Search - Vincenzo Bellini, Tullio Serafin, La Scala Theater Orchestra & Chorus :: Bellini: Norma (Highlights)

Callas Greatest Achievement

Rudy Avila | Lennox, Ca United States | 11/06/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bellini's Norma was Maria Callas' signature role, having sung the role numerous times throughout her career in the 50's and early 60's. This EMI 1960 studio recording is undoubtedly her greatest performance as Norma, and she is blessed with the most brilliant cast ever at that particular time - tenor Franco Corelli as Pellione and Christa Ludwig as Adalgisa. Both Corelli and Ludwig had not yet risen to operatic stardom, in fact Corelli had not yet debuted at the Met. He would do so a year later as Manrico in Verdi's Trovatore opposite Leontyne Price's Leonora in her own debut as well. So not only will Callas fan want to own this recording but also fans of Corelli in his prime. Ludwig, too, is in youthful voice and shows every sign of power and vocal grandeur as Adalgisa. This is only the highlights of the opera, in fact it is unfortunate that the first track is Act 1's "Casta Diva". Omitted are the tenor arias that preceed it "Meco Al Altar Di Venere" and "Mi Defendi Mi Proteggi" which are virtuosic, lyric-stentorian arias that Franco Corelli sang with his usual faultess technical skills. Too bad we get to hear very little of Franco Corelli on this recording. Instead we hear much of Maria Callas and Christa Ludwig. Callas was the only one in the cast with experience and age as far as opera goes. She had been singing opera since the War days (the 1940's) and it was the 50's that marked her greatest period of performance. In the 50's, she electrified audiences as a new breed of singer- one who not only sings with dramatic hair-raising power but with beatiful lyricism and acting abilities that few singers had in thsoe days. Her Norma is much more feminine and softcore compared to her more Viking-like performance of her 50's Normas. Thus, the Casta Diva and "In Mia Man" are delicately sung. This Norma is very spiritual and relaxed and we get the utmost pleasure hearing it from Callas. Along with her Tosca from the 1950's and her Medea under the baton of Bernstein in the 50's, this is her best role."