1954 La Scala Lucia

Live performance of January 18 1954 - Lucia Di Lammermoor. Lucia was sung by Maria Callas, Edgardo was Giuseppe Di Stefano and the conductor was Herbert von Karajan. The sound from this live broadcast is a bit sketchy at times, but this recording is pretty hard to find so I figure it is worth it. Of the performance, Cynthia Jolly who was reviewing for Opera News at the time wrote, "It will for instance be difficult to hear "Spargi d'amaro pianto" from another singer (however finished) without finding it pallid. Callas' supremacy among present-day sopranos lies in no mechanical perfection but in a magnificently tempered artistic courage, breath-taking security and agility, phrasing and stage-poise: and in a heart-rending poignancy of timbre which is quite unforgettable."