# New Callas Edition 12 CD set...



## Guest (Oct 31, 2017)

Found this on the Presto Classical "New and Future Releases" section...

On December 1, 2017 Profil Medien will release a 12 CD "Maria Callas Edition". 

"According to the list of stage roles, Maria Callas appeared over 600 times in 41 different operas and two operettas between April 2, 1939, and July 5, 1975. An astonishing number of these performances have been captured on fascinating recordings. This CD box set features six of the finest recordings in chronological order, selected by Dieter Fuoss primarily on the basis of artistic worth and secondarily on the basis of sound quality."

(Side Note... kind of wish it was the other way around i.e. that they were chosen primarily on the basis of sound quality and secondarily on the basis of artistic worth as some of the acoustics of the previous live recordings were a bit of trial to listen to for any length of time...)

Contents
Puccini: Tosca
Maria Callas (soprano)
rec. 1952, live

Bellini: Norma
Maria Callas (soprano)
rec. 1955, live

Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor
Maria Callas (soprano)
rec. 1956, live

Verdi: La Traviata
Maria Callas (soprano)
rec. 1958, live

Cherubini: Medea
Maria Callas (soprano)
rec. 1958, live

I lack the necessary expertise to provide a thoughtful and coherent commentary on the above (my strong suit is "thoughtless and incoherent commentary") so I will leave that to the forum's resident boffins to enlighten everyone else on the significance (if any) of this particular release.

Edit: once again need to apologize to one and all for posting this in the wrong forum - should be in "Opera" - hoping that the moderator will relocate the thread to it's proper home... kind regards...


----------



## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

There's been some discussion about this release over in the sub-forum for opera recordings. However, it's good to have a dedicated thread to this set where we can record our impressions as more details about the set are revealed.

Here's a short guide to each of the operas in the set:

Tosca Mexico 1952 - This isn't normally considered one of Callas' key recordings as most of her other recordings are overshadowed by her 1953 studio recording which many consider to be the perfect Tosca. However, she performed differently on stage as compared to in the studio and it is interesting to compare the two approaches. Of Callas' early recordings of Tosca before her first studio one this is my favourite. Her best one, though may be the live one from 1964 which is already in the Warner 'Callas Live Remastered' set.

Norma RAI 1955 - This is a slightly odd choice as there is a superior live recording of Callas from La Scala the same year which is her best recorded performance in the role. Warner released yet another Norma in their box set, so it is strange that neither choose the Scala Norma. However, the Scala one is available cheaply on Myto in excellent sound so it doesn't matter in the bigger scheme of things.

Lucia Naples 1956 - This is another strange choice as it is pretty much considered Callas' worse assay of this role and the classic performance of hers is the Berlin 1955 performance (which can be heard in wonderful sound on Warner).

Traviata Covent Garden 1958 - Now we are getting somewhere! This is Callas' greatest Violetta and although the set is available in pretty good sound on Myto, perhaps the new Profil Medien release will be an improvement on that.

Medea Dallas 1958 - This is rightly considered Callas' best Medea and again whilst the Myto release has good sound, Profil may have made improvements over that.

If I were going to choose five recordings of Callas, I would probably choose the above roles, however I would go for the 1964 Tosca, Scala Norma and Berlin Lucia instead of the versions included here, all of which are not only better Callas performances, but are also in better sound! The real shocker is the Naples Lucia (why not the RAI 57 or Mexico 52 if they weren't going to include Berlin?)

I look forward to sound samples becoming available so that we can start to compare the sound quality.

N.


----------



## Guest (Nov 1, 2017)

The Conte said:


> There's been some discussion about this release over in the sub-forum for opera recordings. However, it's good to have a dedicated thread to this set where we can record our impressions as more details about the set are revealed.


I'm glad that starting dedicated threads to particular sets is something that will be welcomed by members of the forum as it's really quite difficult to navigate through the various forums whilst trying to find one's way to that which one seeks...

Your commentary was really first-rate and extraordinarily informative - my compliments. Not on my best day could I do what you've done. I'm afraid that the only value that I may bring to the board is starting dedicated threads and then getting out of everyone's way so that they can provide the expertise needed to further the discussion. Best wishes!


----------



## Guest (Nov 1, 2017)

Nudge and a Wink said:


> I'm glad that starting dedicated threads to particular sets is something that will be welcomed by members of the forum as it's really quite difficult to navigate through the various forums whilst trying to find one's way to that which one seeks...


After having written this it was made clear to me by better informed posters that I was inadvertently placing these announcements within the wrong forum and so I will cease and desist as requested (by several others via PM)! My apologies and best wishes to all...


----------

