GRAMOPHONE JAPAN
May 2000

     “These recordings from radio broadcasts in Buenos Aires offer a rare glimpse of Callas at age 25. Apart from her student performances in Athens, she had made her official debut in Verona only two years before, in 1947. (La Scala was not to sign her until 1951.) Most of Callas’ early career was forged in Latin America’s major opera houses, notably in Buenos Aires and Mexico City. There’s a sweetness to her voice here, and a lack of mannerisms which provide an entirely new view of the Callas phenomenon.
     “The opening excerpts from Norma includes the Overture plus three largely minor excerpts for the full performance. More are included from the Gala Concert celebrating the 333rd anniversary of Argentine Independence on July 9, 1949. An amazing version of the famous aria, Casta diva is the major item here. (There’s also Helena Arizmendi singing the Jewel Song from “Faust”, conducted by Hector Panizza... quite good as well, although the reason for including that escapes me. The same is true for the three radio announcements in Spanish.) Sonics are quite good for their age, handsomely remastered in Argentina. (Part 2, when released, is to feature Callas and Mario Del Monaco in excerpts from Puccini’s Turandot.) In case the reader needs more information, you might check over Divina’s Internet service at: www.divinarecords.com.”
     © Heuwell Tircuit.

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