TROVATORE CALLAS KARAJAN MAGIC

The magic TROVATORE (1956) CALLAS, PANERAI, ZACARIA, DI STEFANO, BARBIERI.

The mono recording with The SCALA cast of 1956 remains my favorite from all the recordings I have heard.

The sound is not perfect but the voices cover this gap, although you can hear everything that goes on in the studio.

Lucky the ones that own the vinyl which with the suitable equipment, is heard much better than the CD, KARAJAN goes very smoothly, not slow and he is aware of the difficulties of this tremendous project. The Trovatore is a very difficult maybe the most difficult of all Verdi’s Operas as it demands at least four perfect voices. This is no dramatic only Opera but a work which demands the Soprano and the Baritone to be ready for a real galloping in some of their duets. Mira d’ Acerbe lagrime is a killer duet with high energy, a frenzy from the orchestra and the cast has to be able to follow. The singing of MARIA CALLAS (she is not the Turandot of the BUENOS AIRES obviously) shows a deep knowledge of the score, a very good preparation and no vanishing acts (the Giulini – Plowright recording unfortunately contains a few vanishing acts if you will notice).

This was an historical recording and as Maria remembers everything in Italy and all over the world was KARAJAN, on those years. However the maestro treats the music as he should, not exaggerating as he did, in his stereo recording of the Trovatore with BONISOLI, PRICE, if you want to listen to perfect voices (Di Stefano unfortunately is the exception) buy the mono recording. If you are interested in listening to a superb sound buy the stereo.

Of course there are other Trovatore recordings which are worth to be mentioned. The Giulini one with DOMINGO – PLOWRIGHT is a remarkable recording as well as the PAVAROTTI – SUTHERLAND.