Sound quality is terrible
12/05/1998
(1 out of 5 stars)
"The sound quality on this CD makes it unacceptable. It was recorded live, and is extremely scratchy and one can barely make out the vocals. It's impossible to know whether the performance was good or not, since the recording is so poor."
Almost as good as the EMI studio recording
03/16/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I found this live recording to be excellent. It is not a studio recording, and does have some 'live' qualities, just as you would hear if you were in the Opera House. I find, that as with all Opera D'Oro sets, that the sound is excellent crisp and clear. This is an excellent value, and a great way to get to know the Opera with out spending a fortune. I have given it as a gift several times and value the copy I have for myself."
Secret Witnesses to Musical History
03/07/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I love the fact that this CD hasn't been remastered to lose the surface sounds and electricity of Bernstein and Callas together again. The vast majority of the poorer quality recordings were made by Callas herself, with a recorder in the prompter's box, so she could review her performance later. Others were made by fans sometimes in the nosebleed sections of various houses. Either way, I was not there and any chance to hear a prima at LaScala with these two giants careening through this pastoral piece is worth every penny. Bravi!"