Verdi: Un Ballo In Maschera (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tito Gobbi, Antonino Votto, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan

Verdi (Artist), Callas (Artist), Di Stefano (Artist), Gobbi (Artist), Votto (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 19, 1997)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B000002RY4
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #272,019 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #52 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Callas, Maria

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best studio-Ballo ever!, March 17, 2004

By 

Melanie - See all my reviews

This review is from: Verdi: Un Ballo In Maschera (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tito Gobbi, Antonino Votto, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan (Audio CD)

There are two recordings of Ballo with Callas, one is live (Also available on Amazon) and the other is this studio-recording. The cast is almost the same, only on the live-recording Bastianini sang the part of Renato. Both are amazing, I slightly prefer the live-recording though because Callas&di Stefano were at their very best then.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Callas and Gobbi have it all!, June 10, 2002

By 

"harrmor" (Athens, Greece) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Verdi: Un Ballo In Maschera (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tito Gobbi, Antonino Votto, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan (Audio CD)

Well, this recording dates back to 1956 and is the last studio recording that Callas made with di Stefano (their relationships were getting worse and they didn't collaborate again until 1973!!). Although they were not in very good terms, this fact does not appear at all in this recording. Their love duet in the second act is magnificently sung both artistically and dramatically.
Callas is in quite in good voice here and sings the role of Amelia with conviction. We really sympathize with her in her pleadings to see for the last time her son and in her agony about the proximent death of the Count.
But most of all I admire Gobbi interpretation of Renato. He is a wonderful actor. At first, he is nice, good, cares a lot about his friend's life and all these can be heard. But, when he discovers his wife with his best friend, jealousy bursts in him and fury overtakes him. His voice becomes menacing full of anger. But in the end, when he learns the whole truth, his voice is filled with remorse and pity. WOW!
So, this recording is higly recommended. We have 3 wonderful voices and 2 more than wonderful actors.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In spite of Votto, the greatest Ballo ever., September 3, 2000

By 

J. Luis Juarez Echenique "pepechenique" (Mexico City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Verdi: Un Ballo In Maschera (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tito Gobbi, Antonino Votto, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan (Audio CD)

It's hard to understand how such a mediocre conductor like Antonino Votto got these important recordings in an era when Mitropoulous, Szell, Reiner, Fricsay, Walter and Gavazzeni were all active and available. Votto's conducting is good routine, but Maria Callas and Giuseppe Di Stefano have to conduct themselves. The two greatest singers of the Century sing like gods, sparking fireworks just like no one else. Tito Gobbi brings insights to the role of Renato, but this role needs a different kind of singer, a baritono-cantante like Ettore Bastianini or Renato Bruson. Gobbi nevertheless, is as usual, a very great artist. This Ballo for ever will be the greatest recording of this opera, if only Claudio Abbado could have conducted it.