In questa impegnativissima aria pucciniana, c'è tutta la bravura e l'intelligenza tecnica di un'interprete di altissimo profilo artistico. Dai filati agli acuti portati e non sparati alle messe di voce sostenute e precise nessuna flessione interpretativa. Un vero omaggio alla tecnica del canto lirico perfettamente adattata da una vocalità piena di armonici e di assoluta aderenza alla scrittura. Grandissima Maria Callas!
Beh ma anche ormai acuti faticosi per questi ruoii pesanti. Fraseggio meraviglioso, ma la voce per Turandot, Aida, Ballo, etc la perse 3/4 anni prima, ovviamente col dimagrimento.
True - by 1957 Callas' voice appears to have shrunk in size - certainly in point, anyway - the entire sound was warmer, sweeter, more seductive than the "fat voice." Loss of weight? Diet pills? Years of extreme use catching up with her? Health problems? "Too many Sonnambulas?" All the above? Probably. But no matter. Callas was eager to document her deeper, more insightful interpretation of the role and record one of her signature early roles for the ages. As usual, she finds more per page of this score than anyone else - probably Puccini himself would have marveled at what she discovered about the woman behind the iceberg. There are recordings of this role by sopranos with heftier, more piercing voices, sure - but NO ONE has a heftier or more piercing interpretation. Callas makes this (often) shout-fest into real music. A remarkable, and important, achievement regardless of what you think of her suitability for the role at this time. And listening to remasters of it always surprises me - there is still so much solidity to her voice at this time. And let's tip our hat to Maestro Serafin while we're at it. He was involved with Turandot from the start - knew the score while it was being composed - and one could argue conducts it as close to Puccini's wishes as anyone ever did. What he does with the orchestra, the chorus, and the principles (even the tenor, spare us all) in this rather tinny low-tech recording is as noteworthy as the support he gives this unique interpretation of the Ice Princess, which I'm sure he participated in developing. Callas worshipped him and I would have loved to be a fly on the wall while they were rehearsing for this recording. One for the ages - without a doubt.
We know Puccini was not Callas' favorite composer and yet: Like this, sung very straight, every note perfectly on pitch - like playing it on a steel string - is the real way to convey Turandot's music and drama!
What’s so great about her is that she didn’t overdo it. Other Turandots are great but they are just screaming. With Maria you can understand every word.
She probably shouldn’t have sung this, and I would’ve preferred a recording of Macbeth, Anna Bolena, or Traviata instead. But I find this recording more and more interesting every time I revisit it - and not just for the ‘interpretation.’ She clearly planned out a strategy to navigate the difficulties and survive, and I think she does so largely successfully. I also think the aria is more beautifully sung than in the Puccini arias album, even in the higher sections. The voice is significantly less harsh in the passage, even if it might be slimmer. There are a few places, particularly in the first two riddles, that betray how tiring this is for her. High G is the most problematic note. All the sustained notes in the first two riddles are on it, and it is merciless. Everything around it (above and below) is largely fine, and that's why the third riddle from a vocal standpoint is the most successful, _even though it is highest of the three._
If, as Walter Pater said, ‘All art aspires to the condition of music,’ the singing of Maria Callas is much too little studied, for it constitutes one of the supreme achievements of music.
Early 1954 is the latest she should have recorded Turandot. By this point she was far too thin and the fat voice was far behind her. Her interpretation is still the greatest. But I still think her genius was wasted on Puccini.
Im not convinced it would have ever been right for here. The problem in my mind is not vocal heft. Of course through her exceptional interpretive abilities she still made a good go of it, but the whole role sits high and requires a lot of volume. Even in her prime in the early fifties her upper register was rather harsh and strained, even if it wasn't yet wobbling. It was never a comfortable part of her voice the way it was for nilsson or caballe or a passel of others.
@@nathandavis3002 That's just untrue - Callas in her prime could essentially sing anything comfortably excluding the very highest coloratura and the very lowest contralto notes - her technical feats are legendary for good reason, like being able to pianissimo on an Eb6, or just fast coloratura passages showing her ease (Traviata, Lakme, etc.) During this recording, though it is less comfortable for her than before, those microphones were NOT in the mood for her high C - she was losing vocal control, but she could still sing the Italian dramatic soprano roles pretty well.
@@nathandavis3002 The issue wasn't that the role was high, but rather that it was arguably too low for her. It required her to push out more volume in G-C than was good for her, and those were not her highest notes. She was better suited for rep whose climaxes were above High C. Her high notes were fine in bel canto, classical rep, and florid Verdi. Stridency in the upper register was not really an issue in that sort of rep. It's true that it always had a certain brightness, but that's also what allowed it to be heard, and it was balanced by enough scuro in the early days. Caballe was seriously pushing in Turandot. It was a horrible fit for her. It's just that she had a soft-grained voice, so the pushing was less noticeable. But she was totally out of her element in that role. Nilsson is a totally different story though as Turandot. Just amazing.
@@MartyMusic777 She _thought_ that she could sing everything, but she ultimately should have not. She treated her voice like an elevator, and it paid the price. She had a very important career, but it was very short. Anything before 1949 does not count.
No one will deny Del Monaco, Corelli and even Gedda have more flashy voices and would have been a more charismatic Calaf, but to be fair Eugenio Fernandi sings adequately and has an attractive timbre. His Edgardo with Callas’ 1957 Lucia is also beautifully sung.
La voce mostra evidenti degni di stanchezza nel registro acuto che oscilla e stride. Certe frasi sono dolci e carezzevoli -principessa Lou Ling ava dolce....- Sarebbe interessante sentirla nel 1949 , purtroppo la registrazione live da Buenos Aires a me sembra un falso. Interessante ma non è per questa Turandot che si ricorda la Callas.
No doubt about it, Callas has the ice princess down to a T, but this performance is seriously flawed. The tenor just doesn't have enough balls to sing Calaf. Callas used to do a lot of work with DiStefano. I wonder if they ever did a Turandot together.
no they never did unfortunately, callas sang Turandot about 40 times all of them where in Argentina on stage 1949 and Mario del Monaco was Calaf, and this last studio recording with Eugenio in 1957
@@CasaErwin nah, Corelli don't need to sing with her! And Di Stefano was a lyric tenor! He wasn't able to produce dramatic roles! I don't know about Callas, what her repertoire. Is it suits for her?
In questa impegnativissima aria pucciniana, c'è tutta la bravura e l'intelligenza tecnica di un'interprete di altissimo profilo artistico. Dai filati agli acuti portati e non sparati alle messe di voce sostenute e precise nessuna flessione interpretativa. Un vero omaggio alla tecnica del canto lirico perfettamente adattata da una vocalità piena di armonici e di assoluta aderenza alla scrittura. Grandissima Maria Callas!
Beh ma anche ormai acuti faticosi per questi ruoii pesanti. Fraseggio meraviglioso, ma la voce per Turandot, Aida, Ballo, etc la perse 3/4 anni prima, ovviamente col dimagrimento.
Breath taking voice.. singing with the angels..
True - by 1957 Callas' voice appears to have shrunk in size - certainly in point, anyway - the entire sound was warmer, sweeter, more seductive than the "fat voice." Loss of weight? Diet pills? Years of extreme use catching up with her? Health problems? "Too many Sonnambulas?" All the above? Probably.
But no matter. Callas was eager to document her deeper, more insightful interpretation of the role and record one of her signature early roles for the ages. As usual, she finds more per page of this score than anyone else - probably Puccini himself would have marveled at what she discovered about the woman behind the iceberg. There are recordings of this role by sopranos with heftier, more piercing voices, sure - but NO ONE has a heftier or more piercing interpretation. Callas makes this (often) shout-fest into real music. A remarkable, and important, achievement regardless of what you think of her suitability for the role at this time. And listening to remasters of it always surprises me - there is still so much solidity to her voice at this time.
And let's tip our hat to Maestro Serafin while we're at it. He was involved with Turandot from the start - knew the score while it was being composed - and one could argue conducts it as close to Puccini's wishes as anyone ever did. What he does with the orchestra, the chorus, and the principles (even the tenor, spare us all) in this rather tinny low-tech recording is as noteworthy as the support he gives this unique interpretation of the Ice Princess, which I'm sure he participated in developing. Callas worshipped him and I would have loved to be a fly on the wall while they were rehearsing for this recording.
One for the ages - without a doubt.
Turandot ideale
Quando il mondo non ci sarà più, solo le voci di Maria Callas e Luciano Pavarotti, resteranno per sempre nell'universo
sublime et inoubliable
MARIA CALLAS THE BEST FOREVER UNICA IN THIS UNIVERS.
We know Puccini was not Callas' favorite composer and yet: Like this, sung very straight, every note perfectly on pitch - like playing it on a steel string - is the real way to convey Turandot's music and drama!
Unica!
What’s so great about her is that she didn’t overdo it. Other Turandots are great but they are just screaming. With Maria you can understand every word.
How did she deserve this tenor?
Her voice could take ANYTHING
Callas was often surrounded by b grade casts. Opera houses did not appreciate her immense gift
Fav Turandot
Who else can sing, I mean really sing this music? No one but La Callas. She understands. All others merely sing.
I firmly suggest in some near future, Callas's Turandot get edited with Corelli's Calaf by AI.
She probably shouldn’t have sung this, and I would’ve preferred a recording of Macbeth, Anna Bolena, or Traviata instead. But I find this recording more and more interesting every time I revisit it - and not just for the ‘interpretation.’ She clearly planned out a strategy to navigate the difficulties and survive, and I think she does so largely successfully. I also think the aria is more beautifully sung than in the Puccini arias album, even in the higher sections. The voice is significantly less harsh in the passage, even if it might be slimmer. There are a few places, particularly in the first two riddles, that betray how tiring this is for her. High G is the most problematic note. All the sustained notes in the first two riddles are on it, and it is merciless. Everything around it (above and below) is largely fine, and that's why the third riddle from a vocal standpoint is the most successful, _even though it is highest of the three._
Straniero Ascolta!!
Muy buena
You are so right!
Does anyone else notice the weird splice at 17:03? That was clumsily done.
Weird, I grew up with this recording and I don't remember this splice at all on my original CD. Might be a conversion/import issue
Volar y estar más cerca de Dios con esta voz!!
If, as Walter Pater said, ‘All art aspires to the condition of music,’ the singing of Maria Callas is much too little studied, for it constitutes one of the supreme achievements of music.
In piena (voluta o no) distruzione vocale, Maria ci spiega cosa e' cantare e cosa sia vivere il personaggio...
Early 1954 is the latest she should have recorded Turandot. By this point she was far too thin and the fat voice was far behind her. Her interpretation is still the greatest. But I still think her genius was wasted on Puccini.
Not wasted . . . but her true genius was in singing Donizetti, Bellini, and Verdi.
Im not convinced it would have ever been right for here. The problem in my mind is not vocal heft. Of course through her exceptional interpretive abilities she still made a good go of it, but the whole role sits high and requires a lot of volume. Even in her prime in the early fifties her upper register was rather harsh and strained, even if it wasn't yet wobbling. It was never a comfortable part of her voice the way it was for nilsson or caballe or a passel of others.
@@nathandavis3002 That's just untrue - Callas in her prime could essentially sing anything comfortably excluding the very highest coloratura and the very lowest contralto notes - her technical feats are legendary for good reason, like being able to pianissimo on an Eb6, or just fast coloratura passages showing her ease (Traviata, Lakme, etc.) During this recording, though it is less comfortable for her than before, those microphones were NOT in the mood for her high C - she was losing vocal control, but she could still sing the Italian dramatic soprano roles pretty well.
@@nathandavis3002 The issue wasn't that the role was high, but rather that it was arguably too low for her. It required her to push out more volume in G-C than was good for her, and those were not her highest notes. She was better suited for rep whose climaxes were above High C. Her high notes were fine in bel canto, classical rep, and florid Verdi. Stridency in the upper register was not really an issue in that sort of rep. It's true that it always had a certain brightness, but that's also what allowed it to be heard, and it was balanced by enough scuro in the early days.
Caballe was seriously pushing in Turandot. It was a horrible fit for her. It's just that she had a soft-grained voice, so the pushing was less noticeable. But she was totally out of her element in that role. Nilsson is a totally different story though as Turandot. Just amazing.
@@MartyMusic777 She _thought_ that she could sing everything, but she ultimately should have not. She treated her voice like an elevator, and it paid the price. She had a very important career, but it was very short. Anything before 1949 does not count.
😊
No one will deny Del Monaco, Corelli and even Gedda have more flashy voices and would have been a more charismatic Calaf, but to be fair Eugenio Fernandi sings adequately and has an attractive timbre. His Edgardo with Callas’ 1957 Lucia is also beautifully sung.
And who talks about Elisabeth Schwarzkopf !?
6:24-6:32 😮
La voce mostra evidenti degni di stanchezza nel registro acuto che oscilla e stride. Certe frasi sono dolci e carezzevoli -principessa Lou Ling ava dolce....- Sarebbe interessante sentirla nel 1949 , purtroppo la registrazione live da Buenos Aires a me sembra un falso. Interessante ma non è per questa Turandot che si ricorda la Callas.
Della “Turandot” del 1949 con Del Monaco gli unici momenti originali sono circa i 2 minuti finali, null’altro.
No doubt about it, Callas has the ice princess down to a T, but this performance is seriously flawed. The tenor just doesn't have enough balls to sing Calaf. Callas used to do a lot of work with DiStefano. I wonder if they ever did a Turandot together.
no they never did unfortunately, callas sang Turandot about 40 times all of them where in Argentina on stage 1949 and Mario del Monaco was Calaf, and this last studio recording with Eugenio in 1957
Khalid Al-Thani
Well in my opinion del Monaco was a better Calaf than di Stefano.
Franco Corelli was the best Calaf in my opinion,
Khalid Al-Thani
I agree about Corelli being the best Calaf, but he didn't sing with Callas as much as diStefano did.
@@CasaErwin nah, Corelli don't need to sing with her! And Di Stefano was a lyric tenor! He wasn't able to produce dramatic roles! I don't know about Callas, what her repertoire. Is it suits for her?