My most favorite Norma version. I love all of her interpretations, but this one to me is the ne plus ultra. Massive voices, Callas, Stignani, and the up and coming Sutherland in the Clotilde role.
If I had to pick, I'd pick this one as well. Particularly the "O, rimembranza" goes straight to my heart every time - I can't define what it is about the way she sang it in '52, but it affects me more than any other version. A great performance, all round - vocally and interpretation-wise.
very few had realized what Callas was / would become back then and even fewer from the live Audience realized what they saw that night... Callas, Stignani and Sutherland sharing the Stage...!!!!! and Callas in FULL POWER VOICE
Callas and the legendary Ebe Stignani. Yet, in this great duet from Norma, after Adalgisa had sung her opening phrase and Norma then repeats the phrases, the effect, as Desmond Shaw-Taylor puts it in The Gramophone, is like a master showing a pupil how it's done.
took me years to appreciate Ebe, could not understand why Callas loved her so much... her timbre is even uglier than Callas'... one must truly be able to appreciate Great Bel Canto singing to find in Ebe the Heaven of singing... took me years to appreciate... these voices remind me of the contradiction of extremely beautiful physically people who do zero effort in their lives cause all doors open easily due to their beauty as opposed to people who become Art craft masterpieces because of their endless efforts to improve
@@LohengrinO La apprezzava molto perchè come lei, la Stigniani era sopratutto una grande musicista. già a fine carriera in questa registrazione. Bellini ha scritto il ruolo di Adalgisa per un soprano (Giulia Grisi) e non per un mezzo. La Stignani con il suo colore di voce chiaro si adattava molto bene al ruolo. Bisogna sentire le sue registrazioni della fine degli anni 20 e primi anni 30 dove la qualità della voce era magnifica. non a caso era una delle preferite di Toscanini
I think the most telling thing, is the audience either didn't (or couldn't from sheer amazement) applaud at the end of the first part of the duet. Lovely performance.
Also it was Callas' complaint about this performance I think they also didnt aplaudd after Casta diva and she asked lord Harewood why and he replied: Maria dont worry this is England!!
la bellezza vocale di questo duetto è di una qualità incredibile e mai più ripetuta, il soprano del secolo ed uno dei più bei timbri di mezzo soprano del 900... un vero miracolo di bellezza, stile e tecnica.
Absolutely fantastic recording especially for Callas during that time. No weight lost and the sound produced by her is just glorious throughout and the other cast were brilliant as well.
I understand, Vera. I feel the same. When I hear all the bad news in the world today, I can't stand it and the horrible gossip anymore, I listen to this!!!
Singing to die for.... Marias voice lacrimosa and powerful at the same time...this duet is one of a kind eternally. Remembering Janine Reiss her piano and composition teacher in Paris years quoting on her :" La plus grande honnêteté, La plus grande humilité, etaient mises au service du talant plus profonde "!!
@@LohengrinOEjemplo: 1:27, 3:00, 3:27,y sobre todo el final hay q agudizar el oido para comprobar que es un dueto. Otras versiones de "Mira o Norma"( Callas, Simionato),(Caballé, Veasey),( Caballé , Horne ),(Sutherland, Horne) son mas equilibradas a mi parecer. Sin desmerecer a Stignani, pero es que Callas estaba aun en sus mejor epoca y Stignani ya al final de su carrera.
You cannot--must not--speak of [Maria] Callas as a woman, as an artist. She's so much bigger and more important than both those things. Callas is like a mountain or a country or the moon. I would sacrifice several hundred stars in the sky for the decades she dazzled me, dazzled us. Very rarely, but very beautifully, God makes a wonderful mistake on that assembly line of humanity onto which he throws some plasma, some platitudes, and a vestige of industry and he creates something remarkable. Callas is in the small group of remarkable things."-Tennessee Williams/Interview with James Grissom
Victoria, that was a really nice comment by you on Maria Callas!. It was worded so beautifully! Thank you for posting such a lovely comment! So poetically put!
Even though Callas herself said she liked the 1955 take on Norma more I find this one her best.. her pairing with Ebe is the ultimate Norma/Adalgisa for me
and what I find immense in dame Joan's comment is that she uses the word Beauty for two voices who were never truly Beautiful timbrically... but she refers to the Beauty of Singing not the beauty of the voice... it means she was listening to the Singing Construct and not the timbre.... that comment alone makes dame Joan to stand out as a real Opera Great
It’s interesting listening to this as it literally takes me back to a vanished World. I’m old enough to have witnessed the end of the golden era in the late 60’s/early 70’s with the likes of Sutherland/Caballe/Verrett/Ludwig etc So good that artists such as Callas and Stignani were captured for posterity. I believe Callas’ prophecy (around 1975)that Opera was a dying art has been fulfilled.
assolutamente d'accordo anche io. la tua epoca è la mia epoca. Caballè Domingo Nilsson ecc. profezia assolutamente avverata. ho visto certi spettacoli quest'anno alla Scala con certe voci che meglio lasciare perdere i commenti. anni fa avrei fischiato a non finire. adesso non vale la pena nemmeno la contestazione. l'ultima ieri sera con Turandot. sembra che per il pubblico vada bene tutto. beati loro
Well put. However I believe the ‘Golden Age’ lasted into the early 80’s. Caballe, Price, Sutherland, Verrett, Freni, Pavarotti, Horne, and Giacomini, and others were still giving wonderful performances. Soon after it all changed.
I just returned from Hamburg, where I witnessed a performance of Norma in the famous Elbphilharmonie, led by Ricardo Minasi. I went there to hear Michael Spyres’ Pollione (satisfying), and was surprised by Salome Jicia (Norma) and especially Carmela Remigio’s Adalgisa. Hearing Callas and Stignani is a whole different kettle of fish though ❤
I know Stignani no longer had the C6 in 1952/54/55, but she still sounds much more youthful than a much younger Simionato or the others. As Adalgisa obviously should. There is no confusion here vocally or interpretatively who is the figure of authority and who is the young novice.
@@LohengrinO Stignani cantava “in tono” Norma e ci sono molti C6 nei suoi duetti con Gina Cigna. Inoltre cantava il C6 come Leonora nella Favorita di Donizetti, e come Azucena (Azucena ha un C 6) e naturalmente come Preziosilla. Scendeva al Mi grave come Mrs Quickly.
I get emotional just listening to this. A Norma that will probably never be equaled. Why would any singer today attempt to sing Norma after listening to this?
Soprano and Mezzo-Soprano Dramatico D' Agilita
Precisely!
Callas- Stignani :the best pair ever.
*I've never heard La Stignani live, but those who have said the voice was ENORMOUS!*
Greatest Norma duet Unique!!
My most favorite Norma version. I love all of her interpretations, but this one to me is the ne plus ultra. Massive voices, Callas, Stignani, and the up and coming Sutherland in the Clotilde role.
I can see Clotilde at left, Joan Sutherland.
If I had to pick, I'd pick this one as well. Particularly the "O, rimembranza" goes straight to my heart every time - I can't define what it is about the way she sang it in '52, but it affects me more than any other version. A great performance, all round - vocally and interpretation-wise.
❤❤❤😊😊😊❤❤❤
I would give a lot to have been born early enough to experience this performance.
very few had realized what Callas was / would become back then and even fewer from the live Audience realized what they saw that night... Callas, Stignani and Sutherland sharing the Stage...!!!!! and Callas in FULL POWER VOICE
@@LohengrinO
Probably this is the best Norma of Callas, vocally speaking.
@@joselatorre1696 ...and the Trieste 1953 with Corelli and Nicolai
@@LohengrinO Exactly, but unfortunately the recording from Trieste has a very poor sound and it is not complete, my favorite one is this from London.
Callas and the legendary Ebe Stignani. Yet, in this great duet from Norma, after Adalgisa had sung her opening phrase and Norma then repeats the phrases, the effect, as Desmond Shaw-Taylor puts it in The Gramophone, is like a master showing a pupil how it's done.
took me years to appreciate Ebe, could not understand why Callas loved her so much... her timbre is even uglier than Callas'... one must truly be able to appreciate Great Bel Canto singing to find in Ebe the Heaven of singing... took me years to appreciate... these voices remind me of the contradiction of extremely beautiful physically people who do zero effort in their lives cause all doors open easily due to their beauty as opposed to people who become Art craft masterpieces because of their endless efforts to improve
@@LohengrinO La apprezzava molto perchè come lei, la Stigniani era sopratutto una grande musicista. già a fine carriera in questa registrazione. Bellini ha scritto il ruolo di Adalgisa per un soprano (Giulia Grisi) e non per un mezzo. La Stignani con il suo colore di voce chiaro si adattava molto bene al ruolo. Bisogna sentire le sue registrazioni della fine degli anni 20 e primi anni 30 dove la qualità della voce era magnifica. non a caso era una delle preferite di Toscanini
Divine - two goddesses making music fit for the heavens in Covent Garden - this is bel canto, this is opera!
Stignani was the mezzo Queen of Bel Canto. Her command of the line, the ability to modulate the volume, the phrasing, the colouring..
Really impressive the voices of Callas and Stignani, both were the incredible voices of the world, WONDERFUL
😮😅
I think the most telling thing, is the audience either didn't (or couldn't from sheer amazement) applaud at the end of the first part of the duet. Lovely performance.
Also it was Callas' complaint about this performance I think they also didnt aplaudd after Casta diva and she asked lord Harewood why and he replied: Maria dont worry this is England!!
Increible las voces de las DOS divas fue un regalo que las DOS dejaron para la posteridad
la bellezza vocale di questo duetto è di una qualità incredibile e mai più ripetuta, il soprano del secolo ed uno dei più bei timbri di mezzo soprano del 900... un vero miracolo di bellezza, stile e tecnica.
Stignani's vocal timbre was uglier even than Callas' :D
Stignani must have had just a huge voice as Callas and Sutherland.
Absolutely fantastic recording especially for Callas during that time. No weight lost and the sound produced by her is just glorious throughout and the other cast were brilliant as well.
Mit dieser Aufnahme, diesem Duett, dieser Oper - hat meine Liebe zur Oper begonnen!!!
Wie berührend, es nun hier zu finden - vielen Dank!
How could anybody even consider a Norma to be equally (let alone more) complete, emotional and vocally perfect than Callas’. Just incredible.
Μένει κανείς άφωνος ακούγοντας τέτοιες φωνές!
Ευχαριστώ, φίλε μου.
The emotion….OMG. Both of them amazing. Goosebumps.
Thank you for posting this gem.
Sei una vera gusbamper!
Every time I come back to this post I am disappointed... because I want to hit the like button again and again, and I can't.
I understand, Vera. I feel the same. When I hear all the bad news in the world today, I can't stand it and the horrible gossip anymore, I listen to this!!!
Singing to die for.... Marias voice lacrimosa and powerful at the same time...this duet is one of a kind eternally.
Remembering Janine Reiss her piano and composition teacher in Paris years quoting on her :" La plus grande honnêteté, La plus grande humilité, etaient mises au service du talant plus profonde "!!
WHOSE piano and composition teacher???????
La voz de Callas eclipsa totalmente a Stignani.
not totally... she does totally vanquish Elena Nikolai though
@@LohengrinOEjemplo: 1:27, 3:00, 3:27,y sobre todo el final hay q agudizar el oido para comprobar que es un dueto.
Otras versiones de "Mira o Norma"( Callas, Simionato),(Caballé, Veasey),( Caballé , Horne ),(Sutherland, Horne) son mas equilibradas a mi parecer. Sin desmerecer a Stignani, pero es que Callas estaba aun en sus mejor epoca y Stignani ya al final de su carrera.
You cannot--must not--speak of [Maria] Callas as a woman, as an artist. She's so much bigger and more important than both those things. Callas is like a mountain or a country or the moon. I would sacrifice several hundred stars in the sky for the decades she dazzled me, dazzled us. Very rarely, but very beautifully, God makes a wonderful mistake on that assembly line of humanity onto which he throws some plasma, some platitudes, and a vestige of industry and he creates something remarkable. Callas is in the small group of remarkable things."-Tennessee Williams/Interview with James Grissom
Justified poetic praise!
Thanks for sharing those wonderful words I didn't know.
Victoria. I love your comments on this. No one could have said it better!!! thank you, dear Lady!!!
Victoria, that was a really nice comment by you on Maria Callas!. It was worded so beautifully! Thank you for posting such a lovely comment! So poetically put!
Não dá para deixar de admirar cada vez mais a qualidade vocal inigualável, Divina para todo sempre.
Even though Callas herself said she liked the 1955 take on Norma more I find this one her best.. her pairing with Ebe is the ultimate Norma/Adalgisa for me
and what I find immense in dame Joan's comment is that she uses the word Beauty for two voices who were never truly Beautiful timbrically... but she refers to the Beauty of Singing not the beauty of the voice... it means she was listening to the Singing Construct and not the timbre.... that comment alone makes dame Joan to stand out as a real Opera Great
@@LohengrinO doesn’t that truly means.. BEL CANTO..
It’s interesting listening to this as it literally takes me back to a vanished World. I’m old enough to have witnessed the end of the golden era in the late 60’s/early 70’s with the likes of Sutherland/Caballe/Verrett/Ludwig etc So good that artists such as Callas and Stignani were captured for posterity. I believe Callas’ prophecy (around 1975)that Opera was a dying art has been fulfilled.
I so agree with everything you said! I too, am old enough to have seen the end of that glorious era! So sad now!!!
assolutamente d'accordo anche io. la tua epoca è la mia epoca. Caballè Domingo Nilsson ecc. profezia assolutamente avverata. ho visto certi spettacoli quest'anno alla Scala con certe voci che meglio lasciare perdere i commenti. anni fa avrei fischiato a non finire. adesso non vale la pena nemmeno la contestazione. l'ultima ieri sera con Turandot. sembra che per il pubblico vada bene tutto. beati loro
Well put. However I believe the ‘Golden Age’ lasted into the early 80’s. Caballe, Price, Sutherland, Verrett, Freni, Pavarotti, Horne, and Giacomini, and others were still giving wonderful performances. Soon after it all changed.
Utterly magnificent!
I just returned from Hamburg, where I witnessed a performance of Norma in the famous Elbphilharmonie, led by Ricardo Minasi. I went there to hear Michael Spyres’ Pollione (satisfying), and was surprised by Salome Jicia (Norma) and especially Carmela Remigio’s Adalgisa. Hearing Callas and Stignani is a whole different kettle of fish though ❤
they can actually sing the roles... today's moto in opera as someone said is: Just because you can't doesn't mean you shouldn't :D
@@ian1856 Suffering from short memory span? 😀
Super
Magnificent.
Extraordinary!👏👏👏❤️❤️❤️
Emozionante!!! Voci eccelse
I know Stignani no longer had the C6 in 1952/54/55, but she still sounds much more youthful than a much younger Simionato or the others. As Adalgisa obviously should. There is no confusion here vocally or interpretatively who is the figure of authority and who is the young novice.
Did she ever have the C6?
@@LohengrinO Hm, I just assumed she had in her younger days, but we should check, yes.
@@LohengrinO she did sing a bello a me ritorna, but I don't that counts since it was only one instance?
@@LohengrinO Stignani cantava “in tono” Norma e ci sono molti C6 nei suoi duetti con Gina Cigna. Inoltre cantava il C6 come Leonora nella Favorita di Donizetti, e come Azucena (Azucena ha un C 6) e naturalmente come Preziosilla. Scendeva al Mi grave come Mrs Quickly.
@@AB-rb2hk thank u so much for the info... on to them!!
Exquisite ❤
Bravissima!
I get emotional just listening to this. A Norma that will probably never be equaled. Why would any singer today attempt to sing Norma after listening to this?
Dude, you are so right!
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Grazie Theo per Norma. Due mostri sacri eh?
La voce della Stignani e' molto piu' bella, omogenea e ricca. E la dizione perfetta.
Es la version de londres donde esta sutherland como clotilde .
Avant le régime elle chantait très bien 😊
Sutherland is on the far right- Clothilde.
'Promo SM'