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• 01 Dic 2013

María Callas – “Liberamente or piangi … Oh, nel fuggente nuvolo” – Aria of Odabella – “Attila” – G. Verdi
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire
Conductor M.° Nicola Rescigno.
1969.

The recording sessions in 1969… Six CD’s in total, many hours of tiring and often hopeless recording… Many times she tries to reach a note and has to stop, a couple of minutes of embarrassing silence from everybody, she tries again, she fails – and her musicality and phrasing remains unique even in those days!

“I like her sound better here than on her 63-64 recitals. She applies less pressure on her voice and the miking is more becoming. She had indeed worked anew on her voice with De Hidalgo, and gotten some tips from Leyla Gencer on pianissimo production, that she manages to use to good effect in these 69 recording sessions.
Fascinating to hear Callas in rehearsal, sometimes singing full out, at others dropping an octave (Il Corsaro rehearsal). Obviously she was negotiating her way through many of the trickier passages, but with a suppleness and delicacy which are rewarding to hear.”