Say what you want, but the woman could make a piece of music come alive. Even when I listen to arias I think are not really suited for her , I sill leave floored by the magic she produces. It must have been an experience to have heard her live.
Regardless of your hate or love for her singing this piece, can we all agree that Callas had a good 8 year run. I'd say between 1949-1957. Anything before or after that was just a discredit to her natural talent. Well bravo to her and all that, but she should not be the celebrated soprano that she is made to be. Her fame came from her temper and jealousy of Jackie O'.
Surfing You Tube, I wondered from Lucia Popp to Jessye Norman to this. The most noticeable flaw is her wobble but the voice is otherwise beautiful. She may not be a natural for Mozart but she really gets the pathos of the Countess. If Callas' assumption not fully intuitive, that's more us than Callas. Her expressiveness doesn't overwhelm the Countess. It glows from within.
Vocally, Callas is in dire straits here. Whether or not she could have been a good Countess in her prime is a moot point—she said herself that she didn't much like Mozart; however, her repertoire included parts such as Kundry that few today spontaneously associate with her, and she seems to have been an excellent Konstanze, as the few extant recordings suggest. So maybe she could have surprised everyone in this part too. But this was recorded far too late tor prove anything.
One of the few Mozart-interpretations by Callas that's worth listening to. The other ones demonstrate that not even the greatest singers are able to do EVERYthing!
Je l'adore, mais elle reste étrangère à cette vocalité mozartienne très pudique et retenue. Sa voix était taillée pour les grandes émotions, la passion, le feu. Mozart est une musique toute cérébrale, très "verseau"... On est loin du sagittaire Callas bouillonnant !!!!!
Je suis en partie d'accord avec ce que vous dites. Toutefois, la pudeur et la retenue ne me semblent pas du tout étrangères à Maria Callas, au contraire ! Vous avez sans doute entendu "O nume tutelar" de la Vestale, où tout n'est que règnes et confins de lueurs (pour citer Saint-John Perse) : c'est la pureté même ! Et pensez aussi au caractère éthéré d'Amina dans la Sonnambula (en particulier dans "Ah, non credea mirarti). :-)
To start with, this is very late Callas, and the voice is in great difficulty. Moreover, the Countess in "Figaro" is not a role Callas would have ever considered to put into her repertoire. Her approach to music was all together too external. The Countess is an introverted character and is completely unsuited to Callas' artistic persona. No, she never recorded "Dove Sono", and I think it's all for the best. Too static for the great Callas,
I don't agree with your assessment of the Countess as being an introverted character -- certainly introspective, but many of Callas's great roles had introspective moments: Ah fors'e lui for Violetta, Dormono entrambi for Norma, etc. Personally I would have liked to hear Callas's take on "Dove sono," although at an earlier time. In general though I think Mozart's demands on the soprano aren't what Callas's greatest merits are, but Callas undoubtedly brings something special.
@Zva26 now we're blaming Mozart for his static music because Callas couldn't sing it? LOL. I've never heard more excuses for a singer's bad singing. 'She had a cold', 'she was tired', 'she was sightreading', 'the music is too static for her', 'she was stressed' ....
@Orfeus80 Nobody's blaming Mozart. I think it's even more about the character than about the music per se. Callas CAN sing the music but can she create the character Mozartians seem to only appreciate...maybe not. It might be something intrinsic to the voice IDK. This doesn't strike me as bad singing just not that conventional Mozartian voice...whatever that means.
Say what you want, but the woman could make a piece of music come alive. Even when I listen to arias I think are not really suited for her , I sill leave floored by the magic she produces. It must have been an experience to have heard her live.
sea1song 3 weeks ago
Maria Callas does not disappoint.
There is much more to her art than her very beautiful, early and young voice.
Her art is like a many faceted, sparkling diamond.
Ellevius 1 month ago
Callas Platina album. I have 4 different versions. Many thanks, for reminding me.
prince2000ful 8 months ago
Beurk! Quelle voix horrible! Elle a du mal, ça se sent ...
diablotin75008 8 months ago
Regardless of your hate or love for her singing this piece, can we all agree that Callas had a good 8 year run. I'd say between 1949-1957. Anything before or after that was just a discredit to her natural talent. Well bravo to her and all that, but she should not be the celebrated soprano that she is made to be. Her fame came from her temper and jealousy of Jackie O'.
langleywil 1 year ago
Surfing You Tube, I wondered from Lucia Popp to Jessye Norman to this. The most noticeable flaw is her wobble but the voice is otherwise beautiful. She may not be a natural for Mozart but she really gets the pathos of the Countess. If Callas' assumption not fully intuitive, that's more us than Callas. Her expressiveness doesn't overwhelm the Countess. It glows from within.
Azzenstudent 1 year ago
Vocally, Callas is in dire straits here. Whether or not she could have been a good Countess in her prime is a moot point—she said herself that she didn't much like Mozart; however, her repertoire included parts such as Kundry that few today spontaneously associate with her, and she seems to have been an excellent Konstanze, as the few extant recordings suggest. So maybe she could have surprised everyone in this part too. But this was recorded far too late tor prove anything.
Matt75003 1 year ago
DIE CALLAS!!!!!!!!
Dappschaf 1 year ago
When was this aria? And where? Thank you
OTAVI 1 year ago
@OTAVI
1963-1964 recorded in Paris.
ThPaw 1 year ago
One of the few Mozart-interpretations by Callas that's worth listening to. The other ones demonstrate that not even the greatest singers are able to do EVERYthing!
Porkolty 2 years ago 3
Worth the wait... Inimitable!
sebreathnach 2 years ago
Non è l' aria ideale per la sua voce però lei canta con la solita grande intelligenza musicale!
F93HD2 2 years ago 2
Je l'adore, mais elle reste étrangère à cette vocalité mozartienne très pudique et retenue. Sa voix était taillée pour les grandes émotions, la passion, le feu. Mozart est une musique toute cérébrale, très "verseau"... On est loin du sagittaire Callas bouillonnant !!!!!
Allez, juste pour le document rare...
mariasarda 2 years ago
Je suis en partie d'accord avec ce que vous dites. Toutefois, la pudeur et la retenue ne me semblent pas du tout étrangères à Maria Callas, au contraire ! Vous avez sans doute entendu "O nume tutelar" de la Vestale, où tout n'est que règnes et confins de lueurs (pour citer Saint-John Perse) : c'est la pureté même ! Et pensez aussi au caractère éthéré d'Amina dans la Sonnambula (en particulier dans "Ah, non credea mirarti). :-)
MarcoCallas 2 years ago
To start with, this is very late Callas, and the voice is in great difficulty. Moreover, the Countess in "Figaro" is not a role Callas would have ever considered to put into her repertoire. Her approach to music was all together too external. The Countess is an introverted character and is completely unsuited to Callas' artistic persona. No, she never recorded "Dove Sono", and I think it's all for the best. Too static for the great Callas,
Zva26 2 years ago 3
I don't agree with your assessment of the Countess as being an introverted character -- certainly introspective, but many of Callas's great roles had introspective moments: Ah fors'e lui for Violetta, Dormono entrambi for Norma, etc. Personally I would have liked to hear Callas's take on "Dove sono," although at an earlier time. In general though I think Mozart's demands on the soprano aren't what Callas's greatest merits are, but Callas undoubtedly brings something special.
diuscorvus 1 year ago
@Zva26 now we're blaming Mozart for his static music because Callas couldn't sing it? LOL. I've never heard more excuses for a singer's bad singing. 'She had a cold', 'she was tired', 'she was sightreading', 'the music is too static for her', 'she was stressed' ....
Orfeus80 1 year ago
@Orfeus80 Nobody's blaming Mozart. I think it's even more about the character than about the music per se. Callas CAN sing the music but can she create the character Mozartians seem to only appreciate...maybe not. It might be something intrinsic to the voice IDK. This doesn't strike me as bad singing just not that conventional Mozartian voice...whatever that means.
babydrane 1 year ago
This is not ideal aria for her. She shouldn't sing Mozart..
oyamicanto 2 years ago
It's hardly recognizable as Maria Callas...
Vendimi3 3 years ago
Not her best recording - to late but she has been a musician!
Heraopera 3 years ago
madona so beautifulll
zizeus 3 years ago