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BELLINI: Norma: DONIZETTI: Lucia di Lammermoor: VERDI: La traviata: WAGNER: Tristan und Isolde: ADD 1 Casta Diva (Act I) 7:27 [Mad Scene, Act III] ! Libiamo ne’ lieti calici (Act I) 3:16 & Liebestod (Sung in Italian) 7:44 GREAT SINGERS • CALLAS Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala, Milan 5 Il dolce suono 3:01 with Francesco Albanese, Tenor Turin Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra 8.111082 Tullio Serafin, Conductor and Chorus Arturo Basile, Conductor Recorded in the Cinema Metropol, Milan, 1954 6 Ohimè! Sorge il tremendo 3:20 Recorded by CETRA on 8th November 1949 (From Naxos 8.110325-27) @ E’ strano! E’ strano! (Act I) 1:27 Matrix 2-71294/5; Cat. No. CB 20841 7 Ardon gli incensi; splendon le sacre faci 5:26 (From Naxos 8.110302-04) with Gino Sarri, Tenor # Ah, fors’è lui (Act I) 3:01 Maria BELLINI: I Puritani: Raffaele Arié, Bass Turin Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra 2 O rendetemi la speme (Act II) 1:47 and Chorus Gabriele Santini, Conductor with Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, Bass 8 Spargi d’amaro pianto 3:46 Recorded at the Auditorium RAI, Turin, 1953 CALLAS and Rolando Panerai, Baritone with Raffaele Arié, Bass (From Naxos 8.110300-01) Tito Gobbi, Baritone 3 Qui la voce sua soave (Act II) 8:41 and Chorus with Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, Bass PUCCINI: Tosca: and Rolando Panerai, Baritone Chorus and Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale $ Mario! Mario! Mario!... Son qui! (Act I) 2:07 A Portrait Fiorentino with Giuseppe Di Stefano, Tenor 4 Son vergin vezzosa (Act I) 3:46 Andrea Morosini, Chorus Master with Aurora Cattelani, Soprano Tullio Serafin, Conductor % Ora stammi a sentir (Act I) 3:13 Giuseppe Di Stefano, Tenor Recorded in the Teatro Comunale, Florence, 1953 with Giuseppe Di Stefano, Tenor Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, Bass (From Naxos 8.110131-32) PUCCINI Carlo Forti, Bass ^ Vissi d’arte (Act II) 3:22 and Chorus Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala, Milan PONCHIELLI: La Gioconda: Tullio Serafin, Conductor Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala, Milan 9 O madre mia (Act II) 2:00 Recorded at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, 1953 VERDI Vittore Veneziani, Chorus Master (From Naxos 8.110256-57) Tullio Serafin, Conductor 0 Suicidio! (Act III) 4:45 Recorded in the Basilica di Santa Eufemia, Milan, Turin Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra DONIZETTI 1953 Antonino Votto, Conductor (From Naxos 8.110259-60) Recorded at the Auditorium RAI, Turin, 1952 (From Naxos 8.110302-04) BELLINI WAGNER PONCHIELLI

Recorded 1949-1954 8.111082 5 6 8.111082 111082 bk CallasEU 15/03/2005 11:26am Page 2

Maria Callas (1923-1977) the operas markedly diverse vocally but also Before undertaking any major recording with the Callas’s interpretation of the rôle too flawed vocally and Giocondas, 89 Normas and 63 Violettas in total. As her A Portrait dramatically contrasted. Little wonder her flexibility artist, Callas was to undertake a test recording of her uneven. Others found her sense of authority and colleague and friend Tito Gobbi later commented of and adaptability was considered extraordinary at the voice. Her first major recording followed shortly understanding of the character outweighed any vocal Callas in his 1979 autobiography: “She shone for all too A quarter of a century has now passed since the Greek- Naples and Palermo. In the summer of 1949 she made time. She later reintroduced a number of operas that had afterwards. This occurred during a run of Lucia di problems. Later she would refine and develop her brief a while in the world of opera, like a vivid flame born soprano Maria Callas died in Paris, but during her overseas début in Buenos Aires, followed by fallen out of the regular repertoire. Lammermoor which took place in Florence on 25th, reading of the title rôle. attracting the attention of the whole world, and she had that time interest in her has not diminished in any Mexico City for the ensuing three years. All the while Maria Callas’s first commercial studio recording 28th January and 5th, 8th February. Her studio So what we have here on this single disc is a a strange magic which was all her own”. manner whatsoever. Recordings of her live her star was continuing to rise. She made a last-minute sessions were made between 8th and 10th November recording sessions of the opera was made in between conspectus of rôles that featured strongly in Callas’s appearances have continued to pour forth from the appearance as a replacement for an ailing Renata 1949, when following an initial ‘test’ she recorded the these stage performances from 29th-30th January and stage career. It is perhaps worth mentioning that she most unlikely places which, despite varying ranges of Tebaldi as Aida in April 1950 at La Scala but in Liebestod from Wagner’s Tristano e Isolita, Casta diva from 3rd-4th and on 6th February. This in turn was performed 46 Lucias, 16 Elviras, 33 Toscas, 13 Malcolm Walker sound quality, seem to be lapped up by her adoring December 1951 made her ‘proper’ début as Elena in I and the ensuing cabaletta Ah! bello e me ritorna from followed on 24th March by Bellini’s I Puritani, the public. Furthermore, it is over thirty years since her vespri siciliani. She had now finally arrived. Her first Bellini’s Norma,and two versions of the recitative, aria project being completed by the end of that month. Her final concert appearances and almost forty since she London engagement as Norma in November 1952 at and cabaletta O rendetemi la speme … Qui la voce sua next recording project was as a substitute for the ailing left the operatic stage. Her public and private life at the the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, proved a soave … Vien, diletto from the same composer’s mezzo soprano Fedora Barbieri as Santuzza, a rôle she time made the news headlines throughout the world. complete triumph and launched Callas on the I Puritani. These were eventually published in Italy had not sung for ten years. She quickly relearned the So, what is it about this artist that continues to international scene. From then until the end of the during 1950. It was this latter recording which aroused part and fitted into the overall recording without a hitch. fascinate her public? While opinions of her vocal 1950s her reputation and fame remained virtually the wider musical public to her remarkable quality when Her recording of Puccini’s Tosca, incomparably qualities continue to arouse wide debate, what cannot undiminished. Vocal and personal problems, however, first heard outside Italy, its British release occurring in conducted by Victor De Sabata, remains one of Callas’s be disputed is the magnetism of her personality in all began in 1959, and she temporarily withdrew from February 1952. Her only other recordings for the Italian finest achievements in the studio. Along with Di that she sang. She had that rare quality within a simple performing regularly. Her last stage appearance was in label CETRA were complete recordings of the title rôle Stefano and Gobbi, together with other colleagues and phrase to captivate, enthral and excite an audience. As London as Tosca in July 1965 but by then she had of Ponchielli’s La Gioconda (recorded 6th-10th the forces of La Scala, they achieved a landmark in a dramatic stage artist her ability to encapsulate the moved to singing in concert. Apart from some studio October 1952) and Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata recording history. In sessions held over a period of inner soul of the rôle she was portraying was unique. recording sessions in 1969 and 1972, she attempted a (September 1953). eleven days, the conductor nearly drove his musicians Sadly all too few visual examples of her live stage final and ill-advised series of concert appearances This 1952 recording of La Gioconda found Callas to exhaustion in his demands for perfection. The performances survive but those that do give fascinating throughout Europe, North America and the Far East in resplendent voice and the interpretation has a searing musical and technical results in the end completely glimpses of her special charisma. with the tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano during 1973-74 and burning quality to it. Her colleagues afforded her justify the demands put upon them. Half a century on The career of Maria Callas began in Athens in before retiring. She died in Paris in November 1977, excellent support and her conductor kept everything this recording remains a benchmark version. 1938 in concert, her first professional stage appearance aged 53. moving in a positive forward manner. This is one of the The following month Callas made her only studio in 1942 as Tosca, and she continued to sing in her As an artist the media loved to describe Callas as a best examples of Callas’s voice in its youthful vocal recording of La Traviata as Violetta. Surrounded by native country until September 1945, when she went to ‘tigress’, an individual very demanding of her prime. Her delivery of the famous Suicidio aria has a colleagues who did not give her the support the venture the United States. She returned to Europe in the colleagues, temperamental and fiery. Colleagues who fiery thrust and her use of the chest voice is striking, as required, and with a conductor who failed to inspire, it summer of 1947 and auditioned for the distinguished worked with her, however, recalled a total dedication is her declamation of the text. is a less than adequate overall realisation of a rôle which Italian conductor Tullio Serafin for the title rôle in to her art, a tremendous worker who always strove to Interest in Callas as a recording artist, however, was to prove an essential element in the following years Ponchielli’s La Gioconda to be given at the Verona attain perfection. Callas was an artist who reinvented now went beyond Italy. EMI in London had become of Callas’s career. Her contribution, however, is the sole Arena in August that year. She was engaged for five music by forgetting what was once called tradition. interested in securing her exclusive services during reason for wanting to hear this recording. Even if her performances, thereby making her Italian début. The Her total commitment to her art can be attested, for 1951. Eventually a contract between artist and interpretation deepened dramatically, vocally she was success of these performances resulted in Callas example, by her appearances during January to March recording company was signed, to take effect on 29th never as secure as in this 1953 recording. obtaining rôles in Tristan und Isolde, Turandot, 1949 when she sang six Brünnhildes in Die Walküre, July 1952, for an initial period of three years, later The year 1954 saw the first of her two studio La forza del destino, Aida, Norma, Die Walküre, three Elviras in I Puritani, four of Turandot, and four extended to 31st July 1957 and again three years later. recordings of Norma, made when she was in her vocal I Puritani, Nabucco and Parsifal in places such as Kundrys in Parsifal. Add to these piano and stage The initial agreement was for four operas and solo prime. Critical response, however, was sharply divided Venice, Udine, Trieste, Genoa, Rome, Florence, rehearsals and the learning of her rôles. Not only were recitals at the time of the set’s first issue. Some people found

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Maria Callas (1923-1977) the operas markedly diverse vocally but also Before undertaking any major recording with the Callas’s interpretation of the rôle too flawed vocally and Giocondas, 89 Normas and 63 Violettas in total. As her A Portrait dramatically contrasted. Little wonder her flexibility artist, Callas was to undertake a test recording of her uneven. Others found her sense of authority and colleague and friend Tito Gobbi later commented of and adaptability was considered extraordinary at the voice. Her first major recording followed shortly understanding of the character outweighed any vocal Callas in his 1979 autobiography: “She shone for all too A quarter of a century has now passed since the Greek- Naples and Palermo. In the summer of 1949 she made time. She later reintroduced a number of operas that had afterwards. This occurred during a run of Lucia di problems. Later she would refine and develop her brief a while in the world of opera, like a vivid flame born soprano Maria Callas died in Paris, but during her overseas début in Buenos Aires, followed by fallen out of the regular repertoire. Lammermoor which took place in Florence on 25th, reading of the title rôle. attracting the attention of the whole world, and she had that time interest in her has not diminished in any Mexico City for the ensuing three years. All the while Maria Callas’s first commercial studio recording 28th January and 5th, 8th February. Her studio So what we have here on this single disc is a a strange magic which was all her own”. manner whatsoever. Recordings of her live her star was continuing to rise. She made a last-minute sessions were made between 8th and 10th November recording sessions of the opera was made in between conspectus of rôles that featured strongly in Callas’s appearances have continued to pour forth from the appearance as a replacement for an ailing Renata 1949, when following an initial ‘test’ she recorded the these stage performances from 29th-30th January and stage career. It is perhaps worth mentioning that she most unlikely places which, despite varying ranges of Tebaldi as Aida in April 1950 at La Scala but in Liebestod from Wagner’s Tristano e Isolita, Casta diva from 3rd-4th and on 6th February. This in turn was performed 46 Lucias, 16 Elviras, 33 Toscas, 13 Malcolm Walker sound quality, seem to be lapped up by her adoring December 1951 made her ‘proper’ début as Elena in I and the ensuing cabaletta Ah! bello e me ritorna from followed on 24th March by Bellini’s I Puritani, the public. Furthermore, it is over thirty years since her vespri siciliani. She had now finally arrived. Her first Bellini’s Norma,and two versions of the recitative, aria project being completed by the end of that month. Her final concert appearances and almost forty since she London engagement as Norma in November 1952 at and cabaletta O rendetemi la speme … Qui la voce sua next recording project was as a substitute for the ailing left the operatic stage. Her public and private life at the the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, proved a soave … Vien, diletto from the same composer’s mezzo soprano Fedora Barbieri as Santuzza, a rôle she time made the news headlines throughout the world. complete triumph and launched Callas on the I Puritani. These were eventually published in Italy had not sung for ten years. She quickly relearned the So, what is it about this artist that continues to international scene. From then until the end of the during 1950. It was this latter recording which aroused part and fitted into the overall recording without a hitch. fascinate her public? While opinions of her vocal 1950s her reputation and fame remained virtually the wider musical public to her remarkable quality when Her recording of Puccini’s Tosca, incomparably qualities continue to arouse wide debate, what cannot undiminished. Vocal and personal problems, however, first heard outside Italy, its British release occurring in conducted by Victor De Sabata, remains one of Callas’s be disputed is the magnetism of her personality in all began in 1959, and she temporarily withdrew from February 1952. Her only other recordings for the Italian finest achievements in the studio. Along with Di that she sang. She had that rare quality within a simple performing regularly. Her last stage appearance was in label CETRA were complete recordings of the title rôle Stefano and Gobbi, together with other colleagues and phrase to captivate, enthral and excite an audience. As London as Tosca in July 1965 but by then she had of Ponchielli’s La Gioconda (recorded 6th-10th the forces of La Scala, they achieved a landmark in a dramatic stage artist her ability to encapsulate the moved to singing in concert. Apart from some studio October 1952) and Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata recording history. In sessions held over a period of inner soul of the rôle she was portraying was unique. recording sessions in 1969 and 1972, she attempted a (September 1953). eleven days, the conductor nearly drove his musicians Sadly all too few visual examples of her live stage final and ill-advised series of concert appearances This 1952 recording of La Gioconda found Callas to exhaustion in his demands for perfection. The performances survive but those that do give fascinating throughout Europe, North America and the Far East in resplendent voice and the interpretation has a searing musical and technical results in the end completely glimpses of her special charisma. with the tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano during 1973-74 and burning quality to it. Her colleagues afforded her justify the demands put upon them. Half a century on The career of Maria Callas began in Athens in before retiring. She died in Paris in November 1977, excellent support and her conductor kept everything this recording remains a benchmark version. 1938 in concert, her first professional stage appearance aged 53. moving in a positive forward manner. This is one of the The following month Callas made her only studio in 1942 as Tosca, and she continued to sing in her As an artist the media loved to describe Callas as a best examples of Callas’s voice in its youthful vocal recording of La Traviata as Violetta. Surrounded by native country until September 1945, when she went to ‘tigress’, an individual very demanding of her prime. Her delivery of the famous Suicidio aria has a colleagues who did not give her the support the venture the United States. She returned to Europe in the colleagues, temperamental and fiery. Colleagues who fiery thrust and her use of the chest voice is striking, as required, and with a conductor who failed to inspire, it summer of 1947 and auditioned for the distinguished worked with her, however, recalled a total dedication is her declamation of the text. is a less than adequate overall realisation of a rôle which Italian conductor Tullio Serafin for the title rôle in to her art, a tremendous worker who always strove to Interest in Callas as a recording artist, however, was to prove an essential element in the following years Ponchielli’s La Gioconda to be given at the Verona attain perfection. Callas was an artist who reinvented now went beyond Italy. EMI in London had become of Callas’s career. Her contribution, however, is the sole Arena in August that year. She was engaged for five music by forgetting what was once called tradition. interested in securing her exclusive services during reason for wanting to hear this recording. Even if her performances, thereby making her Italian début. The Her total commitment to her art can be attested, for 1951. Eventually a contract between artist and interpretation deepened dramatically, vocally she was success of these performances resulted in Callas example, by her appearances during January to March recording company was signed, to take effect on 29th never as secure as in this 1953 recording. obtaining rôles in Tristan und Isolde, Turandot, 1949 when she sang six Brünnhildes in Die Walküre, July 1952, for an initial period of three years, later The year 1954 saw the first of her two studio La forza del destino, Aida, Norma, Die Walküre, three Elviras in I Puritani, four of Turandot, and four extended to 31st July 1957 and again three years later. recordings of Norma, made when she was in her vocal I Puritani, Nabucco and Parsifal in places such as Kundrys in Parsifal. Add to these piano and stage The initial agreement was for four operas and solo prime. Critical response, however, was sharply divided Venice, Udine, Trieste, Genoa, Rome, Florence, rehearsals and the learning of her rôles. Not only were recitals at the time of the set’s first issue. Some people found

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Maria Callas (1923-1977) the operas markedly diverse vocally but also Before undertaking any major recording with the Callas’s interpretation of the rôle too flawed vocally and Giocondas, 89 Normas and 63 Violettas in total. As her A Portrait dramatically contrasted. Little wonder her flexibility artist, Callas was to undertake a test recording of her uneven. Others found her sense of authority and colleague and friend Tito Gobbi later commented of and adaptability was considered extraordinary at the voice. Her first major recording followed shortly understanding of the character outweighed any vocal Callas in his 1979 autobiography: “She shone for all too A quarter of a century has now passed since the Greek- Naples and Palermo. In the summer of 1949 she made time. She later reintroduced a number of operas that had afterwards. This occurred during a run of Lucia di problems. Later she would refine and develop her brief a while in the world of opera, like a vivid flame born soprano Maria Callas died in Paris, but during her overseas début in Buenos Aires, followed by fallen out of the regular repertoire. Lammermoor which took place in Florence on 25th, reading of the title rôle. attracting the attention of the whole world, and she had that time interest in her has not diminished in any Mexico City for the ensuing three years. All the while Maria Callas’s first commercial studio recording 28th January and 5th, 8th February. Her studio So what we have here on this single disc is a a strange magic which was all her own”. manner whatsoever. Recordings of her live her star was continuing to rise. She made a last-minute sessions were made between 8th and 10th November recording sessions of the opera was made in between conspectus of rôles that featured strongly in Callas’s appearances have continued to pour forth from the appearance as a replacement for an ailing Renata 1949, when following an initial ‘test’ she recorded the these stage performances from 29th-30th January and stage career. It is perhaps worth mentioning that she most unlikely places which, despite varying ranges of Tebaldi as Aida in April 1950 at La Scala but in Liebestod from Wagner’s Tristano e Isolita, Casta diva from 3rd-4th and on 6th February. This in turn was performed 46 Lucias, 16 Elviras, 33 Toscas, 13 Malcolm Walker sound quality, seem to be lapped up by her adoring December 1951 made her ‘proper’ début as Elena in I and the ensuing cabaletta Ah! bello e me ritorna from followed on 24th March by Bellini’s I Puritani, the public. Furthermore, it is over thirty years since her vespri siciliani. She had now finally arrived. Her first Bellini’s Norma,and two versions of the recitative, aria project being completed by the end of that month. Her final concert appearances and almost forty since she London engagement as Norma in November 1952 at and cabaletta O rendetemi la speme … Qui la voce sua next recording project was as a substitute for the ailing left the operatic stage. Her public and private life at the the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, proved a soave … Vien, diletto from the same composer’s mezzo soprano Fedora Barbieri as Santuzza, a rôle she time made the news headlines throughout the world. complete triumph and launched Callas on the I Puritani. These were eventually published in Italy had not sung for ten years. She quickly relearned the So, what is it about this artist that continues to international scene. From then until the end of the during 1950. It was this latter recording which aroused part and fitted into the overall recording without a hitch. fascinate her public? While opinions of her vocal 1950s her reputation and fame remained virtually the wider musical public to her remarkable quality when Her recording of Puccini’s Tosca, incomparably qualities continue to arouse wide debate, what cannot undiminished. Vocal and personal problems, however, first heard outside Italy, its British release occurring in conducted by Victor De Sabata, remains one of Callas’s be disputed is the magnetism of her personality in all began in 1959, and she temporarily withdrew from February 1952. Her only other recordings for the Italian finest achievements in the studio. Along with Di that she sang. She had that rare quality within a simple performing regularly. Her last stage appearance was in label CETRA were complete recordings of the title rôle Stefano and Gobbi, together with other colleagues and phrase to captivate, enthral and excite an audience. As London as Tosca in July 1965 but by then she had of Ponchielli’s La Gioconda (recorded 6th-10th the forces of La Scala, they achieved a landmark in a dramatic stage artist her ability to encapsulate the moved to singing in concert. Apart from some studio October 1952) and Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata recording history. In sessions held over a period of inner soul of the rôle she was portraying was unique. recording sessions in 1969 and 1972, she attempted a (September 1953). eleven days, the conductor nearly drove his musicians Sadly all too few visual examples of her live stage final and ill-advised series of concert appearances This 1952 recording of La Gioconda found Callas to exhaustion in his demands for perfection. The performances survive but those that do give fascinating throughout Europe, North America and the Far East in resplendent voice and the interpretation has a searing musical and technical results in the end completely glimpses of her special charisma. with the tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano during 1973-74 and burning quality to it. Her colleagues afforded her justify the demands put upon them. Half a century on The career of Maria Callas began in Athens in before retiring. She died in Paris in November 1977, excellent support and her conductor kept everything this recording remains a benchmark version. 1938 in concert, her first professional stage appearance aged 53. moving in a positive forward manner. This is one of the The following month Callas made her only studio in 1942 as Tosca, and she continued to sing in her As an artist the media loved to describe Callas as a best examples of Callas’s voice in its youthful vocal recording of La Traviata as Violetta. Surrounded by native country until September 1945, when she went to ‘tigress’, an individual very demanding of her prime. Her delivery of the famous Suicidio aria has a colleagues who did not give her the support the venture the United States. She returned to Europe in the colleagues, temperamental and fiery. Colleagues who fiery thrust and her use of the chest voice is striking, as required, and with a conductor who failed to inspire, it summer of 1947 and auditioned for the distinguished worked with her, however, recalled a total dedication is her declamation of the text. is a less than adequate overall realisation of a rôle which Italian conductor Tullio Serafin for the title rôle in to her art, a tremendous worker who always strove to Interest in Callas as a recording artist, however, was to prove an essential element in the following years Ponchielli’s La Gioconda to be given at the Verona attain perfection. Callas was an artist who reinvented now went beyond Italy. EMI in London had become of Callas’s career. Her contribution, however, is the sole Arena in August that year. She was engaged for five music by forgetting what was once called tradition. interested in securing her exclusive services during reason for wanting to hear this recording. Even if her performances, thereby making her Italian début. The Her total commitment to her art can be attested, for 1951. Eventually a contract between artist and interpretation deepened dramatically, vocally she was success of these performances resulted in Callas example, by her appearances during January to March recording company was signed, to take effect on 29th never as secure as in this 1953 recording. obtaining rôles in Tristan und Isolde, Turandot, 1949 when she sang six Brünnhildes in Die Walküre, July 1952, for an initial period of three years, later The year 1954 saw the first of her two studio La forza del destino, Aida, Norma, Die Walküre, three Elviras in I Puritani, four of Turandot, and four extended to 31st July 1957 and again three years later. recordings of Norma, made when she was in her vocal I Puritani, Nabucco and Parsifal in places such as Kundrys in Parsifal. Add to these piano and stage The initial agreement was for four operas and solo prime. Critical response, however, was sharply divided Venice, Udine, Trieste, Genoa, Rome, Florence, rehearsals and the learning of her rôles. Not only were recitals at the time of the set’s first issue. Some people found

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BELLINI: Norma: DONIZETTI: Lucia di Lammermoor: VERDI: La traviata: WAGNER: Tristan und Isolde: ADD 1 Casta Diva (Act I) 7:27 [Mad Scene, Act III] ! Libiamo ne’ lieti calici (Act I) 3:16 & Liebestod (Sung in Italian) 7:44 GREAT SINGERS • CALLAS Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala, Milan 5 Il dolce suono 3:01 with Francesco Albanese, Tenor Turin Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra 8.111082 Tullio Serafin, Conductor and Chorus Arturo Basile, Conductor Recorded in the Cinema Metropol, Milan, 1954 6 Ohimè! Sorge il tremendo 3:20 Recorded by CETRA on 8th November 1949 (From Naxos 8.110325-27) @ E’ strano! E’ strano! (Act I) 1:27 Matrix 2-71294/5; Cat. No. CB 20841 7 Ardon gli incensi; splendon le sacre faci 5:26 (From Naxos 8.110302-04) with Gino Sarri, Tenor # Ah, fors’è lui (Act I) 3:01 Maria BELLINI: I Puritani: Raffaele Arié, Bass Turin Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra 2 O rendetemi la speme (Act II) 1:47 and Chorus Gabriele Santini, Conductor with Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, Bass 8 Spargi d’amaro pianto 3:46 Recorded at the Auditorium RAI, Turin, 1953 CALLAS and Rolando Panerai, Baritone with Raffaele Arié, Bass (From Naxos 8.110300-01) Tito Gobbi, Baritone 3 Qui la voce sua soave (Act II) 8:41 and Chorus with Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, Bass PUCCINI: Tosca: and Rolando Panerai, Baritone Chorus and Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale $ Mario! Mario! Mario!... Son qui! (Act I) 2:07 A Portrait Fiorentino with Giuseppe Di Stefano, Tenor 4 Son vergin vezzosa (Act I) 3:46 Andrea Morosini, Chorus Master with Aurora Cattelani, Soprano Tullio Serafin, Conductor % Ora stammi a sentir (Act I) 3:13 Giuseppe Di Stefano, Tenor Recorded in the Teatro Comunale, Florence, 1953 with Giuseppe Di Stefano, Tenor Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, Bass (From Naxos 8.110131-32) PUCCINI Carlo Forti, Bass ^ Vissi d’arte (Act II) 3:22 and Chorus Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala, Milan PONCHIELLI: La Gioconda: Tullio Serafin, Conductor Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala, Milan 9 O madre mia (Act II) 2:00 Recorded at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, 1953 VERDI Vittore Veneziani, Chorus Master (From Naxos 8.110256-57) Tullio Serafin, Conductor 0 Suicidio! (Act III) 4:45 Recorded in the Basilica di Santa Eufemia, Milan, Turin Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra DONIZETTI 1953 Antonino Votto, Conductor (From Naxos 8.110259-60) Recorded at the Auditorium RAI, Turin, 1952 (From Naxos 8.110302-04) BELLINI WAGNER PONCHIELLI

Recorded 1949-1954 8.111082 5 6 8.111082 111082 bk CallasEU 15/03/2005 11:26am Page 5

BELLINI: Norma: DONIZETTI: Lucia di Lammermoor: VERDI: La traviata: WAGNER: Tristan und Isolde: ADD 1 Casta Diva (Act I) 7:27 [Mad Scene, Act III] ! Libiamo ne’ lieti calici (Act I) 3:16 & Liebestod (Sung in Italian) 7:44 GREAT SINGERS • CALLAS Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala, Milan 5 Il dolce suono 3:01 with Francesco Albanese, Tenor Turin Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra 8.111082 Tullio Serafin, Conductor and Chorus Arturo Basile, Conductor Recorded in the Cinema Metropol, Milan, 1954 6 Ohimè! Sorge il tremendo 3:20 Recorded by CETRA on 8th November 1949 (From Naxos 8.110325-27) @ E’ strano! E’ strano! (Act I) 1:27 Matrix 2-71294/5; Cat. No. CB 20841 7 Ardon gli incensi; splendon le sacre faci 5:26 (From Naxos 8.110302-04) with Gino Sarri, Tenor # Ah, fors’è lui (Act I) 3:01 Maria BELLINI: I Puritani: Raffaele Arié, Bass Turin Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra 2 O rendetemi la speme (Act II) 1:47 and Chorus Gabriele Santini, Conductor with Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, Bass 8 Spargi d’amaro pianto 3:46 Recorded at the Auditorium RAI, Turin, 1953 CALLAS and Rolando Panerai, Baritone with Raffaele Arié, Bass (From Naxos 8.110300-01) Tito Gobbi, Baritone 3 Qui la voce sua soave (Act II) 8:41 and Chorus with Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, Bass PUCCINI: Tosca: and Rolando Panerai, Baritone Chorus and Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale $ Mario! Mario! Mario!... Son qui! (Act I) 2:07 A Portrait Fiorentino with Giuseppe Di Stefano, Tenor 4 Son vergin vezzosa (Act I) 3:46 Andrea Morosini, Chorus Master with Aurora Cattelani, Soprano Tullio Serafin, Conductor % Ora stammi a sentir (Act I) 3:13 Giuseppe Di Stefano, Tenor Recorded in the Teatro Comunale, Florence, 1953 with Giuseppe Di Stefano, Tenor Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, Bass (From Naxos 8.110131-32) PUCCINI Carlo Forti, Bass ^ Vissi d’arte (Act II) 3:22 and Chorus Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala, Milan PONCHIELLI: La Gioconda: Tullio Serafin, Conductor Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala, Milan 9 O madre mia (Act II) 2:00 Recorded at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, 1953 VERDI Vittore Veneziani, Chorus Master (From Naxos 8.110256-57) Tullio Serafin, Conductor 0 Suicidio! (Act III) 4:45 Recorded in the Basilica di Santa Eufemia, Milan, Turin Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra DONIZETTI 1953 Antonino Votto, Conductor (From Naxos 8.110259-60) Recorded at the Auditorium RAI, Turin, 1952 (From Naxos 8.110302-04) BELLINI WAGNER PONCHIELLI

Recorded 1949-1954 8.111082 5 6 8.111082 K Y M C

NAXOS Historical MARIA CALLAS: A Portrait 8.111082 , osca T Norma ime ristano e T T 68:11 Playing Playing are among the best are , the great soprano is soprano , the great from Wagner’s Wagner’s from and the excerpts from the 1952 from and the excerpts I Puritani described by its original producerdescribed by its original as recording’, Callas ‘the supreme and both herclearly at the peak of vocal As herand dramatic powers. colleague later Gobbi Tito and friend said of “She Callas in his 1979 autobiography: shone for in the all too brief a while a vivid flame world of opera, like of the whole attracting the attention world, and she had a strange magic which was all her own”. This portrait of the legendary Maria the legendary of This portrait several excerpts from Callas presents of her recordings, operatic greatest of herincluding some earliest, made forThe 1949 Italian label CETRA. the Liebestod Isotta La Gioconda voice in its examples of Callas’s In the classic, youthful vocal prime. of recordings irreplaceable 7:44 Portrait A Maria Callas Maria 1949-1954 Recordings 1949-1954 (Sung in Italian) AGNER: Tristan und Isolde: AGNER: Tristan issi d’arte 3:22 ADD Libiamo ne’ lieti caliciE’ strano! E’ strano!Ah! fors’ è lui... PUCCINI: Tosca: Mario! Mario! Mario!Ora stammi a sentirV W Liebestod 3:16 1:27 2:07 3:01 3:13 BELLINI: Norma: BELLINI: Casta Diva Puritani: BELLINI: I speme la O rendetemi soaveQui la voce sua Son vergin vezzosa Lucia di Lammermoor: DONIZETTI: Il dolce suono Ohimè! Sorge il tremendo faci le sacre Ardon gli incensi; splendon piantoSpargi d’amoro PONCHIELLI: La Gioconda: miaO madre 5:26 Suicidio! 1:47 8:41 VERDI: La traviata: 7:27 3:46 3:20 3:48 3:01 2:00 4:45 8.111082 complete track list can be found in the booklet ard Marston, Mark Obert-Thorn ! @ # $ % ^ & 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 www.naxos.com Producer and Audio Restoration Engineers: Producer and W A Potter Collection) Cover image: Maria Callas (The Tully

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AXOS Historical AXOS N AI ALS Portrait A CALLAS: MARIA 8.111082 111082 rr CallasEU 15/03/2005 11:27am Page 1 Page 11:27am 15/03/2005 rr CallasEU 111082