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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE MOST VOCALLY BEAUTIFUL OF ANY CALLAS NORMA, November 11, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Bellini: Norma (complete opera live 1952) with Maria Callas, Mirto Picchi, Vittorio Gui, Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (Audio CD)
It's nice that EMI has given this 1952 performance a legitimate presentation. At the time of this live performance, Callas was not yet thirty, vocally spectacular, and on the verge of the most spectacular operatic career of the century. The Callas heard here is the heavy-set woman of the early 1950's, with a full dramatic soprano capable of negotiating the most intricate coloratura. Her Norma at this point had yet to acquire the subtle nuances of later (and less vocally reliable) years, but there is no question of the complete security of her voice. She is partnered here by the veteran mezzo Ebe Stignani, who to my ears sounds aged and matronly for the youthful role of Adalgiza (how she managed to sound so much better three years later in the RAI performance, also with Callas, is something I will always wonder about). The tenor is adequate - certainly not in the Del Monaco-Corelli class. The sound, surprisingly enough, is pretty listenable. Make no mistake, I am giving this recording five stars for Callas, and for many, that will be more than enough reason to purchase, listen, and to value this recording.
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I'd like to add my two cents, January 15, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: Bellini: Norma (complete opera live 1952) with Maria Callas, Mirto Picchi, Vittorio Gui, Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (Audio CD)
I think this is a great live-recording, esp. the duet "Mira o Norma" and the final scene are very beautiful. I like it more than Callas'studio-Normas... I'd recommend it!
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Callas' famous Covent Garden debut, May 24, 2004
This review is from: Bellini: Norma (complete opera live 1952) with Maria Callas, Mirto Picchi, Vittorio Gui, Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (Audio CD)
Norma had not been sung at Covent Garden since Rosa Ponselle's glorious performances until Callas arrived in 1952 and triumphed incredibly. Joan Sutherland, later to be a great Norma and the sweet Clothilde on this set, describes how she stayed close to the stage to listen to the "incredible beauty of Maria's and Ebe's singing". Sills said she took Callas' singing as a role-model for her own Norma, as did Caballe and Sutherland. (They all said it, it can be read and heard in many sources) Sills adored Callas so much that she said "I'd rather have five years of Maria instead of twenty of myself". Of course she would never have done that but it's a sweet, respectful gesture towards the older colleague and inspiration. This Norma will take your breath away. If Joan Sutherland was satisfied, then you will be too!
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