Vincenzo Bellini, Tullio Serafin, Maria Callas Bellini - Norma / Marķa Callas Genre:Classical A recording of Norma is essential for any Maria Callas collection. This intense and musically demanding drama deals with forbidden love, infidelity, conflicting emotions, and death that comes almost as a relief from overwr... more »ought passion. It gives Callas golden opportunities for characterization and dramatic gestures in her timing, vocal coloration, verbal and dynamic emphases. Of the half-dozen or more perennially on the market, the first choice is this one, dating from 1954 when her voice was in relatively good shape (although the 1960 EMI recording, also conducted by Tullio Serafin, had even better acting and, in Christa Ludwig, a much better supporting cast). Callas is essential to those who enjoy opera primarily as theatre. The singing is vivid, if typically uneven, and reinforced by Serafin's expert conducting. --Joe McLellan« less
A recording of Norma is essential for any Maria Callas collection. This intense and musically demanding drama deals with forbidden love, infidelity, conflicting emotions, and death that comes almost as a relief from overwrought passion. It gives Callas golden opportunities for characterization and dramatic gestures in her timing, vocal coloration, verbal and dynamic emphases. Of the half-dozen or more perennially on the market, the first choice is this one, dating from 1954 when her voice was in relatively good shape (although the 1960 EMI recording, also conducted by Tullio Serafin, had even better acting and, in Christa Ludwig, a much better supporting cast). Callas is essential to those who enjoy opera primarily as theatre. The singing is vivid, if typically uneven, and reinforced by Serafin's expert conducting. --Joe McLellan
CD Reviews
An Amazing Norma!
The Cultural Observer | 10/28/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is how bel canto should be sung! Indeed, Callas is Norma. She breathed life to the role, nurtured it in her 98 performances of the opera, and took the character to her death in 1977. Never before in recording history was any other artist (besides Joan Sutherland, who, although was a vocally beautiful Norma, was not dramatically convincing enough) able to interpret one of opera's most challenging roles vocally and dramatically onstage. From Callas' solemn interpretation of Casta diva to her dream-like, almost girlish "Ah bello mi ritorna" to the viper-like sting of her anger in the second half of the second act, her voice fit Norma's emotions in every way possible. Maybe it was the multi-faceted coloration of the role which gave her Norma a much more convincing aura than everything else offered on the market did, or perhaps it was because she was simply the greatest opera singer the world has ever seen. Never again will there be another singer like her, and never again in the history of opera will there be another great Norma!
Of course, besides Callas, there are other components of this record which merits it as one of the best Normas on record. First of all, Tullio Serafin, the conductor of the opera, commands his orchestration of Norma with such an amazing baton which would have agreed with Bellini's well meant score. The tenor, Mario Fillipeschi, although nowhere near the grand vocals of Corelli or del Monaco, could more or less pull off an amazing Pollione. Ebi Stignani, although quite old for the role of Adalgisa, delivered a more-than-adequate performance of Norma's priestess. All in all, one of the greatest opera recordings ever.
Although this Norma would have been better if del Monaco or Corelli sang the role in 1954 in the studio, or if Giulietta Simionato, Fiorenza Cossotto, or Christa Ludwig would have sung Adalgisa, or even Niccolo Zaccaria as Oroveso, this Norma is simply one of the indelible opera recordings ever to have been made not only because Callas was in there (although I'm sure this is the reason why I bought this), but because it was the genius of the performers which give this Norma such an amazing insight into the interpretation of its characters."
Not the best Callas "Norma"
Ralph Moore | Bishop's Stortford, UK | 02/16/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I am a great admirer of Callas - what sane lover of voice and opera isn't? - which is precisely why I cannot understand giving this "Norma" five stars when there is competition of far greater quality - provided by Callas herself in her other recordings. No other artist, including Sutherland or Caballe, can touch her interpretation but if you want to hear her worthily partnered, go to either of the live 1955 mono recordings with Del Monaco as Pollione (conducted by Serafin or Votto, in listenable, but limited, sound) or the 1960 stereo version with Corelli, Ludwig and - for the third time - Zaccaria. Callas' voice had not so much deteriorated by that time, apart from a few flapping top notes, and there are huge compensations in the delicacy of her characterisation, the quality of her partners and the good studio sound. (The decline in Callas' voice was not a linear process as her later recordings of "Gioconda" and the 1960 "Norma" testify.) Regarding this 1954 performance, in truth, that great artist Ebe Stignani was too mature for Adalgisa by this stage of her career, Filippeschi is very ordinary and blaring as Pollione and Rossi-Lemeni is his usual gruff, gritty self, unsteady of line compared with the smooth production of Zaccaria. No; go for any of the other three recordings I suggest before this one - though I readily admit that if none other were available, I'd probably be happy with it!"
Norma=Callas
Robert B. | Midwest USA | 09/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I can't elaborate right now; I will try later. Simply the most moving Callas recording I've heard to date, and no other "Norma" recording even rates a close 2nd, not even the later Callas. Every opera lover must own this version. Surely one of the top ten complete opera recordings ever made."
One of Opera's Best, Most Enjoyable Recordings
Greg Robertson | Historic Quincy, MA | 06/05/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album reinforces why Maria Callas has long been considered one of opera's best, if often underestimated, performers. Of course, Callas sang Norma more than any other opera during her career, so we should expect a terrific performance. Even so, what makes this exceptional is that you can tell Callas isn't just singing the part, but acting it, as well - something far too many "divas" today don't make the effort to do. If you enjoy opera -- even if you're still "trying it out" -- this is one you must hear and can't go wrong buying."
Sublime accents, sublime singing from Callas
Ingrid Heyn | Melbourne, Australia | 03/13/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Any recording of Callas singing Norma is worthy of owning. In this recording, Maria Callas herself is in unbeatable form, singing Norma as though possessed of an angel. It's like hearing a vivid, bright painting on the walls of a Roman villa come to life, complete with jealousy, nobility, fury, tenderness, and sublime maturity.
I am not overfond of Ebe Stignani, I must admit. I have heard glowing reviews of her singing, but nothing in which I've heard her has impressed me greatly. So her singing in this (one of two recordings with Callas, singing Adalgisa to Callas's Norma) did not overwhelm me. I cannot speak over-highly of Mario Filippeschi (Pollione) either. To me, he sounds old and strained.
But oh heavens! Callas! To hear Callas in the sublime role of Norma is to hear heaven itself singing. One puts up with the lesser singers, even the not-very-good chorus, simply to hear the voice of Callas as she becomes the druidic priestess whose struggle between love and duty have resulted in her being discarded, only to achieve a final victory in her sacrifice, a victory that opens the faithless Pollione's eyes once more to what a remarkable woman she is..."
