Puccini: Tosca - Callas, di Stefano, Gobbi, de Sabata - Act III - 3/3

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924): Tosca (1900), Act III
3/3
Floria Tosca: Maria Callas
Mario Cavadarossi: Guiseppe di Stefano
Scarpia: Tito Gobbi
Cesare Angelotti: Franco Calabrese
Le sacristain: Melchiore Luise
La Scala Theatre Chorus & Orchestra
Direction / Conducting / Dirigieren: Victor de Sabata

[@nicholasgerrish6022]

Listened on Radio 3 driving up the M1 tonight from London, and the 3 hour drive, which was exceedingly wintry rushed by….. Driving with such music is terrific, but dangerous, as the old eyes filled with tears. By the time I reached Junction 26, I could barely see! Arrived home safely, the great spirit of this Opera in my ears, and the first flurries of snow covering the road up into the Village.

[@rosemaryallen2128]

That made ME cry! You are a poet!

[@sophie-grace9143]

"O Scarpia-- avanti a Dio..." Listening to this again after a bit of a gap, I realise again what an astonishing ending Tosca has. The last four minutes or so are among the best four minutes of opera ever written. Opera is usually accused, and often rightly, of being too long drawn out, but the finale of Tosca is the very opposite. The speed with which the end comes when it comes is horrifyingly brutal. You sit there thinking "...Oh. It's over, then." When the orchestra plays that simple, obvious, pathos-laden military death march while Tosca whispers her instructions to Mario during his mock mock execution... including her terrible cry of MUORI... everyone in the theatre knows exactly what's just happened. Except her.

[@rosebud3971]

This is the ultimate TOSCA! Gobbi (who was actually stabbed by Callas on stage) was supreme and although we need not speak the name of our goddess we may dare mention the great Di Stefano here. How blessed we are who actually witnessed these great performances! BTW This was Callas at her best (Pre 1952).

[@sophie-grace9143]

This is the best recording of all; you can't beat Gobbi. (Though admittedly there's a pretty solid reason why you don't get him in this bit)

[@alfred.wolff.]

Yes it is

[@FranciscoFerrerGaliana1930]

EXQUISITOS GRACIAS POR COMPARTIRLO

[@yolainesene1768]

Thank you

[@verasantarelli4088]

L'eccezionale orchestrazione diretta da De Sabata e ascoltata con Di Stefano presente nella mia casa ci illustrava tutti gli accorgimenti del direttore e di come avesse posizionato i vari strumenti.... Un'opera titanica destinata a divenire "l'Opera d'Arte " n.1...Il seguente bellissimo dialogo con Floria in questa versione ad un " Oh dolci mani" vocalmente strabiliante, dove ogni passaggio è eseguito con mezzevoci perfette per impostazione ed emissione., con effetti di tenerezza infinita come voluto dall'autore. Interpreti indimenticabile:Maria Callas, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Tito Gobbi diretti dal grandissimo Victor de Sabata.

[@rosebud3971]

OMG! No negative DISLIKES!

[@СеклитаЛимариха]

Крщі з кращих.