Maria Callas -Wagner- Tristan und Isolde -Liebestod

(Sung in Italian)
Turin Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Arturo Basile, Conductor
Recorded by CETRA on 8th November 1949

[paulovp]

Wagner would have approved this, because he wanted his music to be sung as beautifully as Bellini's, and also he wanted it to be sung in an understandable language for the listener. This is not debatable.

[alioffe]

Callas sang Wagner to great acclaim in Italy at the beginning of her international career. She was so good at it that it prompted the Italian public to call her La Divina, and bewitched Visconti, one of the greatest artists in Europe. He started to stage opera for Callas after hearing her Wagner. If you can't comprehend the subtleties of her exquisite phrasing, wonderful legato, dynamics, colors etc, it's your loss. She pours bel canto into this, which is something Wagner would have adored, and still remains loyal to the Wagnerian core. There are no trills, no high staccati, big scales, or top notes at the end, which are associated with bel canto today. And yet, this is everything bel canto can offer. GENIUS.

[BritinIsrael]

You don't normally associate Callas with Wagner, but this is beautifully sung.A truly great voice of her time. These historical recordings are priceless.

[lilianamolina]

The aria is so beautiful!! and even if Maria was not a wagnerian singer ...the way she conveyed the feelings!! My God!!.... simply wonderful! :)

[mariangelacatto]

L'Isotta della Callas ha qualcosa di intensamente umano, in italiano suggerisce l' idea di una rassegnazione alla morte più che una trasfigurazione. È intrisa di dolore e il suo canto è un abbraccio terreno alla musica. Per lei non poteva che essere cosi ! Grazie Maria!

[Tropez]

That's what I think musicianship is all about, and I feel sorry for those who dismiss this performance as non wagnerian. One might prefer the timber of Flagstad (and she really was peerless in this role), but I think there are objective parameters by which a piece like this one can be appreciated. The legato, crescendos and decrescendos, and the 'vertical' German understanding of the vocal line (as opposed to the horizontal, melodic line required in Italian romantic rep) are just exquisite. The way she builds up the wavy movement before the resolution to the tonic chord, in spite of mediocre conducting, is unheard of. Oh for sure she wasn't a Wagnerian. Nor a 'bellinian' either. She was 'just' a brilliant musician who played in the same league of Gould and Heifetz. Serafin was right casting her as Isolde before Norma, a role she already knew by heart. He tested her stamina and enhanced her natural skill at singing with (and not plainly along) an orchestra. Not unsurprisingly she told Lord Harewood that singing Wagner helped her a lot for her later roles.

[MegaAlbaby]

Okay. isn’t this recording of Callas singing everything from Wagner to Bellini enough to convince anyone who is interested in knowing what an incomparable singer she was? Memorable and inspiring. No singer has equaled this. Callas was and IS opera. There will never was and will never be another (for this listener) singer. A vocal chameleon- and isn’t that what that makes her the greatest?

[joanngabrielson]

Callas could sing the dictionary and she could make me cry! Fabulous actress ....emotional genius!

[PUCCINIMUSICK]

Three Liebestods make me cry everytime: Norman/Karajan, Moedl/Karajan and this. What a pity that Karajan was not here as well to give also his impressive mark on this impressive performance. For all the non italian speaking audiences, please believe me, she gives every word the most incredible weight and intensity.

[herminestover]

She was truly EVERYTHING for which a mortal pair of ears could hope.

[jeanmarieballestra]

Un final sublime !!! Un des sommets de la musique !!! La Callas est magnifique dans ce rôle inhabituel ! Même chanté en italien, j'en frissonne de bonheur !!

[mariclaraoliveira]

Magnificent. Quelle beauté, c'est divin. L'une des plus belles pièces de la musique de tous les temps et peut-être la voix la plus dramatique, profonde du chant.

[pagano]

Passionate and glorious Callas! For me Jessie Norman was «the » Isolde of Liebestod and Maria Callas was “ the” Tosca of all times. With this “Morte d amore” I am discovering new levels of emotion and melodic subtleties I hadn’t imagined before in this marvelous piece. Callas, with all her passion, lyricism, and her technical genius is SO perfect for the role! I wish she had sung more Wagner!

[RicharddtheStar]

And they say callas voice was ugly. I hear beauty, just so much beauty in this.

[Wildcat-Music]

Dolce e calmo,
Sorridente
Ei dischiude
Gli occhi belli.
Nol vedete?
Nol vedete?
Come chiara
Fiamma ei brilla:
Viva stella in alto ciel!
Nol vedete?
Nol vedete?
Come fiero
Balza il core ?
Sgorga in lui
Qual magico fonte!
Sul suo labro
Calmo appar
La dolcezza
Del sorriso.
Dite!.A!
Non lo vede alcun?
Odo io sola
Questo canto ?
Voce arcana,
Voce pia.
Calma, pura
Come il pianto,
Dolce incanto
Inno santo,
Che penètra
L'esser mio,
Risuonando a me d'intorno?
Cresce.appressa.
Già m'invade.
Sei tu l'onda
De le brezze?
Sei tu nobe
Fatta d'incensi ?
Che m'inonda.
Che mi avvolge.
Ch'io ti aspiri !
Che in te spiri!
In te immersa
E sommersa
Sento l'esser mio svanire !
Ne l'immenso ondeggiar,
Nel crescente clangor.
Nel fulgor
D'una luce immortal
Attratta.
Raspita.
Me smarrir !.
Sommo ben !

[berlinzerberus]

Welch ein herzzerreißender Gesang - Wunderbare Maria Callas!!!

[windstorm]

Wagner would have loved Callas--to that superb musical dramaticist the feeling over even technique was paramount (though one needs both in Wagner). He would have cast Callas had he heard her for sure in the Tristan premiere--and I don't think he would have minded the Italian with this artist at her peak!!

[W]

I just listened to Birgit Nilsson and Kirsten Flagstad sing this aria, ( several times ) but I don't understand why all the fuss is about Callas singing this in Italian. Why, because they both sing it in German, but apart from their opening words I find it impossible to say they are singing German, for all I hear they could be singing in Swahilly.I am not talkingabout the vocal aspect, just the pronuncation in German of the text they sing, I hear just sounds. At least in Callas singing I can for the most part follow her Italian. Also in Callas singing I hear her Belcanto upbringing, for me an extra bonus.

[celladoor]

maybe she was famous bc her voice IS like 1 of a witch... She is enchanting. She stands out from the crowd.

[SolomonPlunket]

Very grateful for Callas having made a recording of this, albeit in Italian; maybe this is even better.