Callas & Di Stefano in duet from Verdi's Don Carlo

Royal Festival Hall. London, 1973

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  Music

[babydrane]

Come on guys. This isn't that bad. I cry when people heavily criticize a performance like this and then praise the vocally lackluster performances we have the displeasure of hearing in the opera houses of today. This is obviously not their prime but the effort is admirable and the sound is pleasant. They could have done a whole lot worse and singers nowadays could do a whole lot better with even five of both these singers' prime years combined.

[Faust075]

Callas is Callas and will remain LA Callas forver. She will always be the best, in 1949 or in 1973.

Who cares about her voice here ! I could have killed someone or pay a forune to get a ticket to see only one of her perfermance, even this one !

[Jesús Roberto López Hernández]

She still the best in this video. Watch! Her singing is sublime, she's speaking with her body, with her eyes....

I hate contemporany opera singers that have a incredible sound but they are robots, and they are not natural.

[MrStarryVere]

love is unconditional. Even here Callas makes me go weak.  Shame she never recorded this opera.

[Gerundinos]

este video demuestra que en el mundo lírico la expresión y el dramatismo es tan importante como la voz (o más), ya que si Callas no tenia voz en esa época, lo contrarresta de una forma brillante y más que efectiva con el dramatismo. Bravi!!

[Buondelmonte123]

The odd thing was, on this night, you could buy a ticket at the last minute, because no-one thought it would take place, and even the scalpers were left holding tickets that no-one wanted. I remember coming across Hungerford footbridge in the rain and was astonished that there was no returns queue.

[PeterTrabaris]

I remember when Madam Callas was giving these performances. People traveled from all over the world to see, and hear her, and Mr. Di Stefano. I'm glad that performers of all types continue to perform, even in their elder years. Would that we continued to respect and honor each other's lives and contributions. The world would be a better place, I think. And much more beautiful. Thank you Onegin65

[babydrane]

I agree nicksum. She made her contribution to opera and for personal reasons moved on. I'm not upset about this. I also don't think people should be singing into their 70s just because they can. Just a shame much of what came after her (after the 1970s generally! - esp in Europe). I wish she'd stayed alive to teach more and pass her knowledge on.

[nicksum29]

It's actually only the chest register in Callas's voice that had faded. The top and middle are still rich, and what a glorious privilege to hear it. Had she wanted it, she could have gotten her voice back on track, but I suspect there was little desire left in her for the stage. 

[vincitor]

totally agree!! This was so freakin good!!! both of them! I'ld like to see the people who criticize this try and go up and do this.... 100% guarantee I'll like this WAY more then their version! :)

[Antonio Orsini]

Thanks, as always, Onegin65, for a great clip! Callas, at any age, was a pleasure!! Sure, she and Di Stefano were past their prime here, but babydrane is correct......singers nowadays could learn a lot from these two, and not be so lackluster and reserved....afraid to "let it all out"....afraid to take chances, as they say. Too much of today's performers are too blah....lacking fire, spinto, brio, call it what you will. Too much of today's singing is just too plain humdrum!!!

[Bigman240]

Poor Maria...Push the chest voice and this is what happens...a huge register break. Who cares about her voice here????? Anyone with knowledge of healthy singing which includes future generations of young opera singers and students of singing. It is necessary to know what is wrong here to avoid such future disasters. Callas was Callas even for what she did outside the opera theatre. Her great achievements and exemplary singing occurred before 1955.