Maria Callas - Life & Art (2 CD's & Bonus DVD)

Gaetano Donizetti (Composer), Giuseppe Verdi (Composer), Vincenzo Bellini (Composer), Hector Berlioz (Composer), Georges Bizet (Composer), Arrigo Boito (Composer), Alfredo Catalani (Composer), Gustave Charpentier (Composer), Francesco Cilea (Composer), Maria Callas (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Maria Callas
• Composer: Gaetano Donizetti, Giuseppe Verdi, Vincenzo Bellini, Hector Berlioz, Georges Bizet, et al.
• Audio CD (November 16, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B0002Z83KW
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,085 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Bellini: Norma - Casta Diva (Act I)

2. Donizetti: Anna Bolena - Al dolce guidami castel natio (Act II)

3. Verdi: Il trovatore - D'amor sull'ali rosee (Act IV)

4. Catalani: La Wally - Ebben? ne andrr lontana (Act I)

5. Giordano: Andrea Chinier - La mamma morta (Act III)

6. Puccini: La bohhme - Donde lieta uscl (Act III)

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Bellini: La sonnambula - Compagne, teneri amici...Come per me sereno...Sovra il sen la man mi posa (Act I)

2. Bellini: I puritani - Son vergin vezzosa (Act 1)

3. Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor - Regnava nel silenzio...Quando rapito in estasi (Act I)

4. Verdi: Rigoletto - Gualtier Maldh...Caro nome (Act I)

5. Verdi: La traviata - Ah, fors'h lui (Act I)

6. Puccini: Gianni Schicchi - O mio babbino caro

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Massenet: Le Cid - De cet affreux combat...Pleurez, mes yeux (Acte III) (DVD)

2. Bizet: Carmen - Prilude; Habanera (Acte I); Entr'acte (Acte III); Siguidille (Acte I) (DVD)

3. Verdi: Ernani - Surta h la notte...Ernani, involami (Atto I) (DVD)

4. Rossini: La Cenerentola - Nacqui all'affanno e al pianto...Non piy mesta (Atto II) (DVD)

5. Verdi: Don Carlo - O don fatale, o don crudel (Atto III) (DVD)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful representation of Callas artistry, April 28, 2006

By 

Anastasia Charalambakos - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Maria Callas - Life & Art (2 CD's & Bonus DVD) (Audio CD)

This 2 set CD and additional DVD are a great sampling of Maria Callas singing various operatic arias. They demonstrate not only her remarkable vocal range but her ability to perform expressively as well. No artist in my opinion can act today as well as Callas. Callas voice may have been flawed later on during her career, but her ability to act truly makes up for any vocal imperfections. After all, she is the only operatic soprano I know of who possessed not only the natural talent for acting, but the ability to sing anything from mezzo to soprano. If you are a fan of Callas, then I highly recommend this set. Even those not familiar with Maria Callas should hear her perform at least once.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stupenda! A great compilation..., August 23, 2006

By 

Stephen J. Odonnell (Windsor, CT United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Maria Callas - Life & Art (2 CD's & Bonus DVD) (Audio CD)

First off, I think this is a great compilation of Maria Callas' work. It has a little bit of almst everything. It picks the right records and highlights them quite well. I liked the idea of splitting the album into two discs. One of lighter romantic arias. The other with tragic and dramatic arias. Now, to the point...
I listen to many operas as it is my music of choice. Whenever I find myself at a loss with a certain soprano for either character or tone I always find myself coming back to Callas. Not having the most tonaly beautiful voice she does for me what is more important. She adds life and passion to the music instead of just singing it. She knows the characters and their motivations. This rare feat comes thru in her voice. Capable of singing almost any soprano role from a light lyric coloratura such as Lakme or to the heavy demands of a Wagnerian role such as Norma. Not only does her range impress but her voice was capable of such colors and shades of those colors. She imparts such pathos and depth with her voice. This for me is most important. A singer can have the most tonaly beautiful voice, but if there is no heart and emotion behind it, forget about it. Callas has that in spades. Maybe that is why 30 some odd years after her death I still find myself turning to her for inpsiration.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very beautiful edition!, May 25, 2008

By 

Dag Kyndel "Kottebo" (Stockholm, Sweden) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Maria Callas - Life & Art (2 CD's & Bonus DVD) (Audio CD)

This is one of the most beautiful presentations of Maria Callas I have ever seen. CD 1: The tragic heroine, CD 2: The romantic heroine, DVD: Concert in Hamburg. The CD:s does NOT include two full-lenght operas as another reviewer suggests. Together with the records: a little book with lots of photos - and the text of the different arias in German, Italian and English. As an introduction: "The tragic heroine" by Tony Locantro. The set is so beautiful, that every fan of Callas just must buy it. Published by EMI