Il pirata- Mad Scene (II), sung by Maria Callas (1959, Stuttgart)

[simisimi9]

IT IS A PITY TO THINK THAT WE WILL NEVER KNOW ANOTHER SINGING ACTRESS SO GREAT , EVEN IN HER WORST DAYS, LIKE MARIA CALLAS........SHE WAS SIMPLY THE BEST !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[georgerannie]

Brava La Divina.

[rhapsodyaaa]

la orquesta me parece demasiado grande

[MastersoftheOpera]

Excellent Mad Scene from Pirata. Callas was wholly responsible for "bringing back bel canto" in the mid 20th century (1950's, 1960's) but unfortunately today we don't have sopranos who excel in bel canto (except for the tired Lucias) Someone ought to bring back bel canto like Callas did. Renee Fleming is trying to do that but it takes more than one soprano (after Callas it was Sutherland, Caballe & Sills). We need at least 3 bel canto sopranos for today

[ssballs]

Wonderful to compare this to the Hamburg-version.Still amazing, as it will be in another 50 years.How fortunate this is preserved.Thank you for posting,it's a treasure.

[FraSarn]

Divina. Nothing else to say.

[callasadmirer]

Fantastic performance!

[AmoresPerros40]

Incredibile ! Brava, Maria ...!!!

[mariagalvany]

WoW!Another Bellini's aria performed with firm,powerful high notes and such beauty in her voice.

Thank you,for uploading this.

[diuscorvus]

I was never convinced by her rendition of this very taxing piece in her Hamburg recital. Here, though, she's in terrific form with firm notes and clear coloratura. Brava!

[VivaMariaCallas]

She had a cold in Hamburg, so I think she was a tiny bit unsettled and inclined to sing more cautiously(especially after the cracked high-C in the Macbeth letter aria). She still had a cold in this performance. However, obviously, she would have had a few days to prepare mentally.

[kgarmaker123]

I agree that this is much better but i wish she had not pushed those low notes so much.. they had to take away from her top.

[Frufrucucu]

Too bad she didn't record this opera (As well as many, MANY others!) in the studio...EMI really missed the boat by not recording her on several role she was born to sing.

[TheMrMarilyn]

@Frufrucucu Aint THAT the troot!!

[odios19]

I love her singing with deep emotion and good breath control just like this one,which shows her good music mastery that different from others.

[47viviane]

too true!!!!! Not the sloppy showy performances the audience is showered with today for the sake of the record companies, setting up a hype about some singer-de-jour with sex-sells-photos and in underwear on stage (you know who ....)

[waterfordwinstons]

WAW WAW WAW WAW

[saverioorlando]

Rare audio,great Bellini.Callas rendition unforgettable.

[linhcba]

Not commonly performed on stage, but still a wonderfully composed opera by Bellini. Maria Callas is brilliant on this recording.

[Jabe88]

This is a great recording of Il pirata...

I really disliked Aliberti's take of it