Maria Callas - At Covent Garden 1962 and 1964 (1994)

The second half of this recording is an important item in the too-scanty video discography of Maria Callas. Matched with another great singing actor, Tito Gobbi as the lecherous, hypocritical Scarpia, she participates in a textbook demonstration of how Act II of Tosca should be performed. There is a subtlety and nuance in their interactions that one seeks in vain in later, technologically more advanced videos. With a murder onstage, torture offstage, sexual harassment, and deep anguish (beautifully expressed in "Vissi d'arte"), this act provides rich opportunities for these performers, and they take full advantage. You may hear it better sung; you are not likely to see it better acted. The first half, a 1964 recital, offers less scope for acting, and Callas's voice is slightly past its prime, but she performs impressively in the mezzo range in two arias from Carmen. --Joe McLellan Amazon.com

Maria Callas - At Covent Garden

The disc is OK - but the sound leaves something to be desired. However, I have a tape of the same concert and the sound is equally poor, so we have to blame the old-fashioned technology. However, by the time you have paid for postage and packing and then customs and VAT, the discs are very expensive. June 12, 2008

Callas was Callas in the proper time, in her case - very important.....

EMI has done wonderful restoration work on this disc. Those of us who had it on VHS can be grateful for the wonderful digital work that brings superb clarity.

Maria Callas was excellent, commited, interesting, and intelligent to a degree, but more instinctive - all those things. Many of her colleagues spoke about her otherwise, and they were accused of jealousy. For example, Simionato admitted that Callas never moved her, Gina Cigna admitted to her great presence but did not identify with her heroines, and Favero found her not feminine. I don't think this is professional envy. To my understanding these are simply observations. For example, a loud airplane flying overhead is not an opinion, certainly not jealousy but simply an observation. Elena Nicolai was definitely not jealous of La Callas upon saying: "..of Normas...Pacetti was the most sublime....she sang to her children like a mother. With Callas, this never came across, there was something sterile about her, and one felt she had no children of her own....no real warmth." This is exactly what destroys La Callas in this Tosca, and why none of the reviews I've read mentioned being touched or moved. I've read only admiration, respect, and comments on artistry, perfection, presence, style, inflections, gestures, never a spiritual connection, never a reflection, never torture or a truly broken heart. Yes, for all my respect for Callas - in comparison to very moving moments of Muzio in Ombra di nube; even Roman in Otello and Stratas as Mimi - the tigress is barren.

No one will ever rob the attractive Maria Callas, with those lovely middle eastern features, of her glory days. It was her time for sure, but there is a facet of the singers art that she did not master, probably could not master, and that was very simply -- the human quality of empathy, which she showed neither in life nor onstage.

A fabulous historical document! August 9, 2007

Maris Callas- At Covent Garden

Excellent. Makes me cry everytime I watch her. She is the benchmark for all opera singers. Get it!!!! July 13, 2007

As rare and priceless as an ancient treasure

EMI released a real treasure with this DVD. You can read a lot about it, but go straight to Tosca's Act II track and you will feel the same excitement, I wonder, Ludwig Borchardt when unearthed Nefertiti's bust in 1912.
A priceless moment among the most famous performances in opera history, here preserved complete. If I were an opera singer or student, this DVD will be among my essentials: just look at Callas and Gobbi's faces, gestures (the slight and perverted touch of the feather in Callas hand, by Gobbi) and movements (both circling around Scarpia's table, like predator and victim). That's what opera is meant to be!
April 23, 2007

only a few arias

Callas only sings 4 arias on this dvd. This is the reason I gave only 3 stars. But sung of the finest possible voice, better than on other dvds availlable. The rest of it is Tosca complete act 2 and other orchestral pieces. She sings "Vissi d'arte", "Tu che le vanita" superbly, "Habanera" from Carmen and "Seguedille" of the same. August 23, 2006

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