My pleasure, cupcake.
Now that a Callas thread has been started, a picture spread is coming soon.
Meanwhile...
No moron has only five Callas opera recordings, of course, but what if he was asked to list La Divina's top five opera sets? Here is my personal selection:
5. Cherubini's Medea
Callas single-handedly revived this opera in the 20th century and the role of Medea since then has belonged to her and her only. She is accompanied by the ever-flamboyant Leonard Bernstein and together they inject as much drama and (unorthodox) pathos into this opera as one could wish for. Thrilling.
4. Puccini's Tosca
There is no such thing as a perfect opera recording where someone in the cast/chorus/orchestra doesn't screw up somewhere, but this very famous opera set comes closest to such a claim. This is
the Tosca set to have. All three principals (Callas, di Stefano, Gobbi) are on their best form and they are supported by de Sabata's amazingly electric accompaniment - it sounds as if the great Wilhelm Furtwangler is at the podium.
3. Donizetti's Lucia
Callas can hold together an entire opera production on her own, but with the great Karajan onboard things get even better. This dynamic duo also recorded superb renditions of
Madama Butterfly and
Il Trovatore together, but it is this Donizetti which represents the crown jewel of their work together. Don't miss it.
2. Verdi's La traviata
This live recording at La Scala has yet another legendary conductor at the podium - Carlo Maria Giulini - and La Divina was at her absolute vocal peak. If you ever wondered what the Callas magic was all about, the testimonial proof of this set will bury you alive!
(Giulini considered this his greatest achievement on the gramophone.)
1. Bellini's Norma
Norma is Callas' greatest role and Bellini the composer closest to her heart. She made several recordings of this opera. This one was captured when her vocal problems had developed, but Callas' increased dramatic maturity and psychological penetration into this complex role has never been surpassed. You will gladly overlook several wobbly top notes, to appreciate the marvellously dark resonance her middle registers had acquired. It is like listening to a priceless and well run-in Stradivarius violin. This is indispensable Callas.
What is the piece of music from the film Philadelphia which features Miss Callas singing her little lungs out. Its in the scene where Tom and Denzel sit down in his apartment and Andy asks his laywer does he like opera.
