I Puritani (Act I) - Callas, di Stefano [1952 Mexico City]

[@wkcty]

One of the great musical acccomplishments of the modern era..

[@道-p2e]

Grand singing from Pippo and of course, Callas. What a great performance!

[@infrantasi]

In "Son vergin vezzoza" Callas puts her musical genius to work like a great maestro conducts Brahms. There are so many mezzi colori, acciaccature, rubati, and fermate that Sutherland wasn't the least bit capable of noticing, despite her "evenness of registers" (not to mention horrid diction and a monospeed approach to all the music) - and the sweep up to the E flat was just lovely!

[@Shahrdad]

I agree with everything, except it was a D-natural, not an E-flat at the end. When Callas sang this music, it was like she was speaking. It was effortless and conversational. Sutherland was spectacular but never conversational as Callas was in this repertoire.

[@photo161]

Why should it be necessary in order to praise Callas to disparage Sutherland?!!!

[@stefanodepeppo]

I don't think saying that Sutherland wasn't "conversational" as Callas is disparaging her! Definitely diction, interpretation and way of expressing emotions were not Dame Joan's forte. She was AMAZING in other aspects. In some coloratura and high notes per se she was even more spectacular than Callas.

[@MrStpendouslvforjo]

infrantasi I respect your opinions and I agree that Callas was really a genius....but you're too hard on Sutherland. Look at the low level we have today compared to the glorious ladies of the past

[@MrStpendouslvforjo]

infrantasi And not to split hairs - but it's a High D.....not Eflat

[@misanthropelife]

Callas and sutherland in I puritani is the standard that will never be surpassed

[@giuseppecuscani4409]

Maria e Pippo hanno riinventato la lirica!

[@claudiopersi9925]

CALLAS DI STEFANO:IMMORTALI!!!

[@blancamiguel6461]

This is an example of what real singing should be like. Di Stefano is absolutely amazing, no doubt. His voice is so free, so generous, his singing is so real as his expression. This is the real technique, the one that allows you to express the text in a genuine and original way. When singing looks natural. That is the technique. This is an example of it. Unfortunatedly today so many technological advances, recording, editions, all have torn away the original concept of the old theatre, the true one where there was no tvs, etc.

[@enrigoletto]

@immeralles besserwisser His career was short (not very short). Maybe so, but who cares? He's a poet! You don't measure poetry by the number of the verses. One single phrase of Di Stefano overshadows an entire career of most of the singers...

[@enrigoletto]

@immeralles besserwisser And this IS real technique, natural true mastering of the voice. Maybe he just coudn't face properly the aging of his instrument, he also always enjoyed living well (and you can hear it in his singing).

[@judithbereczky4114]

He is a perfection.

[@petricapopica1974]

Superb spectacol! Astazi il ascultam pe priculiciul Florez, mataindu-se penibil!

[@TheIpazia1]

Grazie molto bello qualità eccellente, Maria e Giuseppe come sempre straordinari beato chi c'era

[@Themissmixed]

*.* increíble. Ninguna como ella.

[@brynjarhoff5101]

Det er vanskelig å finne ord for alle de historiske klipp med CALLAS. Bare synd man ikke ble født 10 år før. Brynjar Hoff Oboeplayer Retired

[@theresachalmers8189]

Both of them, masters of the bel canto repertoire singing one of my favorite opera. di Stefano so effortlessly singing a very difficult A the, o cars, so emotive and heartfelt. I have this CD and its about worn out.

[@giuseppecuscani8124]

I puritani del 52 di Di Stefano e Callas sono entrati nella storia non capisco le difficoltà che qualcuno trova in Di stefano ?

[@CraigTyThompson]

The quality of sound is the best I've heard. Thank you so much for this historical document.

[@otfried]

Callas was literally flying with her notes.

[@oldoperafan_in_London]

Fantastic! This will make for happy listening! Thank you!

[@fabriziomariagarzi5534]

La Callas in questo ruolo non ha rivali. La sola grande subito dopo e' Joan Sutherland, che per motivi vocali puo' starle accanto ed e' un piacere ascoltarla sempre. Tutte le altre, a turno, possono attendere .

[@numetutelare]

E' seccante il continuo confronto fra la Callas e la Sutherland... Inutile e tedioso, visto che la Callas ha reinventato l'interpretazione del canto lirico e che se si sono rispolverate certe opere lo si deve a lei... Il confronto non ha senso perché non si tratta di mera agilità pirotecnica ma di pathos interpretativo e sia chiaro, la Bellini e Donizetti renaissance la si deve alla Callas. Inoltre fu proprio lei ha scoprire la Sutherland incoraggiandola e raccomandandola quando fu una comprimaria in una sua Norma ! Detto questo la Callas é travolgente, coinvolgente e stellare in questo ruolo...

[@nikaguliashvili2959]

Callas is Goddess and Sutherland is Sutherland-great singer!:)

[@DiomedesDioscuro]

GB, ma sei matto? Dici che è seccante il confronto fra Callas e Sutherland e non fai altro che confrontarle? Poi dici delle cose questionabili quanto meno.

[@ukrainianartists-australia]

A new remastered version - from the original concert tapes can be obtained from Divina Records. Music and quality is outstanding compared to this youtube version.

[@Bhavatam]

Insuperabili

[@NeliAmsterdam]

grazie tante

[@SteveBell1942]

What is interesting is that GDS sings with a great deal more light and shade here than in the studio recording though why I cannot imagine.

[@enrigoletto]

He was younger. And after all we are not always in the same shape...

[@eiriniseltsika8697]

Ο σπουδαίο ΝΤΙ Στεφάνο και ο τυφώνας ΚΆΛΛΑΣ

[@LubaDiva]

A totally different voice!!~!!

[@judahis1]

If GDS sings "poorly", it is still better than most.

[@MrEjfnyc]

This conductor: I noticed his weak performance in other Mexico City performance with MC. I love DiStefano but this was not a good role for him. His pitch is wayward frequently and with no conductor to speak of....He doesn't really shape his music rhythmically. The high notes are wonderful. For Callas: this is one of her greatest roles and she is in great voice here. Her musicality is never matched by her colleagues. No wonder the audience goes wild....

[@JoanSutherlandFan]

I wonder why during the fifties, so many operas, da capos, cabalettas were cut or shortened?

[@NLidar]

1:03:32

[@fokwingchau893]

where to find the rest of the performance?

[@wagnerfan2908]

What happened in 'Son vergin vezzosa'? Where's the others singers voices? Weren't supposed to they sang some lines with Callas? She turned the song into a show off aria with a terrible glissando to high D.

[@shaundudley4576]

Yes I have seen many very skilled and highly talented landscapes prettier than Cezanne too. Yet for some perverse reason I prefer Genius.

[@jorgealbertolettera4027]

Maravillosa la Callas, maravillosa la Sutherland. En lo personal creo que la mejor Elvira es la de Mariella Devia.

[@charleswebb8230]

The baritone Campolonghi is poor, especially more noticable as I've just been listening to Battistini. How the audience can applaud a perfomance like this is beyond me. I sometimes think people just go to live opera just to clap. Callas however is another matter. Brilliant. Henry Webb

[@Dadacomero]

+Charles Webb l agree with everything u said Di Stefano was very poor singer in 1952 too

[@charleswebb8230]

I've just listened to Pari siamo ( Campolonghi ) & his voice is still unsteady, but not as bad as Ah, per sempre. I still think he's a poor singer. Perhaps the audience applauded because he had stopped singing. Personally I would have gone to the bar. Henry Webb

[@JoanSutherlandFan]

I prefer Joan Sutherland :)

[@misanthropelife]

Well, me too