If ever the was an opera recording that deserved the highest praise
despite its technical deficiencies, this is it. Many reviewers below
complain about this recording's sonics -- it is a live, mono recording
from 1955. But focusing on sonic problems in the face of Callas's
magnificent performance is like deprecating the *Mona Lisa* because
there are a few cracks in the paint. Callas gives here the ultimate
opera performance: she not only has complete command of the music, but
she works within it to create a living, breathing character who
develops during the course of, and as a result of, the drama. What she
does is better than acting while singing; it is acting *by means of*
singing. (And, I should add, the other principals are excellent.)If you have not yet listened to a lot of opera, or if you just want a recording that will sound pretty in the background, then you will probably not appreciate this set. As your tastes become more educated, however, return to this. You will be blown away.
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