Maria Callas - Fiorenza Cossotto - Mira o Norma - Norma - Live in PARIS 1965 - Her Last Norma!

Paris, Théâtre National de l'Opéra 29 mai 1965/ May 29, 1965
The announcement says:
" Ladies and Gentlemen, since the beginning of this performance, Madam Maria Callas had to surmount an illness and an important depression.
Regrettably, in spite of her exceptional courage for which we thank her, and care of her doctor, she's in a absolute impossibility to finish this performance.
She's profoundly sorry, and we ask you with us, to excuse her!"

(This document is a moving testimony for the Callas's fans, it isn't a release for the diva's detractors!)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Maria
• Callas
• Soprano
• Norma
• Bellini
• Cossotto
• Mezzo
• Opera
• Bel
• Canto

[Matt75003]

Even at this late stage, Callas was incapable of giving an indifferent performance of Norma. Her singing may be hit-and-miss, but she handles the music with loving care, and the result is highly touching. Imho, the problem with Cossotto is not that her voice is too loud, but that it does not blend convincingly with Callas's—it is too steely and her singing lacks subtlelty. Berganza would have been a far more suitable partner.

[ioSonoCallas]

@Matt75003 The biggest regret of Berganza is to have said "no" when him suggested singing Adalgisa with Callas. In an interview Berganza said about this refusal: " I knew that I was capable of singing Aldagisa with Maria Callas, but I say "NO", today I regret, it's a very big pain for me "!!!

[vanzofaust]

@ioSonoCallas

Cossotto is being a good colleague and good musician. She is following Callas and definitely helping where she can.

[ioSonoCallas]

@vanzofaust Oui, je suis d'accord avec vous! J'avais lu tellement de critiques acerbes sur le compte de cette malheureuse Fiorenza Cossotto à propos de son Adalgisa face à Callas que quand j'ai entendu cet enregistrement pour la première fois il y a une trentaine d'années, j'ai été fort étonné car je n'entendais rien de ce que j'avais lu dans les comptes-rendus de cette représentation. Tout comme vous j'entend effectivement une très bonne collègue.

[Orfeus80]

what a load of BS. Cossotto is serving the composer and hired to sing, not whisper. In fact she's helping Maria but she still has to sing. The audience doesn't need 2 singers singing badly.

[colonia3059]

I honestly don't hear any animosity in Cossotto's singing. I have heard her life and she would sing MUCH louder than she does here. Callas is being terribly cautious, and sounds terrified, and strangely as it may sound, I find Cossotto is trying to adapt to it, not and easy task for a young singer. I am not a Cossotto's fun, and I adore Callas, one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century; we don't need to add problems to a difficult performance of the woman who change the path of opera.

[Maripudelmonaco]

COSSOTTO NO TENIA POR QUÉ HUNDIRSE EN LA REPRESENTACION  PORQUE LA DIVINA , COMO LA LLAMAN, ESTUVIESE YÁ EN ESE MOMENTO ACABADA, LA OBLICACIÓN DE COSSOTTO ERA CANTAR CÓMO DEBÍA, QUIERE DECIR BIEN, Y LA OBLIGACIÓN DE CALLAS ERA NO HABER CANTADO, CANCELAR Y RETIRARSE DIGNAMENTE,

[Tenorbravo]

Maria Callas always original, unique and magnifique. It is one of the best, I have ever heard! Gorgeous voices .

their voices are to die for!!! awesome performance

****It is Sad....... perfection like this is no longer available!

[LaPolymita]

Callas .... Corazon de Leona ... I cry my eyes out every time I hear this recording...

[vnpei]

I think this was a fine rendition!!! I have heard many singers done worse than this and still sounding fine. Despite not delivering the most athletic performance of her carreer, Callas still produces beautiful, if somewhat restraint sounds (which in fact works well with the interpretation). Come on, just listen to the frasing and the telling of the moment - it´s wonderful!

[Robertgrade]

Callas is not up to her previous Normas, but Cossotto is magnificent.

[Jeanne90275]

I've listened to this CD many times and, quite frankly,

I don't think Cossotto was trying to sabotage Callas.

Cossotto was ambitious and the last thing she would

have wanted to do was alienate Maria Callas, who WAS

opera at that time. It simply would not have been in her

own self-interest. She had no way of knowing Callas'

career was almost over, although I think Callas knew.

She was her own worst critic. How tragic to have her

voice desert her just as her personal life was unraveling.