The Studio Recitals (14 CD)

CD1 THE FIRST RECORDINGS

1. Wagner - Tristano e Isotta: Dolce e calmo (Liebestod) (Act III)
2. Bellini - Norma (Romani): Casta diva (Act I)
3. Bellini - Ah! bello a me ritorna (Act I)
4. Bellini - I puritani (Pepoli) - O rendetemi la speme (Act II)
5. Bellini - I puritane (Pepoli) - Qui la voce sua soave (Act II)
6. Bellini - I puritane (Pepoli) - Vien, diletto, è in ciel la luna (Act II)

CD2 PUCCINI ARIAS

1. Puccini - Manon Lescaut (Oliva, Praga, Giacosa, Illica & Ricordi): In quelle trine morbide (Act II)
2. Puccini - Manon Lescaut (Oliva, Praga, Giacosa, Illica & Ricordi): Sola, perduta, abbandonata (Act IV)
3. Puccini - Madama Butterfly (Illica & Giacosa): Un bel dì vedremo (Act II)
4. Puccini - Madama Butterfly (Illica & Giacosa): Con onor muore (Act II)
5. Puccini - La Bohème (Illica & Giacosa): Sì. Mi chiamano Mimì (Act I)
6. Puccini - La Bohème (Illica & Giacosa): Donde lieta uscì (Act III)
7. Puccini - Suor Angelica (Forzano): Senza mamma
8. Puccini - Gianni Schicchi (Forzano): O mio babbino caro
9. Puccini - Turandot (Adami & Simoni): Signore, ascolta! (Act I)
10. Puccini - Turandot (Adami & Simoni): In questa reggia (Act II)
11. Puccini - Turandot (Adami & Simoni): Tu che di gel sei cinta (Act III)

CD3 LYRIC & COLORATURA ARIAS

1. Cilea - Adriana Lecouvreur (Colautti): Ecco: respiro appena. Io son l’umile ancella (Act I)
2. Cilea - Adriana Lecouvreur (Colautti): Poveri fiori (Act IV)
3. Giordano - Andrea Chenier (Illica): La mamma morta (Act III)
4. Catalani - La Wally (Illica): Ebben? ne andrò lontana (Act I)
5. Boito - Mefistofele (Boito): L’altra notte in fondo al mare (Act III)
6. Rossini - Il barbiere di Siviglia (Sterbini): Una voce poco fa (Act I)
7. Meyerbeer - Dinorah (Barbier, Carré & De Lauzières): Ombra leggera (Shadow Song) (Act II)
8. Delibes - Lakmé (Gondinet, Gille & Zanardini): Dov’è l’indiana bruna? (Bell Song) (Act II)
9. Verdi - I vespri siciliani (Scribe & Duveyrier): Mercé, dilette amiche (Act V)

CD4 CALLAS AT LA SCALA

1. Bellini - La sonnambula (Romani): Compagne, teneri amici…Come per me sereno (Act I)
2. Bellini - La sonnambula (Romani): Oh! se una volta sola…Ah! non credea mirarti…Ah! non giunge (Act III)
3. Cherubini - Medea (Hoffmann & Zangarini): Dei tuoi figli (Act I)
4. Spontini - La vestale (De Jouy & Schmidt): Tu che invoco (Act II)
5. Spontini - La vestale (De Jouy & Schmidt): O Nume tutelar (Act II)
6. Spontini - La vestale (De Jouy & Schmidt): Caro oggetto (Act III)

CD5 VERDI ARIAS 1

1. Verdi - Macbeth (Piave): Nel dì della vittoria…Vieni! t’affretta (Act I)
2. Verdi - Macbeth (Piave): La luce langue (Act II)
3. Verdi - Macbeth (Piave): Una macchia è qui tuttora (Act IV)
4. Verdi - Nabucco (Solera): Ben io t’invenni…Anch’io dischiuso un giorno (Act II)
5. Verdi - Ernani (Piave): Surta è la notte…Ernani, Ernani, involami (Act I)
6. Verdi - Don Carlo (Méry, du Locle & Lauzières): Tu che le vanità (Act IV)

CD6 MAD SCENES

1. Donizetti - Anna Bolena (Romani): Piangete voi?…Al dolce guidami castel natio (Act II)
2. Thomas - Hamlet (Barbier & Carré): À vos jeux…Partagez-vous mes fleurs… Et maintenant, écoutez ma chanson (Act IV)
3. Bellini - Il pirata (Romani): Oh! s’io potessi…Col sorriso d’innocenza (Act II)

CD7 CALLAS A PARIS I

1. Gluck - Orphée et Eurydice (Calzabigi & Moline): J’ai perdu mon Eurydice (Act IV)
2. Gluck - Alceste (Calzabigi & Roullet): Divinités du Styx (Act I)
3. Bizet - Carmen (Meilhac & Halévy): L’amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera) (Act I)
4. Bizet - Carmen (Meilhac & Halévy): Près des remparts de Séville (Séguedille) (Act I)
5. Saint-Saens: Samson et Dalila (Lemaire): Printemps qui commence (Act I)
6. Saint-Saens: Samson et Dalila (Lemaire): Samson, recherchant ma présence…Amour! viens aider ma faiblesse! (Act II)
7. Saint-Saens: Samson et Dalila (Lemaire): Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix (Act II)
8. Gounod - Roméo et Juliette (Barbier & Carré): Ah! Je veux vivre dans ce rêve (Act I)
9. Thomas - Mignon (Barbier & Carré): Ah, pour ce soir…Je suis Titania (Polonaise) (Act II)
10. Massenet - Le Cid (D’Ennery, Gallet & Blau): De cet affreux combat…Pleurez, mes yeux! (Act III)
11. Charpentier - Louise (Charpentier): Depuis le jour (Act III)

CD8 CALLAS A PARIS II

1. Bluck - Iphigénie en Tauride (Guillard): Ô malheureuse Iphigénie! (Act II)
2. Berlioz - La Damnation de Faust (Gandonnière): D’amour l’ardente flamme (4e Partie)
3. Bizet - Les Pêcheurs de perles (Cormon & Carré): Me voilà seule…Comme autrefois (Act II)
4. Massenet - Manon (Meilhac & Gille): Je ne suis que faiblesse…Adieu, notre petite table (Act II)
5. Massenet - Manon (Meilhac & Gille): Suis-je gentille ainsi?…Je marche sur tous les chemins (Act III)
6. Massenet - Werther (Blau, Milliet & Hartmann): Werther! Werther! Qui m’aurait dit la place (Letter Scene) (Act III)
7. Gounod - Faust (Barbier & Carré): Je voudrais bien savoir…Il était un Roi de Thulé… Les grands seigneurs…Ah! Je ris (Jewel Song) (Act III)

CD9 VERDI ARIAS II

1. Verdi - Otello (Boito): Mi parea…Mia madre aveva una povera ancella (Act IV)
2. Verdi - Otello (Boito): Piangea cantando (Act IV)
3. Verdi - Otello (Boito): Ave Maria, piena di grazia (Act IV)
4. Verdi - Aroldo (Piave): Ciel, ch’io respir!…Salvami, salvami tu, gran Dio! (Act I)
5. Verdi - Don Carlo: O don fatale (Act III)
6. Verdi - Aroldo: O Cielo! Dove son io? (Act II)
7. Verdi - Don Carlo: Non pianger, mia compagna (Act II)

CD10 MOZART, BEETHOVEN & WEBER

1. Beethoven - Scena & Aria: Ah! perfido Op.65 (Metastasio)
2. Mozart - Don Giovanni (Da Ponte): Or sai chi l’onore (Act I)
3. Mozart - Le nozze di Figaro (Da Ponte): Porgi, amor (Act II)
4. Weber - Oberon (Planché ed. MacFarren): Ocean! thou mighty monster (Act II)
5. Mozart - Don Giovanni: Crudele?…Non mi dir (Act II)
6. Mozart - Don Govanni: In quali eccessi, o Numi!…Mi tradì quell’alma ingrata (Act II)

CD11 ROSSINI & DONIZETTI ARIAS

1. Rossini - La Cenerentola (Ferretti): Nacqui all’affanno…Non più mesta (Act II)
2. Rossini - Guglielmo Tell (De Jouy & Bis): S’allontanano alfine…Selva opaca (Act II)
3. Donizetti - La figlia del reggimento (Saint-Georges, Bayard & Bassi): Convien partir (Act I)
4. Rossini - Semiramide (Rossi): Bel raggio lusinghier (Act I)
5. Donizetti - Lucrezia Borgia (Romani): Tranquillo ei posa…Com’è bello (Act I)
6. Donizetti - L’elisir d’amore (Romani): Prendi, prendi; per me sei libero (Act II)

CD12 VERDI ARIAS III

1. Verdi - I lombardi alla prima crociata (Solera): O Madre, dal cielo soccorri (Act II)
2. Verdi - Attila (Solera): Liberamente or piangi…Oh! nel fuggente nuvolo (Act I)
3. Verdi - Il corsaro (Piave): Egli non riede ancora…Non so le tetre immagini (Act I)
4. Verdi - Il corsaro (Piave): Né sulla terra…Vola talor dal carcere (Act II)
5. Verdi - Il trovatore (Cammarano): Tacea la notte placida…Di tale amor (Act I)
6. Verdi - I vespri siciliani: Arrigo! ah, parli a un core (Act IV)
7. Verdi - Un ballo in maschera (Somma): Ecco l’orrido campo…Ma dell’arido stelo divulsa (Act II)
8. Verdi - Un ballo in maschera (Somma): Morrò, ma prima in grazia (Act III)
9. Verdi - Aida (Ghislanzoni): Ritorna vincitor! (Act I)

CD13 THE CALLAS RARITITES 1953–1961

1. Mozart - Don Giovanni: Non mi dir (Act II) (Take 1)
2. Mozart - Don Giovanni: Non mi dir (Act II) (Take 2)
3. Verdi - Macbeth: Una macchia è qui tuttora (Act IV)
4. Rossini - Semiramide: Bel raggio lusinghier (Act I)
5. Verdi - I vespri siciliani: Arrigo! ah parli a un core (Act IV)
6. Donizetti - Lucrezia Borgia: Tranquillo ei posa…Com’è bello (Act I)
7. Rossini: Guglielmo Tell: S’allontanano alfine…Selva opaca (Act II)
8. Rossini: Semiramide: Bel raggio lusinghier (Act I)
9. Bellini: Il pirata: Sorgete…Lo sognai ferito, esangue (Act I)

CD14  THE CALLAS RARITIES 1962–1969

1. Verdi - Don Carlo: O don fatale (Act IV)
2. Rossini - La Cenerentola: Nacqui all’affanno…Non più mesta (Act II)
3. Weber - Oberon: Ocean! thou mighty monster (Act II)
4. Verdi - Aida: Pur ti riveggo, mia dolce Aida (Act III)
5. Verdi - I lombardi alla prima crociata: Te, Vergin santa (Act I)
6. Verdi - Il trovatore: Vanne…D’amor sull’ali rosee (Act IV)
7. Verdi - I vespri siciliani: Arrigo! ah, parli a un core (Act IV)
8. Verdi - Attila: Liberamente or piangi! (Act I)
9. Verdi - Il corsaro: Verró…Ah conforto è sol la speme (Act II)
10. Verdi - I lombardi alla prima crociata: Te, Vergin santa (Act I)

This outstanding collection of studio recitals provides fascinating insights into Maria Callas’s career and her unique artistry and musicality. Encompassing the core operatic repertoire for which she was most revered, as well as roles that she never sang on stage, these recitals demonstrate Callas’s exceptional versatility – from bel canto to verismo, dramatic mad scenes to impeccably sung coloratura – and form an integral part of her recorded legacy. The great value of these recitals is magnified by the new transfers made at Abbey Road Studios in 2014, using 24-bit 96kHz remastering.

1923 2 December: Maria Anna Sophia Cecilia Kalogeropoulou is born in New york of Greek immigrant parents.
1937 Moves to Athens with her mother and begins vocal studies under Maria Trivella and later Elvira de Hidalgo.
1941 21 January: Makes her professional operatic debut in Boccaccio in Athens with the Greek National Opera.
1945 3 August: Returns to her father in New york, changes her name to Callas, but fails to find operatic work.
1947 28 June: Arrives in Verona to sing La Gioconda at the Arena and meets Giovanni Battista Meneghini, a wealthy Italian industrialist.
2 August: Makes her Italian debut in the Verona Arena in La Gioconda. Offers of further work are slow in coming.
1949 19 January: In Venice, after singing Brünnhilde in Die Walküre, Callas creates a sensation by singing Elvira in I puritani.
21 April: Callas marries Meneghini, who manages her career negotiating important engagements in Italy and abroad.
1951 7 December: Opens the season at La Scala in I vespri siciliani and immediately becomes the Scala’s biggest star.
1954 Reduces her weight by 70 pounds. She quickly becomes a fashion icon.
1958 2 January: Pleading illness, Callas fails to complete a gala Norma in Rome; she is harshly criticised in the media.
6 November: Rudolf Bing, director of the Met, fires Callas after failing to agree about the next season.
19 December: Makes a sensational debut in Paris in a gala concert; celebrities in the audience include Aristotle Onassis.
1959 During a cruise on the Onassis yacht Christina, Callas and Onassis become lovers and the Meneghini marriage ends.
1960–63 Callas curtails her stage appearances and devotes herself to the international high life with Onassis.
1964 January: Zeffirelli persuades Callas to return to opera in an acclaimed production of Tosca at Covent Garden.
May: Appears in Paris in Norma in a spectacular staging by Zeffirelli – it is her last new production.
1965 March: Makes a triumphant return to the Met in New york in two performances of Tosca.
July: Cancels Toscas in London due to ill health, except the Royal Gala on 5 July – her final stage performance.
1966 Relinquishes American citizenship and takes Greek nationality. She expects Onassis to marry her but he does not.
1968 20 October: After cooling his relationship with Callas, Onassis marries
Jacqueline Kennedy. Callas is devastated.
1971–2 Gives a series of masterclasses at the Juilliard School of Music in New york.
1973–4 Undertakes an extensive international recital tour with tenor Giuseppe di Stefano, ending in Sapporo,
Japan.
1975 15 March: Onassis dies after a gall operation. Callas is by now a virtual recluse in Paris.
1977 16 September: Alone in her apartment, Callas dies following a heart attack.