Product ReviewsMaria Callas, The Complete Studio Recordings 1949-1969 ECD (CD, Sep-2007, 69 Discs, EMI Classics)

AMAZING HISTORICAL RESOURCE

Forty years after her death, Maria Callas still inspires controversy. An impeccable musician with a flawed instrument, her recorded legacy nevertheless stands as an impressive tribute to the composers who works she tackled. This is because for all her vocal flaws -- odd intonations, undependable high notes, stark register breaks -- she is always a musician first, and one who worked herself to the breaking point to advance her art.

It is strikingly true of her that she works to express faithfully the intentions of the composer. When you listen to these performances, what shines through is not the personality of the artist, which was such a distraction in her time, but the essence of the music. Even when her readings are less than successful vocally, the purity of the musical meaning is there.

Her approach to the many duets in these recordings is especially praiseworthy. She is a generous partner, and one who understands that her voice should take its place within a larger texture of sound. Listen to the duets with Tito Gobbi in Rigoletto and Tosca.Read full review...

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Great Set!

Excellent and comprehensive! I always wanted to find all of Callas' great recordings in one place, and this box enabled me to have just that!