Live 1956 Naples Lucia

[sillyboydeux]

I find the tempi too damn slow, frankly. The first part is usually sung at a brisker pace than this, although watching her sing it and listening to it are two completely different horses. It was probably better than the Berlin extravaganza, since everything always improved in her performances, until she stopped singing that is.

[Aetion]

Its more than beautiful. Its perfect!

[comunnn]

callas di stefano...insuperabili

[Heraopera]

...many things she have served to the public and the composers music...this will never be forgotten ...! And all the mistakes she sometimes did have been many many times the mistakes of a real musician and singer!

Not like many sopranos who only sung and sing for staying on stage...nothing new or interesting to explain thru the music....

BRAAAAAAVA MARIA

[lagnaha]

This lady had an unsurpassed legato line and, for the fourteen or so years her voice was at its best, was THE prima donna

[ANTIQUARIATOSCIPPA]

SALUTI DA NAPOLI!

[zurriuss]

I agree with those who say that E flat in the end (Spargi d'amaro pianto) is better than in the middle (Ah non giuge!). Yes, Callas' voice after weightloss was changed. It wasn't strong enough to hit E flat every time, but it kept the whole dramatism and passion! I have older recording of this aria by Callas where she hits E flat with no problem but I think it's usless there. It fades the brilliant effect of the ending aria. Callas was one of the GREATEST LUCIA EVER! VIVA CALLAS!!!

[marokt]

I don't bother too much high Es, Bs and Cs, if I hear so dramatic singing, if I can see so clear the problems of the character, if I feel so strong the presence of a great artist.

[xafnndapp]

I have to say that it is a wonderful mad scene, but as unsteady as the B flat is at the end we should be thankful she didn't go for the E flat, which would have been VERY problematic!

[sevoflurane]

You play her. Let us enjoy this thank you very much!

[mcdiva1]

Why's it so hard for people to be more respectful and civilized when they comment on those they don't like or disagree with?

[operamusiclover]

This woman was a truly genoius!Brava as always!Maria Callas will last forever in the history of Opera Forever.

The final part with the flute is so awesome!Well,I like more with the E-flat,but all the magnific other parts of this ariaare very excelent!

P.S-For me, a great singer has to make the difference,like Callas did!When we listen to her voice we can say "It's Callas!:D".SHE'S UNIC AND HER VOICE BRINGS TO OUR HEARTS ALL THE FEELING OF THE CARACTERS/ROLES.BEAUTIFUL!

[Joyarkalions]

Well, Callas makes me confused... I miss the note at the end, and still it's lovely to hear her Lucia... And scary, painful... It's more than bel canto. Of course those who are happy with just bel canto and tradition are free to keep on it... But Callas was a chapter on history of music the same way bel canto was another. Even Sutherland does agree with me... (Sorry, bad, bad english, lol).

[VivaMariaCallas]

It IS bel canto. Bel canto is more than beautiful singing, for emotion & madness in bel canto (including Verdi) is far more profound than that found in, say, verismo, IMO. It takes someone who is conscious of this (as Maria is) to bring this forth.

[VivaMariaCallas]

1956 was a bit of a problematic year in terms of high notes for Maria. She got them back the next year though (Ah non giunge!). She didn't sing the high E-flats at the MET in 1958, but she did in her 1959 studio recording.

In 1955 Berlin, Karajan told her to omit the first E-Flat for dramatic effect (save the goods for the very end!).

[operagodess78]

Then why does she do both E-flats in the 1959 recording.

[ezayi]

you mean... even you agree with Sutherland.

[operADB]

How right you two are. Opera is story telling and to me it is the interpretation of the artist that matters most. Does the singer convey the emotion of the music (and the libretto) with their voice? In Callas' case I believe she always did.

[rockyriver]

to me the ambi in si crudo passage is one of all opera's supremely beautiful moments, and i'm loving here how she floats the mad dreamy gorgeous lines so elegantly over the sad choral music. thanks too for the pics, the first i'd ever seen of the duet with enrico

[mdancer01]

yeah! but anyway she did the note at the second part so i think her interpretation is more powerfull than her high notes opera is not just make estratospheric high notes and she was able to make both very well interpretation and e flats

[mdancer01]

maria what happened with the final E flat ?

[operADB]

Like in her Berlin performances she ended the Mad Scene on the lower E-flat. She saved the high E-flat for the cabaletta. I'm not sure, but I don't think she took the high E in that aria again after 1955. Kind of miss it, huh?

[mcdiva1]

Actually, she believed omitting the first high E flat added more drama and made it more credible.