Maria Callas: "Spargi d'amaro pianto" Lucia Donizetti, MET 1956

Maria Callas esegue "Spargi d'amaro pianto" dall'opera "Lucia di Lammermoor" di Gaetano Donizetti. Registrazione "live" dell'8 dicembre 1956, effettuata presso la Metropolitan Opera House di New York (U.S.A.). Orchestra e Coro Metropolitan Opera, diretti da Fausto Cleva.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Callas
• Lucia
• Lammermoor
• Donizetti
• Spargi
• amaro
• Metropolitan
• 1956
• Fausto
• Cleva
• soprano
• belcantismo
• voce
• sovraumana
• melodramma
• callasiani
• anticallas
• tebaldi
• tebaldiani
• divina

[Mekhaman]

Of course some "critics" love to pinpoint and supposedly "expose" Maria Calas' errors in this or that piece (thus mixing up true talent with mere, cold virtuosity) or even point their fingers at her purported "lack of technique", because, in a way, to criticize someone great makes them feel great as well. The truth is, however, that their stupidity only makes them even littler and Maria Callas even greater...

[belcantismo]

@Mekhaman Totally agree with you!

[sopranosd]

I don't know what all this talk is about her sounding better elsewhere. I guess there are recordings I need to discover. I don't hear her cole her, just her voice. I usually find her wobble annoying, even as I love her artistry. Her technique sometimes left something to be desired. Here she sounds better than I have heard her elsewhere. So NICE to hear voice sound fresh, sweet, unencumbered and wobble-free. Her coloratura is fabulous, as is her pitch. Brava Maria!

[belcantismo]

@sopranosd

Generally critics on Maria Callas are always on the late years,. the ones nearest to us and from which we have more recordings. But, please, do never forget that in early years her voice was p-e-r-f-e-c-t and s-u-b-l-i-m-e under every aspect !

[bonanplu]

nov, 1956.Callas was 32 years old (born dec, 1923, dead sept 1977 at 53)and she was finished, what a technique !

in 1954 she was 30 and her high notes were always dreadful

[belcantismo]

At the start of a career I wish to every new singer to have the similar "finished" voice like Maria Callas had in 1956.

In 1954 Maria Callas was still an extraordinary and fantastic soprano, with very very few competitors in the Opera. Remind please those competitors in 1954 could rivale with her only for the voice, never for acting!

Before that year, she was absolutely celestial and as in Italy is common to say: "sovraumana". Nothing of "human" could reach her perfet "State of the Art".

[Elisabetta611]

This wasn't one of her best nights, even though her dramatic vocalism and musicality are unmatched.

[zurriuss]

For me, Callas is the best Lucia.

VIVA!!!!

[babydrane]

what exactly is wrong with this recording? Would it really have been that much better with the Eflat? IMO, it is one of her best. The coloring of the voice is so light, I almost thought it wasn't her at first. I don't really miss the Eflat. The body of the aria is what impresses me and here she is as dizzy, crazy and blonde as ever...lol.

[hammer55292]

@Vendimi3 Truer words were never said.

[Vendimi3]

@belcantismo

I usually don't even count Maria Callas in competitions between singers. Not fair to human sopranos.

Yes, I'm Italian - as you may guess :-)

[distefano13069609]

@InformedListener yes she had a BAD cold, and plus she had just recorded non stop i think about 3 operas in studio, plus a lucia in naples.. so she had a rough time during this season...

[VivaMariaCallas]

Of course, there have been times during which she was in better voice. Nevertheless, her sing here is very beautiful indeed.

[InformedListener]

Whoa! A Callas "Spargi" without a High-Eflat? OK...I read the other comment about her being sick during the season. Smart choice. I prefer to remember this exquisitely sung aria without a climactic squawk in the name of courage. There was nothing to prove, we know that Callas was fearless...anyone heard her essay of "Mercè, dilette amiche" from Vespri Siciliani with a cold? She went for the High-E and despite an initial flub, she nailed and held it. Fierce!