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DVN~16 ARMIDA Teatro Comunale, Firenze (April 26, 1952) COMPLETE OPERA - Live Recording FIRST EVER RELEASE OF COMPLETE PERFORMANCE DIGITALLY REMASTERED FROM A NEW MASTER 2 ENHANCED CDs DIGITALLY REMASTERED ADD-MONO TOTAL TIME: 152.30 min. | DATA 28.4 MB |
AUDIO:
First ever release of complete performance
Includes a
twenty-page
booklet with extensive liner
notes and previously unreleased photographs
This new edition of a historical performance
of a neglected Rossini masterpiece is unique in several respects. Not only is it the first
ever enhanced CD edition of the famous 1952 Maggio Musicale Fiorentino performance, but it
also contains more than twelve minutes of music never before
released* in any format (often erroneously considered lost). This includes
a significant portion of Act III where Callas' voice can be heard in the third
Armida-Rinaldo duet as well as in the recitative that follows it. Also, a section of the
Act I Finale, including a solo line by Callas (previously published on LP only), can now
be heard for the first time on CD.
In addition to being the absolutely first commercial edition to include every note
of Rossini's Armida performed in Florence on April 26, 1952, the Divina Records
version benefits from a clearer, less filtered sound than any known CD version, as well as
a corrected pitch.
*Unfortunately, a male speaker voice in low pitch was dubbed over
these portions of the recording, which possibly explains their absence from all previous
commercial editions. However, Divina Records strongly feel that the performance should be
heard complete, and that Callas’ only recorded assumption of Armida should be offered
to listeners in its entirety.
Audio sample: “D'Amor al dolce impero”
DATA:
38 high-quality photographs
Full libretto with stage action in Italian
Extensive liner notes and synopsis in English
4 newspaper reviews (scans)
Hand program (scans)
21 sketches of the sets and costumes (scans)