Search - Maria Callas, Verdi, Lsc :: Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera (complete opera live 1957) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Orchestra & Chorus of La Scala, Milan

Brilliant! Even better than the Studio!

The Cultural Observer | 01/26/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Oddly, Callas only performed a single run of Amelias during her entire career. Her Amelia was preserved in the studio, yes, but nonetheless her artistic brilliance is more exemplified in this live version of the opera! And what a night it was! Giulietta Simionato as Ulrica, Giuseppe di Stefano as Riccardo, and the great Verdian baritone Ettore Bastianini as Renato! True, he doesn't have the dramatic prowess of Tito Gobbi, but still, with such a cast, one would expect a great deal of effort and beautiful singing concentrated in this Un Ballo in Maschera. And of course, the conductor Gianandrea Gavazzeni conducts Verdi with such panache and pizzazz that you would prefer this over Antonino's good, yet not as impressive conducting. The Teatro alla Scala Orchestra and Coro did a good job of supporting such a fine cast. Di Stefano's death scene was also heartfelt, and I have never found a better singer of Riccardo's part than him. Giulietta Simionato is an excellent Ulrica with a bone-chilling timbre exuded in the witch's part. Ettore Bastianini conveys an air of deviousness and deception. Maria Callas is the ultimate Amelia, and how lucky we truly are to have such an impressive cast on an impressive night singing a score rarely performed today because of its intricate complexities. Brava!"

The one and only!

Emma de Soleil | On a holiday In Ibiza, then back to the UK for stu | 02/23/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have several recordings of "Un ballo in maschera" in my collection and I love almost all of them. But only two move me, only those two are the essence. The first being the live-broadcast from the Met 1944 with Zinka Milanov and Jussi Björling and this live-recording with Callas and di Stefano. Callas only sang one run of Amelias in her career so we have to be thankful for this broadcast and her studio-recording. Where to begin when so much beauty is before you? The torment before the love-duet when Amelia wants to renounce Riccardo for ever? The gleaming, GLOWING passion in "Si! T'amo!" (YES! I love you!) Amelia, a victim, a suffering woman and a heroine has never been brought to life like this. The tenderness and grandeur of "Morro, ma prima in grazia" is devastating. She KNOWS who she is and doesn't surrender. This "simple" woman is brought to life by an artist of the greatest kind. Vocal colouring, passion, true Verdian style! Ecco un artista! Di Stefano was one of the most acclaimed Riccardos ever and here you'll hear why. A mezzavoce like honey, DELIRIOUS passion and brilliant phrasing. Bastianini COMMANDS in the role of the betrayed friend and husband who recognizes his error too late. His "Eri tu" is one of the greatest, most beautiful recordings ever. A voice like dark velvet. One of Callas' most amazing evenings at La Scala!"

Callas live from La Scala in an all-out, dramatic version of

L. E. Cantrell | Vancouver, British Columbia Canada | 09/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"SOURCE: Broadcast of opening night performance of "Ballo" at La Scala, December 7, 1957.



CAST: Riccardo, Royal Governor of Boston who loves Amelia - Giuseppe Di Stefano (tenor); Renato, Riccardo's friend and chief political supporter - Ettore Bastianini (baritone); Amelia, Renato's wife - Maria Callas (soprano); Ulrica, a witch who holds open meetings on the Boston docks - Giulietta Simionato (mezzo-soprano); Oscar, Riccardo's page - Eugenia Ratti (soprano); Samuele, a conspirator with a grudge against Riccardo - Giuseppe Morresi (bass); Tomasso, another conspirator who also has a grudge - Antonio Cassinelli (bass); Silvano, a low-ranking naval officer in pursuit of promotion (baritone); a judge - Angelo Mercuriali (tenor); a servant to Amelia - Antonio Ricci (tenor). Conductor: Gianandrea Gavazzeni with Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano.



SOUND: I think it's a fairly safe assumption that the original tape was recorded off the air by means of an AM radio receiver. From time to time there are noticeable changes in the recorded ambience. Some choruses were recorded too far off-mike, the final moments of Act II, for example. On the whole, though, the mono sound is not bad--and certainly far better than many of the truly horrific recordings of Callas' live performances.



For those many fans who are concerned only and always with La Divina, she comes through quite well from beginning to end.



COMMENTARY: "Un Ballo in Maschera" premiered at the Apollo in Rome on February 17, 1859. It followed the first version of "Simone Boccanegra" and the revision of "Steffelio" into "Aroldo," both in 1857. It was followed by "La forza del destino" in 1862. It is based on a libetto by the ubiquitous Eugene Scribe, "Gustave III."



"Ballo" is firmly in what was then already being called Verdi's "second style" and what we now know as middle-period Verdi. It remains very much a standard repertory opera, but it is not as widely beloved as "La Traviata" or as well known as "Aida." Nevertheless, "Ballo" is a truly brilliant work with soaring melodies, unforgettable ensembles and even a sense of humor. Verdi was at his full power and had achieved complete control over all the elements of composition and production. The second act is a perfect example of music drama, reaching that faultless level of mastery occupied by the first act of "La Traviata" and the second act of "La Boheme."



On the other hand, it must be acknowledged that the libretto is riddled with one preposterous thing after another. The reason. of course, is politics. In 1792 King Gustavus III of Sweden was shot in the back by one Count Anckarstrom during a masquerade ball at the Stockholm Opera House. When Scribe wrote his libretto, he--of course!--made everything hinge on a love story rather than on dreary, dull Swedish politics. Verdi thought the libretto was worth putting to music (as had both Auber and Mercadante before him.) Verdi hired a hack named Antonio Somma to compress Scribe's five flabby acts into a leaner, meaner three and to turn the original French into acceptable Italian verse. Verdi then sat down to write his music in preparation for a premier in Naples.



All of this was very straightforward. Then the censors took hand. Verdi was informed that the Bourbon monarchy of Naples would not allow any public performance that included the murder of a king--no way, no how, no never! A great deal of kerfuffle and popular agitation followed, including a lawsuit. No, it was decided--no royal murder, no masked ball, no opera.



Verdi gave up on Naples and entered into negotiations for an opening in Rome. Now the papal censors became involved. By this time, Verdi was fed up with the whole thing and wearily agreed to changes in about sixty lines of Somma's libretto. The opera that had dealt with life in a late 18th Century royal court was transferred, courtiers, confiscated castles, witches, pages, chorus-singing conspirators, elaborately costumed masqueraders, Old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all to the Boston of about 1750. Il Re Gustavo III became Riccardo, Earl of Warwick (pronounced in fine Italian form as WarWEEK), Royal Governor of Boston (but not, apparently, Massachusetts).



"Un Ballo in Maschera" lends itself to differing interpretations. In the wartime recording with Gigli, Caniglia and Bechi, it is a lighthearted schoolboy romp that goes unexpectedly and horribly wrong. In the old Met broadcast with Bjorling, Milanov and Sved (in pretty terrible sound, alas), it is a stand-and-deliver romance that overwhelms with sumptuous singing. This "Ballo" is tense, hard-knuckle drama from beginning to end, a sort of "Un Ballo in Medea."



Maria Callas had recorded "Ballo" in the studio with Antonino Votto in 1956. This live recording from a bit over a year later features her in a much less restrained mode. The presence of Gavazzeni, who was a much better opera conductor, is a big help. (Why Votto, who was Toscanini's assistant for more than thirty years, was incapable of generating any heat in his own performances has always been a mystery to me.) Callas is in fine voice. She smooths over the two breaks in her voice--she, herself, made jokes about her three voices--as neatly as she ever managed to accomplish throughout her career. Her power and her high notes are all that could be wanted from a Callas performance and the audience at La Scala responds appropriately.



Despite singing well, her inner demons were already beginning to catch up with her. Highly publicized cancellations in Athens and Edinburgh had preceded this run at La Scala and soon after would come painful and very public cancellations in Rome and San Francisco. Even there at La Scala, she was feuding with Di Stefano to such an extent that rehearsals for this "Ballo" became physically painful for her.



Callas' Amelia is a completely thought-out portrait. Purely as a matter of personal taste, I prefer the sheer, singerly sumptuousness of Milanov's Amelia, as well as the spontaneous intensity of Caniglia (wrong notes and all), but Callas is vastly impressive.



Di Stefano is very good but Riccardo is far from being his best role. He attempts the risi, laughs, in "E'scherzo od e follia" when informed that his best friend will kill him, but without any real success. (Listen to Bonci or Gigli to discover how it should be done.) If you are familiar with any of several great tenors in the role of Riccardo, Di Stefano seems just a little bit underpowered in the over-the-top passages in the wonderful duets of Act II.



This is one of the few live Callas performances in which the whole cast is worthy of her. Bastianni and Simionato represent luxury casting and they are both excellent. Eugenia Ratti is occasionally somewhat effortful but always amusing and bright. Sam, Tom and Silv are fine in their respective roles.



A good, live Callas performance that is well cast and pleasing to hear is a rarity well worth five stars."