Customer Reviews

Giordano: Andrea Chenier (complete opera live 1955) with Maria Callas, Mario del Monaco, Antonino Votto, Orchestra & Chorus of La Scala, Milan

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

 

 

This is as electrifying a performance of ANDREA CHENIER as one could imagine.

Mario del Monaco and Maria Callas are both in top form. And the crowd goes beserk for them both.

The sound is not great (as one would be expect from a live 1955 recording). But this is history. A great night at Italy's most famed opera house, with two legendary singers. What more could one want?

This recording stunned me. If you have read the wonderful book "Opera: The Rough Guide," you might know that this recording is mentioned as being amazingly hard to find but extraordinarily good. I found it, and I was amazed. Del Monaco is a thrilling, forceful Chenier whose tone is sheer gold. His "Un di" is rivalled only by Franco Corelli. Maria Callas is an impressive Maddalena: touching, but never losing the edge that makes Callas so distinct. The Gerard and the rest of the cast is just OK, and the sound quality IS poor (it's live from the 1950's), but who cares? The singing makes up for it!

I agree it is one of the most terrible records in terms of sound quality. Especially I am into SACD and DVD audio. This is the only reason why you might not want to purchase this recording.But the performance of the La Divina is enough compensation for the very bad quality of the recording.This opera was not in Callas's repertoire but, to everyone's surprise, she agreed to the change and learned the part of Maddalena in five days. The result is a performance that was unforgettable . Callas proved that in spite of her preference for the operas of Verdi and the bel canto composers like Bellini and Donizetti, she was equally at home in verismo repertoire. My question to everyone; Should you miss out this recording despite a very terrible sound ?

The best and most exciting recording of this opera thanks to Callas. Not since soprano Lina Buna Rasa's old 78's has there been a version as exciting and exhilarating. If your looking for perfect sound and perfect singing stay away from this recording. better still stay away from all apera.

The best and most exciting recording of this opera thanks to Callas. Not since soprano Lina Buna Rasa's old 78's has there been a version as exciting and exhilarating. if your looking for perfect sound and perfect singing stay away from this recording. better still stay away from all apera.

If EMI is going to release Operas that soundwise are well below their usual standards -- they should at the very least be in reasonably passible sound. That was true for their Callas Lisbon Recording of La Traviata. This one makes for very difficult listening. It is a CD for only the most diehard Callas fan.

I ordered the Andrea Chenier CD for a dear friend in CT who heard one of Callas' arias and was smitten with it. Not realizing the seller's geographic location, I initially wondered why the estimated delivery time was so long, but the CD actually arrived ahead of schedule. My friend related as to how the package came all the way from Germany. She's subsequently told me the CD plays well and she loves the whole opera.

Terrible sound, it's true, but a great performance! Del Monaco is superb! And Callas is Callas!

How a major company like EMI can release something that sounds this incredibly bad is totally beyond me. Obviously, they are determined to make every last penny they can from Maria Callas. While some of EMI's live Callas releases (like "Anna Bolena". "Macbeth", "Il Pirata") are at least listenable, this one is not. The sound on this 1955 "Chenier" is actually worse than it is on the same year's Callas "Traviata" from La Scala (also on EMI)

---- and the sound on THAT is horrendous. The only thing one can deduce from this "recording" is that both Callas and del Monaco were in great voice and were giving the opera everything they had, which, of course, was a tremendous amount. Severe distortion and static virtually ruins Callas' beautiful Act III aria, and there are many other unlistenable moments as well. As much as I admire and revere Callas, I'd advise you to leave this one alone. Who knows? Maybe one day a really decent pressing of this performance will surface.

A perfect cast, wonderful conductor and an audience adoring them! Listen to Callas' "La mamma morta"!! This alone is worth buying this incredible set! Callas only had a few days to learn the role of Maddalena and became the greatest Maddalena ever recorded!!!!!!!