Tosca Vissi D'arte (Atto II)

Il Barbiere di Siviglia Una Voce Poco Fà (Atto I)

Norma Casta Diva (Atto I)

Madama Butterfly Un Bel Dì Vedremo

La Bohème Si, Mi Chiamano Mimi (Atto I)

Mefistofele L'altra Notte In Fondo Al Mare (Atto II)

Macbeth Una Macchia E Qui Tuttora! (Atto IV)

Il Pirata Oh! S'io Potessi... Col Sorriso D'innocenza (Atto II)

First of all, acoustically this is a real challenge to listen to. The Macbeth and Pirata excerpts were taped from the audience with a hand-held recorder, and they’re almost unbearable; the Tosca, Barber, Norma, and Butterfly are pretty terrible as well. Malcolm Sargent leads Callas in a deeply lovely and moving “Si mi chiamano Mimi” and “L’altra notte”, neither of which should be missed–and the sound is acceptable in these two excerpts. The Macbeth Sleepwalking Scene is unsubtle compared to Callas’ other three recordings of it; she shouts out the high notes and seems uncomfortable throughout, and only the recitative to the Pirata scene is included. Both can be skipped. The “Vissi d’arte” is beautifully told, “Una voce” is well sung but sluggish, “Casta diva” is noble but better elsewhere, and “Un bel di” is effective. Callas completists will have to own this, but forewarned is forearmed: the sound is excruciating, and though Callas is never not worth hearing, only a few of the selections here are crucial to your collection.

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