Callas: La Divina [Limited Edition] [BOX SET]

Rolando Panerai (Performer), Tito Gobbi (Performer), Vincenzo Bellini (Composer), Georges Bizet (Composer), Alfredo Catalani (Composer), Gustave Charpentier (Composer), Francesco Cilea (Composer), Leo Delibes (Composer), Gaetano Donizetti (Composer), Umberto Giordano (Composer), Christoph Willibald Gluck (Composer), Charles Gounod (Composer), Ruggero Leoncavallo (Composer), Pietro Mascagni (Composer), Jules Massenet (Composer), Giacomo Meyerbeer (Composer), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer), Amilcare Ponchielli (Composer), Giacomo Puccini (Composer), Gioachino Rossini (Composer)

Product Details

• Performer: Rolando Panerai, Tito Gobbi
• Composer: Vincenzo Bellini, Georges Bizet, Alfredo Catalani, Gustave Charpentier, Francesco Cilea, et al.
• Audio CD (November 14, 1995)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B000002S6V
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #129,613 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #34 in	Music > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Callas, Maria
  #64 in	Music > Classical > Featured Composers, A-Z > ( T ) > Thomas, Ambroise
  #90 in	Music > Classical > Featured Composers, A-Z > ( P ) > Ponchielli, Amilcare

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
In case there was a moment in your life when your suspected that Maria Callas was not a driving force in opera in the last half of this century, pick up this set. Apparently unable to give a dull performance, here we get Callas in La Divina as Rossini's flirty Rosina; Verdi's emotion-torn Aida; Catalani's unbelievably sad Wally (a classic performance, by which all others are measured); Bellini's Norma (ditto); Puccini's lovely, youthful Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi; the same composer's frigid, furious Turandot as well as his confused, desparate Manon Lescaut; Verdi's Loenoras--each noble; Meyerbeer's ditzy Dinorah and Delibes's loco Lakme (in some fabulous, high-flying coloratura singing); and at least a dozen more roles. While it's true that her control over her voice varies--the French coloratura arias, from Gounod and Thomas operas, can be pretty acidic--there's never an uninterested reading, never a once-over read-through. You'll get to know the characters as well as their music by hearing Callas as each heroine--indeed, this collection is like a who's who in opera. No music lover should be without it. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply beautiful, January 18, 2004

By A Customer

I do not pretend to be an expert but I love her singing. It's beautiful, dramatic and brilliant. Esp. her middle-range is fantastic. My favourites are Callas as Norma, Aida and Tosca.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CALLAS: THE SUPREME ARTIST., October 21, 1999

By	Boz - See all my reviews

People who don't understand opera cannot appreciate Callas. Opera is much more than a "pretty voice". Opera is drama, passion, and musical coloring. In this realm, Callas reigns supreme. To compare Callas with other sopranos, one must understand differances in vocal types. Sumi Jo is a COLORTURA SOPRANO, very high, lighter roles. Bartoli is a MEZZO SOPRANO, lower,a deeper voice. Callas was a unique voice type, a "DRAMMATICA AGILITA", a dramatic soprano with the agility to sing a very wide range of roles. This type of soprano comes along once in a century. This cd is the best of Callas. It shows to anyone of intelligence and taste why Callas was the supreme operatic artist of the 20th century.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great collection of Callas, August 31, 2001

By A Customer

Maria Callas is, with no doubts, the best soprano of the 20th century. Many people say she didn't have a beautiful voice, but this collection shows how wrong this opinion is. Callas is one of the few singers that can show us what is happening during the aria she is singing: you don't have to understand Italian or French to feel the emotions she passes with her voice. Her versatility is shown by the great number of different arias she sings - from arias for mezzosoprano to soprano coloratura ones. Besides, the CD with interview is a wonderful class - a "Master Class", I would say - for people who take singing classes.
DIVINA is the right word to name Maria Callas!