Callas, Di Stefano, Serafin - Lucia di Lammermoor, 1953 - Full Opera, Great Sound!

The full set in enhanced sound.Thanks to those who have filled out my survey i'll post another link here :)
www.surveymonk...
I would very much appreciate it if you could fill it out. It's only short, 10 questions, and will help with my audio engineering degree :)

[@kurtgarmaker3719]

Callas singing is as perfect as it gets, vocally, musically, dramatically... She is far better than any Lucia before or after. It's no wonder she was a phenom! Remarkable !

[@billyboyblue1539]

She colors her voice as an orchestra embodied in a singular fashion-this is truly phenomenal as no other singer comes even vaguely close

[@carmelomessina5392]

Callas- Di Stefano-Gobbi-un trio perfetto il vero bel canto

[@williamgarrison1272]

This recording is a splendid archive of a truly great performance. The best recording I've ever heard of this incomparable group of singers from that period. Callas was at the "top of her game" and to have this superb version of this performance is truly a treasure.

[@DCFunBud]

This is the best Callas recording I have ever heard. It was phenomenal.

[@wolframg1]

CALLAS:SHE'S A NATURE'S MIRACLE.HER VOICE IT'S "SUPERNATURAL"

[@mariaeugeniabranco3956]

A real masterpiece! Her powerful, telluric and orchestral voice is allied to a perfect interpretation of the true feelings expressed in the text of the operatic libretto! In addition, this voice is capable to surpasses even the orchestra itself and the best and the wonderful singers who accompany her! And what sorrow, anguish, sadness or joy (whatever the feelings or emotions) Callas is able to express with the voice! It's amazing! Maria Callas is a unique phenomenon to which, until today, we have access in recordings! What a gift! Callas is still the masterpiece of the Opera!

[@kaposteinberg5649]

Callas and Di Stefano are stupendous

[@paulb47NYC]

Callas' Lucia absolutely IS absolutelly phenominal. This is probably the BEST studio recording of her in this opera---but I actually prefer the later sterio recording she did with Angel/EMi--I think about 57 or 59. It's the one i was weaned on. Her "instrument" IS showing some signs of wear but very key things she gets so perfect on that recording---I absolutely love it. I don't pay any attention to a woble here or there---Not when the sum total of her performance is an absolute work of art. That's like watching a uber talented figure skater and focusin ONLY on a imperfectly landed tripple jump. I didn't know who Callas was until I bought a reel-to-reel of her Paris recordings in about 1969. I was an 19 and electronics geek and wanted something to test out my Sony R-R. That was the best quality tape I could find. I fell in love with THAT Maria--before I had any inkling their were Lucias and Normas and bascially the foundation of her opera career to explore. Even in Mezzo voice of the French Arias---everything you need to know about Maria is in the close listening to her. She is why I love Opera above all other music---and there's no-one compares to her, once you let her really get inside and start to appreciate the astonishing attention to detail in everything she does. BEST of all worlds is to follow her with a complete score--but short of that, she's worth having the Italian libretto at hand. She's gets so into character that every sylable is ennouciated. She pays scarely less detail to the libretto than the notes, roulades and coloratura. She HAD IT ALL. And we still have HER in her recordings.

[@shodanart]

I relate to a lot of what you’ve said about Callas. She introduced me to the emotional impact of opera, as well.

[@paulb47NYC]

KZbin doesn't embed the blog like facebook would, so you'll have to click on the link and agree to be taken to the blog.

[@markdarenvillanueva7740]

Yes I agree, here she has all the wonders of her voice. She is in command. She is perfect. But her later recordings, maybe not in the calibre of her voice here, but she has understood the role more and can transmit more feelings.

[@IMPULSO68]

Excellent quality sound recording, highly listenable & greatly enjoyed!

[@shodanart]

Callas’ voice was at its strongest and fullest during this period, already displaying her theatrical and emotional range, and ability to become the character in the moment, and touch the heart. 18:19 Ethereal. 22:22 Lucia mood changes; the articulate precision of her Coloratura flourishes! Di Stefano’s voice is passionate and silvery in this! A pity he rejected Callas when the audience only wanted bows from Maria.

[@marioperino8723]

Un usignolo intramontabile anche l' orchestra. E che dire del Di Stefano

[@sergeyshevtsov997]

Incredible sound! And Callas too!

[@nataliaslepokurova5534]

Thank you, CallasFan! It is divine! Сallas sings -- and you seem to be peering beyond our earthly world, аnd this happiness can not be expressed in words.

[@romearomeo]

Sublime

[@lawrenceallen6508]

Absolutely Glorious - A treasure that's for sure .

[@giuseppedimarco8358]

Great! Performances! Unique!

[@richardnoegel275]

Wow! Thanks! I came looking for Lily Pons's Lucia, but I'm delighted to find this--posted only three days ago! God bless you for your generosity! Can't wait to listen to this.

[@carmelomessina5392]

La stò ascoltando idilliacoìììì delizia delle orecchie.

[@matthewgroom8689]

Callas 'out of this world' so sublime, thanks so much for sharing.

[@marioperino8723]

Mi commuovo sempre. Voci indimenticabili

[@carizoism]

This is just FABULOUS!!!! Thank you so much!

[@martinr10001]

Outstanding sound! Thank you so much.

[@MultiZahl]

Hallo, dear John-thank au very much for the wunderfull Maria Callas recording

[@markdarenvillanueva7740]

as a Callas fan myself, yes she is in command of her voice here, it's perfect, but i think her later recording of Lucia was more poignant since she matured the role and has understood it more. Viva La Divina

[@terrycloth6380]

Magnificent. I must admit I am not a fan of Di Stefano, but he is fantastic on this recording.

[@ivanscotton6163]

A voz inconfundível ! Sua voz é marca registrada. Com todo respeito a outras belas vozes. São inúmeras.

[@utube0803]

Bravo. Thanks for posting.

[@wolframg1]

IT'S ENCHANTED TO ME.I ALWAYS BELIEVE THAN "LUCIA" WERE ONE BEAUTIFUL OPERA.BUT THIS VERSION ENCHANTES ME.

[@moistlaugh]

Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recording.

[@mao1878]

Can't wait to listen to it! Thanks so much John

[@Shahrdad]

Lucia, Puritani, and Cavaleria were the three recordings EMI made before Callas began to lose weight, and after that, the voice was never the same. The ease and power of those high E-flats are just astounding. Everyone talks about the Berlin Lucia, but I think this is far better, and Callas is in her best and most natural voice.

[@roberthorn1838]

She does indeed sound wonderful here, but the Berlin Lucia is also wonderful in a different way. How fortunate we are to be be able to hear both

[@Shahrdad]

@@roberthorn1838 Indeed, though I don't see anything lacking in interpretation in the 1953 recording compared to Berlin. And the voice is in much better shape.

[@gr__msk]

La traviata why not? When did she start losing weight? Which month in 1953

[@Shahrdad]

@@gr__msk I think Traviata was made by Cetra with whom she had an earlier contract. They also recorded Gioconda in 1952.

[@ferdioriordan3048]

Wonderful-thank you for uploading.

[@dennisboots1944]

Beautifull

[@DCFunBud]

Di Stefano was a miracle!

[@marioperino8723]

Registrazione superba

[@mbegaliful]

thanks for posting!

[@giuseppecuscani4409]

Che delizia ascoltare il divin Di Stefano!!

[@jeanfourneau4411]

Amazing !!

[@LauraTenora]

I don't get it. Superb performance, modellic I'd rather say, perhaps only surpassed by the LIVE recording featuring the same cast, Callas and Di Stefano conducted by Karajan. The sound restoration is also excellent (good job, by the way). Yet, there are 7 "thumbs down". I really don't get it. Well,that's what the Internet is all about, I guess, anyone can post anything no matter how silly.

[@racheleleeba]

Gorgeous! Thank you :)

[@giovic9802]

18:00 regnava nel silenzio 22:00 quando rapito in estasi 33:42 verranno a te sull'auree 50:48 se tradirmi tu potrai 1:00:31 sextet chi mi frena in tal momento - 1:08:25 1:16:48 il dolce suono 1:23:09 ardon gli incensi 1:28:31 Spargi d'amaro pianto

[@ThPaw]

Thank you

[@TheEmicompu]

Wonderfull work! Congrats

[@martinTU100]

Thank you so much !!"

[@wientawienta2058]

Thanks a lot!

[@ericmlin8608]

Good job

[@tarzanpony]

I don't know how you do it, but it sound much much better than the EMI Remastered version (I had to literally remove that CD because it gave me headache)

[@camillacockerina6450]

immeralles besserwisser, I pity you.

[@teoctn1]

Tnx very much :)

[@wolframg1]

Maey :the mad scene more than wonder:optimus.!

[@NLidar]

I miss your uploads :(

[@carloslopez5766]

I already filled your survey 😊

[@terrii488]

Where is the survey? I.keep.getting page not found. He must have had his mad scene in a dark airless closet.

[@stephaneteot2351]

This makes me believe there is a God somewhere ....

[@mariaeugeniabranco3956]

Yes He his The Lord, And He is Alive!! He Is Love and Salvation!!

[@garrettmpace]

Astonishing, but usually Lucia is a lot longer than this? What got cut?

[@dragoslavaleksic6328]

Please, do the same with Cavalleria...

[@jdavis3055]

Did I not hear the scene at the end of Act 2 where Enrico visits Edgardo at his castle to challenge him to a duel, and tells him that Lucia is already enjoying her bridal bed? I heard and saw this scene on (I think) a recent Met screening. Thanks.

[@ER1CwC]

That scene was always cut during that era. The scene between Lucia and Raimondo was also always cut.

[@jdavis3055]

@@ER1CwC Interesting. Thanks. The scene you mention was also in the Met screening. Since I'm stuck at home, I may check the librettos that are in the six LP versions I have of Lucia to see if one or both of the two scenes were cut from them.

[@ER1CwC]

@@jdavis3055 You’re welcome. My understanding is that bel canto operas were routinely cut (often heavily) until the 1970s or so, when there was a huge push to perform them ‘complete.’ Sutherland and Bonynye in particular are noted for pushing for complete performances. Besides cutting entire scenes, smaller cuts were also routinely made - for instance, da capos or repeats of the same melody. If you take a listen to the end of Act II here and compare it to other performances (even with the Callas/Karajan performances), you’ll notice that the version here is much abbreviated.

[@jdavis3055]

@@ER1CwC If you have a chance to listen to a performance in which a water harmonica is played instead of a harp like on this one, I think you'll find it produces a much more ethereal sound than does the harp.

[@ER1CwC]

@@jdavis3055 Thanks. Yes, I know the glass harmonica version and completely agree with you. The downside however is that the glass harmonica often can’t keep up with the human voice during the cadenza (whereas the flute can) and tends to slow down the momentum there. Give and take, I guess!

[@rinassimiento2896]

💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎

[@kurtgarmaker3719]

Way better than Joanie, and vocally Joanie is good

[@radames5855]

Che bella voce Arturo...chi è?

[@francoisegareau9411]

Le visuel montre le théâtre des Champs Elysées à Paris. Maria Callas y a t elle chanté ?

[@fabriziogarzi9892]

No, e' il Teatro Comunale di Firenze dove registrarono questa Lucia.

[@user-vi3sz3fg2r]

1 00

[@martinr10001]

Outstanding sound! Thank you so much.