Customer Reviews

Puccini: Manon Lescaut (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tullio Serafin, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Manon Lescaut has always been, to me, (along with La Boheme and Tosca) the ultimate Puccini experience, and this recording, in this reviewer's ears, is the ultimate Manon Lescaut. Madame Callas is, quite simply put, breathtaking. Her singing in the first act is fresh and lyric, while her performance in the last act is stupendous, realizing a pathos and tragedy seldom matched by anyone. As great as La Divina was, let us not overlook the Tenor of this recording, Guiseppe Di Stefano. Di Stefano is in brilliant voice here. His "Tra Voi Belle" and "Donna non vidi Mai" display a lyric vibrancy and intensity that Di Stefano became world renowned for (the best Tenor in the role of the Puccini des Grieux on record, next to Jussi Bjoerling). Di Stefano's "Ah Manon mi Tradisce" will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat. What exciting singing and passion the great Sicilian displays here. The conducting is in the always capable hands of Tullio Serafin, who does an exemplary in this recording. Since both the Bjoerling/Albanese and the Del Monaco/Tebaldi recordings appear to be out of print, you simply MUST own this one. This is a truly great recording of the Puccini masterpiece and with the deletions of the afore mentioned recordings, this CD becomes even greater. Treat yourself to real Italian opera at its finest and purchase this recording. A priceless gem!

This is a wonderful recording. Callas never appeared as Manon Lescaut on the stage (a diva who specialized in such roles as Norma, Sonnambula, Lucia, Anna Bolena and Medea would be quite unlikely to appear on stage in a role that almost any other soprano could sing), she made this recording in 1957, and proved that even without stage experience in a role, she was capable of producing some amazing results. To begin with, there are some Callas vocal problems here ----- top notes are not as secure or as steady as they still could be at this time in her career, and there are a couple of top C's that wobble pretty badly. But this is nothing when set against what Callas accomplishes with the role. She characterizes by exemplary phrasing and vocal coloration. Never have I heard the final scene of this opera come across with the impact that it does here. Giuseppe di Stefano is in very good shape here, singing ardently and lyrically. His was a great one, and it is a pity that he choose to push it into roles completely unsuitable for him. Tullio Serafin, with Callas and di Stefano in his midst, conducts with fire and a real sense of involvement. This recording may not be considered to be one of Callas' most famous recordings, but it has a good claim to be one of the best versions of this opera ever recorded.Callas fans will probably already own it, but anyone interested in Puccini and his beautiful opera should give this recording a listen. They won't be sorry.

This recording is simply wonderful.The voices are clear and the orchestra never drowns them out. Callas makes a wonderful Manon and it is a pity that she never performed it on the stage for I am sure she could have given a brilliant interpretation.Apart from a few unsure high notes this is an excellent portrayal. The role of Des Grieux is the hardest that Puccini wrote. It has the tenor of La Boheme singing over the orchestration of Wagner.Also he must sing for a lot of the opera and pretty high up too.Compare this to Cavaradossi's twenty minutes!Di Stefano makes a wonderful Des Grieux, both ardent and lyrical.I believe that he had the most beautiful voice of the century and thank God that we have a huge amount of recordings from him. The orchestra plays well under Serafin and all in all this is an excellent recording.Go buy it!

I feel a little sorry for those who can't appreciate Callas. While I realize she had what came to be regarded as an imperfect voice, I also realize that she possessed gifts that were totally beyond any of her contemporaries. This "Manon Lescaut" recording, especially in the final act, preserves Callas in truly spellbinding form. Her voice takes on a sick and almost deadly color which actually makes you see the death of Manon in front of your very eyes. Her identification with the character is complete, and her fourth act aria has a power and grandeur that must be heard to be believed. Why was she so famous, some people ask? If they can ask such a question, they are too stupid to even understand the answer!

I was a bit taken aback to see a review stating that Callas was not a great Puccini singer. What makes that, to me, quite debateable, is the natureof the Puccini heroine: not as pure as many Verdi or Donizetti heroines, to be sure. Flawed. Often jealous. (These remarks do not apply, though, to Mimi, come to think of it---or to Violetta.)

And here we have it again: Manon, who leaves her real love Des Grieux to seek the riches that may be provided by a much-older protector. And yet we become attached to her and bewail her fate.

Both Callas and di Stefano have lost something from their voices by this point in time: both singers are rougher, and both become edgy in their upper ranges. But the power of their "storytelling" and the passion of their singing wins us over nonetheless.

From Des Grieux's ardent plea at the end of the third act to weasel his way aboard ship, so that he may follow Manon into exile---di Stefano, Callas and Maestro Serafin are in a zone. The last act is, quite simply, spellbinding.

Callas does produce a few wayward high notes in "Sola, perduta, abandonnata" but the effect of these dissipates rapidly. The sense of pending doom is palpable, but never overstated or overwrought. Di Stefano is with her, the whole way: his artfully delivered exclamation "Gelo di morte" begins the last chapter, so to speak.

This last act haunts: two artists capable of telling a tragic story with conviction, with taste, and with fervor---the listener is utterly convinced of their characters' love for one another. And Tullio Serafin once again shows us how it ought to be done.

Manon Lescaut is the heroine of several operas of which two are pretty famous: Massenet's MANON and this one, Puccini's Manon Lescaut. Once again while reading the "negative" remarks all I find are insipid, bottom-showing comments that are merely personal attacks with nothing to back them up. One asked: "Why is Callas famous?" and another said "Maybe she just should just entertained Onassis. AGREED!" Well, how are these for "reviews"? And written in haste and horrid grammar! Just to hurt Callas-Fans during the shameful "diva-war" here in 2003 where all parties behaved horribly, including the Callas-party. It might be interesting to set the record straight, as the same basher called Callas "Onassis' wife" in another of his tirades. Callas was never married to Onassis and her career was in its prime when their relationship started in 1958. So he DID NOT "cause" her fame. So the "reviewer" put nothing forward except lies and ignorant, unmusical trash. And as for the other reviewer saying that Puccini needs "warmth" and Callas should stick with Bellini& Verdi: Isn't Violetta all about a heart-warming heroine? Isn't Amina one of the sweetest characters in operatic history? And I find Callas to be a great Manon even though she isn't a "natural" in the role as young Tebaldi. What she does with the character, the vocal line and the phrasing makes this essential. And di Stefano is about the most ardent and passionate Des Grieux ever! A great recording of a wonderful opera!

To hear Callas as Manon is to understand this dramatic, loving and suffering anti-heroine at last. Simply amazing how she sings this role! Brava!

Not exaggerated like Olivero, not helpless like Tebaldi (Who sings beautifully but whose Manon is a vivacious and moving as a cow) and not sour and pathetic like Scotto Callas rises far above all rivals in this role. Not to speak of singers like Guleghina and Zampieri. Callas does have some problems on top and sounds slightly unfocused here and there but one can overhear that being bewitched by her vivid, moving and INTELLIGENT singing. How this woman could spin a phrase, how she could bring you to tears without veristic sobs ala Tebaldi and Olivero must be heard to be believed. Hers is tasteful singing, a role-model for those with "pretty" voices who appear naive and dull compared to her. A reviewer called Cecilia Bartoli "Bartoly". Well, Madame Bartoli cannot sing Manon Lescaut. Why? Because she's a lyric mezzo. Then she mentioned Sutherland who never touched this role either (Wise!). That shows how little knowledge some reviewers here have. As for di Stefano, I've always liked his vivid singing. Wear and tear? Yes, but hardly as annoying as Gigli or Cura. So, get this Manon Lescaut! You won't regret it!

Following the review as written by a Tebaldi-Fan Verdi and Bellini isn't about feelings then? What kind of a notion is THAT? What is more about emotions than Rigoletto or La Traviata? How about Bellini's "La Sonnambula"??? These operas are ALL about feelings!!! And warmth? The lucid warmth in Callas' voice as she sings young flirtatious Manon cannot be denied. And how about del Monaco bellowing sensitive Des Grieux's phrases? Des Grieux wasn't written for a tenore robusto. I have excerpts of Manon Lescaut with Tebaldi&di Stefano when both were young and in their prime, absolutely lovely. But Callas alone also shows the dark and greedy aspects of Manon. Why does Des Grieux hate her so much at a moment? Because she acted like a "warm"-hearted and "fragile" and "sweet" girl? No, because she acted like a courtesan lusting for luxury! Manon is very close to Violetta in "La Traviata". Di Stefano always sounds at his very best in poetic and/or romantic roles. This is the Manon Lescaut to buy. And a live-recording with either Fleming or Scotto in the title-role. Young Tebaldi also sounds great. For a DVD get the one with Scotto&Domingo from the MET and the one with Renee Fleming and Marcelo Alvarez from Paris.

People who're saying Callas' Manon was "bad" really don't have a clue. And if Tebaldi must be mentioned, what about her fake sobs and sighs as Manon or Tosca, something tasteful Maria Callas stays away who portrays emotions with her voice only? This Manon is the most intimate, deepest and most passionate on disc. In addition I'd suggest to buy either Freni's or Olivero's (For tears and poetry) Manon.