Puccini: Tosca 1965 - Pretre Callas Remastered

This is a mandatory acquisition. Here, a fallen angel plies her trade, albeit no mean angel with magic yet to her name. One could weep. The earlier Tosca in all its perfection casts a shadow over proceedings, even if Callas’ dramaturgy and the wider contributions of the cast are exculpatory. And it’s not only the high notes of Act 2 that denote transience and the vanity of all things: even “Che v’ho fatto in vita mia”is devoid of the sepulchral magic of 1953. The same comment applies to her elegy over the dead Scarpia, once the terror of Rome: it’s no longer plutonic. Still Callas is Callas. She never stopped fighting. For once, it’s a relief to hear her in glorious stereo at the end of days where essence is more important than surface.

This is my 1st Maria Callas recording and I am blown away! The sound, orchestral balance with singers is perfect, and the performance is stunning. I cannot recommend this recording more highly!!!

This is a fine recording with all cast performing very well.I was happy to discover this particular Tosca. The audio quality of the cd is very good.

BEAUTIFUL. SO GLAD YOU HAD IT.

Excellent recording

03-09-2015 Back in 1973, I bought my first season pass to Chicago's Lyric Opera, and attended 7 of the 8 productions for that year. First up was the eye-slammer from France, "Manon," by Massenet. After surviving the powder and the fluff , I got hit square in the eyes by Puccini's masterpiece :Tosca." referred to, by the composer, as a verismo (realistic--earthy--gutsy) opus, it tells the tale if a love triangle, set in 1800 Rome, with political rebellion and secret police setting the mood of intrigue, suspense, crime and the struggle for power, influence and, of course, love. More on that night later, but this EMI recording is a boxed set of 2 CDs with full text and valuable background information. Maria Callas is Tosca, Tito Gobbi as the Baron von Scapia, and tenor Carlo Bergonzi, as the painter Mario Cavaradossi. The French National Chorus and Orchestra from Paris under the direction of Georges Pretre. The complete performance lasts for about 1:52:00and was recorded in 1964, in December. ARTISTIC IMPRESSIONS I'll get right to the point here. This is a 'DREAM CAST", if ever there was one and the too loud Mario Del Monaco is here replaced by the much more easily digestible Carlo Bergonzi. Callas is, of course, Callas but the key to this opera and, indeed this recording , is the massive presence of baritone Tito Gobbi, as the cunning and calculating police chief. From the very first instant of sound, quite good I must add, the drama is unrelentingly "in-your-face with one big moment after another. The romantic bliss of Act I is totally overshadowed by the threat of Scarpia, even before he makes his crushing first appearance. Under Pretre's powerful leadership the "bad guy" takes all the oxygen out of the room. Maybe his trademark role, Gobbi's Scarpia was better than any I've, EVER! ! For me, he epitomized the concept of the "singing actor", although that is something not all listeners are concerned with. There are millions of opera lover who have never attended a live performance, nor do they care to. And, that's all right, because, the real core of the work IS the singing. BUT, let's face it, opera began as a fairly passive activity---gossip, whispering as to what she or he is up to in a distant box seat, etc. Hence, it caught on quickly with the mass audiences of the day, back in, say, Mozart or Handel's times. Truth is , there are people who "love opera," and those who love "GOING TO" the opera. Agree or disagree----please comment. The Chorus and Orchestra of the Paris Conservatoire provide a vibrant and powerful accompaniment, as well as some of the finest nuances heard in this visceral offering. As to my personal experience with Tosca, I first saw it in 1973 in Chicago's Lyric Opera with Tito Gobbi as Scarpia and Janis Martin singing the Cavaradossi was Mr. Kraus, either Alfredo or Thomas, I can't recall. The reason being the overwhelming presence of Gobbi, why not call this opera "Scarpia?" I confess my ignorance of the so called-"definitive" 1954 version with Callas and Gobbi plus the boisterous Mario Del Monaco under, I think, De Sabata (?). This stereo version is leagues ahead of it's famous predecessor, as the sonics make for no contest. In my living room, I felt as if I were back in that main floor seat at "Lyric." Ah, the magic of the CD. WOW! Don't hesitate. Get yourself a copy today and just sit back and use your imagination for the visuals. Enjoy. THE best "Tosca," EVER> Trust me. Best wishes and God bless you all, Tony. A. M. D. G.

The Callas Remastered series is great value for money. The remasterings I've heard - which include this 1964 recording of Tosca as well as Norma and Carmen - are the finest available, even if the incredibly bright and transparent sound registers the occasional glitch or clipping (sometimes the editing seems a little overzealous). This Tosca is supremely entertaining, with spine-tingling performances, lush orchestral playing and a spacious stereo soundstage. Callas is Callas, a genius able to break your heart or make your spirits soar at will. There will never be another like her.While others have been unimpressed with the packaging, I appreciate the obviously less elaborate cardboard slipcase and the paper sleeves. The booklet features only a brief overview in four languages and a couple of photos, which is a little cheap but nevertheless sufficient. The entire package occupies far less space than a single cd jewel case yet still possesses a printed spine for easy storage - if you collected all the releases in this series they would look great as a collection and still occupy practically no shelf space at all.UPDATE: I've discovered these individual releases ARE from a box set!  Maria Callas Remastered (The Complete Studio Recordings 1949-1969)  Looks like this will be my next big purchase!Overall, a must buy for seasoned operaphiles and novices alike - great artistry, beautifully presented Maria Callas Remastered (The Complete Studio Recordings 1949-1969)

Let's get the missing bits out of the way first, no fragile jewel case: no glossy libretto. And what do you get - a cardboard sleeve with paper disc covers (just like it was in the days of vinyl), a glossy-ish note in four languages & a performance to die for. 'Nuff said & at this price one can probably find a libretto somewhere on the net & the loss of a plastic case means it don't take up as much space on the shelf & it's definitely worth it.

A spectacular recording of a fascinating historical performance. This recording came late in Maria Callas' career, when her voice was in clear decline. Whilst not as intense as the earlier De Sabata mono recording, this does benefit from her many years of experience singing the part - and came shortly after her highly-acclaimed Covent Garden performance. This is therefore a more mature performance, and the excellent stereo sound helps to make up for any vocal shortcomings. Highly recommended.

Gorgeous recording of Callas at her best and in stereo too!arrived quicker than expected.

Callas e Gobbi a livelli incredibili sotto una direzione di Pretre impeccabile. Una delle versioni più belle che conosco.