GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Madama Butterfly (Complete opera recorded in 1955) Maria Callas, Nicolai Gedda, Enrico Campi / Milan La Scala Orchestra / Von Karajan (Conductor) [ Naxos Historical Great Operas / 2 CD - released 8/Aug/2006 ] When EMI [Columbia/Angel] recorded Callas as Madama Butterfly in August 1955, she had not yet sung it in the theatre, nor would she ever do so at La Scala, Milan, where it was made and her career based. |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Macbeth (complete opera remastered recorded live 1952) Maria Callas, Renata Scotto, Mirto Picchi, Miriam Pirazzini, Giuseppe Modesti / Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala Milan, Tullio Serafin [ Warner Classics Maria Callas Remastered / 2 CD - released 10/Aug/2018 ] This live recording of Macbeth perpetuates Callas' interpretation of a role that she only sang in one run of performances, at La Scala in 1952. There were plans for her to repeat it at New York's Metropolitan Opera in 1959, but they failed to come to... |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Turandot (Complete opera recorded in 1957) Maria Callas / Renato Ercolani / Mario Borriello / Elisabeth Schwarzkopf / Milan La Scala Orchestra / Tullio Serafin (Conductor) [ Naxos Historical Great Operas / 2 CD - released 2/Feb/2009 ] Puccini's Turandot , first performed in 1926, was the only work in which Callas sang that was younger than herself and is a perfect vehicle for a dramatic soprano with a steady, steely and brilliant voice capable of rising to top C.Although she had... |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Aida (Complete Opera recorded in 1955) Maria Callas, Richard Tucker, Tito Gobbi, Fedora Barbieri / Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala Milan, Tullio Serafin [ Warner Classics Maria Callas Remastered / 2 CD - released 10/Oct/2014 ] The Diva's hits her powerful peak! |
BELLINI
I Puritani (Complete opera) (Recorded April 1953 ) Maria Callas (soprano) Aurora Cattelani (soprano) Carlo Forti (bass) Giuseppe di Stefano (tenor) / Milan La Scala Orchestra / Tullio Serafin (conducto [ Naxos Great Opera Recordings / 2 CD - released 27/Jan/2004 ] "The thrill of hearing Maria Callas launching into Bellini's dramatic arias, replete with vocal acrobatics, is one of opera's great experiences. Recorded in 1953, at the peak of her career, it has that burning and dramatic intensity to carry the disc... |
VERDI
Aida (complete opera) Maria Callas (soprano) / Fedora Barbieri (mezzo) / Richard Tucker (tenor) / Tito Gobbi (baritone) / La Scala Chorus and Orchestra / Tullio Serafin [ Naxos Historical / 2 CD - released 7/Feb/2007 ] Callas' dramatic power and her ability to shade the beautiful vocal line here find the best imaginable medium". In, for example, the opening phrases of the Act III love duet with Radamès, 'Là, tra foreste vergini', her voice has a limpidity which... |
VERDI
Rigoletto (complete opera recorded in 1955) Maria Callas (soprano) / Giuseppe di Stefano (tenor) / Tito Gobbi (baritone) / La Scala Chorus and Orchestra / Tullio Serafin [ Naxos Historical Opera / 2 CD - released 7/Feb/2007 ] "..the performance, it is that of Tito Gobbi as Rigoletto that defines it as one of recorded operas must haves. The role of Rigoletto is one of the most profoundly human of Verdi's creations. His character is defined in the music of the great duets... |
VERDI
Aida (Complete opera) Maria Callas (soprano) Richard Tucker (tenor) Fedora Barbieri (mezzo) Tito Gobbi (baritone) / La Scala Milan / Tullio Serafin [ Regis Records / 2 CD - released 10/Mar/2009 ] "The Nile scene has never been performed more powerfully and characterfully than on this vintage La Scala set. Though Callas is hardly as sweet-toned as some will think essential for an Aida, her imagination is irresistible and she is matched by Tito... |
VERDI
Rigoletto (Complete opera recorded in 1954) plus bonus 'La Forza del Destino' arias Maria Callas (soprano) Tito Gobbi (baritone) Giuseppe di Stefano (tenor) / La Scala, Milan / Tullio Serafin [ Regis Records / 2 CD - released 1/Apr/2009 ] "There has never been a more compelling performance of the title role in Rigoletto than that of Tito Gobbi on his classic set... At every point, in almost every single phrase, Gobbi finds extra meaning ....., with the widest range of tone-colour... |
RUGGERO LEONCAVALLO
Leoncavallo: I Pagliacci (Complete opera recorded in 1954) Maria Callas / Tito Gobbi / Giuseppe di Stefano / Milan La Scala Orchestra / Tullio Serafin (Conductor) [ Naxos Historical / CD - released 29/Jul/2006 ] This recording of Pagliacci was made by EMI at La Scala, Milan in June 1954, some eight months after Cavalleria rusticana, and first published in April 1955. |
VERDI
Un Ballo in Maschera [The Masked Ball] (complete opera recorded in 1956) Maria Callas, Tito Gobbi, Silvio Maionica, Giuseppe di Stefano / Milan La Scala Orchestra / Antonio Votto [ Naxos Historical Opera / 2 CD - released 15/Feb/2008 ] "Callas on top form never misses an opportunity to wring the last drop of intensity out of her two arias and the act 2 scene by the gallows is a masterpiece of visual singing. Her colouring of the phrases is so expressive that we instinctively know... |
VERDI
Verdi: Il Trovatore Francesco Merli, Enrico Molinari, Bianca Scacciati, Giuseppina Zinetti Milan La Scala Orchestra and Chorus, Lorenzo Molajoli [ Naxos Historical / 2 CD - released 5/Nov/2001 ] |
MENOTTI
The Consul / Amelia al Ballo (complete operas) Patricia Neway / Margherita Carosio / Marie Powers / Giacinto Prandelli / Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala Milan / Nino Sanzogno / Lehmann Engel [ Naxos Historical Great Opera Recordings / 2 CD - released 1/Jul/2010 ] This 2-CD set is the first in a series devoted to Gian Carlo Menotti's compositions on the occasion of his centenary in 2011. The recordings will include several which have never before appeared on CD, and some that have not been available in any... |
ROSSINI
La Donna Del Lago (complete opera recorded in 1994) Rockwell Blake / Giorgio Surjan / June Anderson / Orchestra & Chorus of La Scala, Milan / Riccardo Muti [ Decca Classic Opera / 2 CD Box Set - released 10/Sep/2009 ] |
GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor (complete opera recorded in 1992) Theatro La Scala / Renato Bruson / Mariella Devia / Vincenzo La Scola / conducted by Stefano Ranzani [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 23/Jul/2004 ] "A powerfully dramatic and memorable La Scala production. Recommended." (MusicWeb) |
ROSSINI / VERDI / OFFENBACH / MOZART / BEETHOVEN / BELLINI / etc
100 Best Overtures & Preludes: Includes 'The Bartered Bride', 'William Tell' & 'The Barber of Seville') Philharmonia Orchestra, Stuttgart Radio Symphony, La Scala Opera Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, etc [ Emi Classics / 6 CD Box Set - released 10/Feb/2018 ] 100 Favourite overtures and preludes from all your favourite operas & ballets. |
ROSSINI / DONIZETTI / BIZET / BEETHOVEN / VERDI / WEBER / etc
50 Best Overtures & Preludes: Includes 'The Bartered Bride', 'William Tell' & 'The Barber of Seville') Philharmonia Orchestra, Stuttgart Radio Symphony, La Scala Opera Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, etc [ Warner Classics / 3 CD Box Set - released 1/Jun/2012 ] 50 Favourite overtures and preludes from all your favourite operas & ballets. |