

Callas is here ideally partnered by Cesare Valletti, a tenore di grazia of the old school, who sings with admirable grace and style throughout. He possesses a beautiful voice and his singing is also heart-felt, elegant and true to the spirit of the work. In fact, he is quite incomparable in the part of Elvino. His duets with Callas are just sublime with the two phrasing prodigiously and singing to perfection in close harmony and with supreme expressiveness. This recording can, hopefully, lead to a re-assessment of the artistry of this rather under-appreciated Italian tenor and maybe even the release of his other recordings for many of today's singers (including some of the biggest names) and voice students can surely learn a lot about the art of singing from him. There is actually no weak link in the cast, which attests to the strength of the La Scala Company in those days. Giuseppe Modesti provides streams of warm Italianate tone as Count Rodolfo and he sings his arias with an innate sense of style without the slightest forcing. Eugenia Ratti is a perky and jealous Lisa with bright high notes and fluent scales while Gabriella Carturan is a sympathetic Teresa whose firm voice does not get submerged in ensembles. The Scala chorus is an effervescent lot, although they are at times out of sync with the orchestra, especially at the beginning of Act I.

One very special feature of this recording is the presence of Leonard Bernstein in the pit. The famed American composer, then at the earlier stages of his conducting career, gives a rather individualistic interpretation of the score. The dynamic range that he produces is great and there are more marked contrasts in tempo than one use to encounter in a Bellini opera. In particular, he employs a rapid and almost whirl-wind of a tempo for some of the choral scenes and thereby distinguishing them from the more leisurely, introspective and spiritually concentrated episodes for the principal solos and duets. Through such contrasts, Bernstein successfully marks out the private and more introspective spheres of the protagonists from the hustle and bustle of the village during the wedding celebrations. He also allows the singers maximum flexibility, which thereby enables Callas and Valletti to do all those wonderful things in their solos and duets. In short, this is an interesting and at times even exciting, though perhaps not absolutely idiomatic, reading of the score.

This live recording is preferable to the earthbound studio recording that Callas made with EMI in 1957. There, Antonino Votto's conducting is pedestrian and Nicola Monti can hardly be compared with Valletti in terms of style and technical control. Callas is also in better voice (and more vivid) 2 years earlier and Bellini's score suffers more cuts under the hands of Votto than those of Bernstein. This new release is therefore the one to have, and given the quality of the performances as well as the cleaned-up sound, it easily deserves a 5-star recommendation.

She was the most beautiful, most exciting singer I ever saw. Live this sounded even more beautiful and here Callas, who scared me to death as Medea, looked so fragile and touching... I also saw Sutherland and Scotto afterwards... I'll never forget the Visconti-production with Callas. Listen to her and Valletti and admire Bernstein. In my day this was what we called heaven... Enjoy!

This recording of La Sonnambula is a necessity in any opera lover's collection. Featuring Maria Callas at the prime of her career, one cannot ignore the fact that despite the quality of this live recording, the sheer interpretation of Bellini's Swiss village girl in this Sonnambula should never be condoned. At 1955, Callas' voice was at its peak form, fresh without the many characteristics that would detract non-fans from her recordings. It was during this time too that she worked with the famed American conductor Leonard Bernstein, one of the most dexterous and passionate interpreters of the score. Also included in this collaboration was the famed film director Luchino Visconti, and it was this trio that brought the spotlights of opera into this rare gem of a Sonnambula. The other Sonnambula, the live Koln Sonnambula with Votto, comes with a much superior cast and an even more superior sound, but this Sonnambula should never be overlooked for the numerous trills and embellishments that Bernstein had designed for Callas' voice in this performance. Overall, I'd give it a six stars for the magic of her interpretation, but minus one star for the mediocre sound.

The very few ignorant people on these pages who dismiss this performance of "Sonnambula" are not to be taken seriously. They don't understand music OR Bellini. 1955 was probably Callas' greatest year as an artist, and she was in stupendous voice. This "Sonnambula" is in the Malibran-Pasta tradition. Callas uses Bellini's harmonies to their greatest advantage - her two and a half downward cadenza to low A flat in the first cabaletta is in the words of John Ardoin, "rooted in Bellini's harmonic structure". Her coloratura here is astounding ---- and at breakneck speed -- yet her lyrical singing is so beautiful that it's painful. Cesare Valletti is a priceless Elvino, and in the duets, both he and Callas sound like a violin and a viola. Bernstein is an outstanding Bellini conductor, and the entire performance is one never likely to be bettered anywhere by anybody. The sound is decent, except for some distortion in one of Valletti's arias in the second half of the opera, as well as some more just before Callas' superlative final cabaletta. But this is not nearly enough to make you not enjoy this set. It's a jewel.

I first heard La Sonnambula with the amazing Gruberova and I simply couldn't imagine a huge dramatic voice singing Amina. But Callas sounds fragile, touching and sweet as Amina. Her "Ah non credea" almost erased the divine Edita from my mind. It's a great performance, I recommend this for Callas, Valletti and Bernstein. Also get Gruberova's recording which will send you to heaven as well!

SOURCE: Live performance from La Scala in Milan, March 5, 1955.

SOUND: Weak, inadequate, antiquated, muffled, limited and frustrating. I am reminded of the output of the first generation of pocket-sized transistor radios that were such a craze when I was in junior high school--the ones that made the Bakelite-cased, table model AM radios at home sound so resonantly mellifluous. Audiophiles who suffer the vapors on hearing digital recordings made with last week's equipment, walk away right now. This is not for you. The only reason for listening to this recording is the performance. Live with its technical inadequacies.

CAST: Amina - Maria Callas (soprano); Elvino - Cesare Valletti (tenor); Teresa - Gabriella Carurani (mezzo-soprano); Il Conte Rodolfo - Giuseppe Modesti (bass); Lisa - Eugenia Ratti (soprano); Alessio - Pierluigi Latinucci (bass); Un Notario - Giuseppe Nessi (tenor). CONDUCTOR: Leonard Bernstein with the Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro alla Scala, Milano.

TEXT: The standard cuts that were traditional for a century or more are observed.

COMMENTARY: In 1955 La Scala presented "Sonnambula" in an expensive new production overseen by Luchino Visconti, who served as producer, director and all-around prop for Maria Callas. It marked the second occasion in which Callas and Leonard Bernstein worked together in an opera house. Callas was still at her peak, but not long before, a bobbled high note during a performance of "Andrea Chenier" had occasioned an outburst of boos and whistles, something that Maria Callas would remember far more clearly than the cheers she had also earned that night. Callas believed that the sharks were beginning to circle--and she was probably right. Not long after that, Callas, being Callas, had managed to get into an unseemly tussle with Boris Christoff over bows in a "Medea." And the feud with Renata Tebaldi had come to a nice, sour boil.

By the time Callas arrived in Milan, she was in a state. Her doctor ordered complete rest. The opening of "La Sonnambula" was postponed for two weeks. Bernstein was not entirely unhappy at the delay, for it allowed him to get in an almost unprecedented eighteen orchestral rehearsals for an opera that La Scala habitually performed after only a single run-through.

At the time, Callas seems to have been going through an infatuation with Visconti. When she finally turned up at rehearsals, she was unusually pliant before his direction. However, so the story goes, one Visconti-ism proved too much for her. Although the opera is set in a humble Tyrolean village, the director insisted that Callas wear her best personal jewelry during all rehearsals. "But Luchino," she is supposed to have said, "I'm only a village girl." "No," Visconti replied, "you are MARIA CALLAS playing a village girl, and don't you forget it!"

Callas sings extremely well here, lightening her voice to portray the simple village girl, Amina (pace Luchino), but nevertheless in full La Divina mode with wonderful high notes and breathtaking vocal decorations. For Callas fans, that fully justifies a five-star rating for this set.

This is one of the relatively few Callas live recordings that can also boast of a first-class tenor and conductor. Cesare Valletti was a true, indeed a classic tenore di grazia. He was Tito Schipa's student and in some ways he surpassed that charming old musical con man. Because of him, the glorious Amina-Elvino duets are first-rate. (Such was not the case in Callas' studio recording and her second live recording, both made with the utterly useless Nicola Monti.) Bernstein was at his most Bernsteinly. He put his well-rehearsed orchestra through their paces and injected drama, fire and electricity into the music. (Perhaps more drama, fire and electricity than sweetly melodious Bellini ever intended--but that's another subject.)

The rest of the cast is pretty good, also unusual for a live Callas recording. Eugenia Ratti is a little too hard-edged for my taste but she is effective as the hard-edged Lisa. Giuseppe Modesti is fine as Count Rodolfo. The only fault I can find with him is that he is not Cesare Siepi.

Callas at her best, a good supporting cast and a top conductor, all of these demand and deserve five stars.

BUT--this is not at all the best performance of "La Sonnambula" available. In 1952 CETRA issued a recording with Lina Pagliughi and Ferruccio Tagliavini which is currently available in various editions. Pagliughi was good, even though she was never the vocal technician that Callas was. Nevertheless, she was a better Amina, singing in the old melodic way. Excellent as Valletti was, Tagliavini was even better. Overall, I think the Pagliughi-Tagliavini performance is the one Bellini would have said most closely matched his intentions.

I love this opera. I have so many Sonnambulas that I lost count including other Callas-performances (Studio, Cologne etc.) and Sutherland, Gruberova ETC. But NOTHING comes close to this magical night when La Scala was still La Scala. Callas' studio-set is marred by a mediocre tenor (Monti) as is Sutherland's first recording. (Also Monti) Sutherland's second recording shows her past her prime, sounding too old, mushy and woolen. Look for a live-Sonnambula with Sutherland. Anyway, Callas and Bernstein made magic here. Sheer magic! Valletti sounds GORGEOUS and creamy as Elvino. The best there is!

This live-recording is, even in an illustrious discography as Callas', a wonder. A wonder of sheer perfection, love and beauty. Callas who could sing a blood-curdling Medea and Lady Macbeth sang the purest, most touching and tearful Amina. Just listen to Amina's first aria to hear a voice of airy beauty, lucid warmth and tenderness. The duets with Elvino (The WONDERFUL Valletti, a true belcanto-tenor in the tradition of Schipa) soar to heaven rivalling the stars! And her madscene is unrivalled with the ornaments and incredible coloratura! A keeper!

1) Opera took years to "grow" on me.
2) I became an opera addict. Fullblown.
3) I "got" Callas.

You who know,
know what I'm talkin' 'bout.

Like everbody, at first, her voice freaked me out a bit.

Of course, I got over that as I came to understand the "big picture".

Maria's soul pours through once again in this [grazie addio] performance of La Sonnambula.

I have great respect for Mr. Bernstein and everybody else who worked on this beautiful performance.

However, it's all about Maria.

A friend of mine, not a real opera fan, but 100% Italian, whom I've introduced to "La Divina", remarked that once you hear Maria sing certain arias, you can't really listen to anybody else's version, no matter how utterly beautiful or technically flawless they may be.

Maria sets the standard for "soul".

This is the Callas performance at the peak of her art. The manner in which she can scale down the voice to a melencholy whisper, even with the vocal problems, is the great artist at work. her performance is controlled and often riverting. Far excedes the studio recording. The top notes have a great deal of freedom and Bernstein is equally as exciting. No other recording of La Sonnambula compares with it.