On the one hand, this was one of the first nearly complete recordings: The Cabaletta of Leonora following the aria "D'amor sull 'ali rosee" will finally not be deleted once and turns out to be musically great asset.
Above all, this is sung by Leonora Maria Callas - although no longer in their vocal best time, but still in good voice. Unlike most competitors they sing all the notes and the text - the otherwise great Zinka Milanov as the coloratura singing partly only on "oooo", also Leontyne Price she slurs partially, to mention only the two best competitors. Especially Callas uses her incomparable sense of vocal color and articulation to make the Leonora a figure of flesh and blood, a great tragic heroine. At the latest at the beginning of IV. Act, the interest of the listener crazy about their suffering and sacrifice.
These Rolando Panerai is a very elegant, yet believable brutal Luna, the duet of the two in the fourth act is yet another rousing climax of the recording.
Fedora Barbieri's voice has lost much compared to their first recording of the opera at power - Four years earlier in the RCA recording with Björling and Milanov she was still a sensational vindictive avenger. Nevertheless she succeeds - less in the revenge scenes, all the more in the maternal and vulnerable moments of role, eg in the Final Trio -. A touching portrayal of Azucena.
Chorus and orchestra are excellent. Herbert von Karajan once again proves that he was a sensitive and rousing opera conductor at a young age.
The big but is Giuseppe di Stefano: He is as Manrico really only a stopgap. 1956 had its very open-writing that was very effective, but not to vote gently indeed, already left some traces in this magnificent voice. In addition, he was never a king of the high notes, and his voice was more lyrical, never great and heroic. And so it is in the recording good if he can act as a romantic lover and does not have to throw with top notes are: In the initial trio, a duet with Azucena in the second act, and in the final trio. Less convincing he is a great avenger and military leaders. Painful almost sounds the Stretta "Di Quella Pira": The heroic feat of the tenor par excellence literature, larded with high tones and with the obligatory (if not original) high C at the end of it is less than sung fought.
And just this shows that Opera works if need be with a decent Manrico only if the balance is right - the Stretta is just a short walk, which is then just once can listen with Björling or perhaps Corelli located separately.
Who the tenor is then but more important than the Leonora, should (to the Barbieri and Leonard Warren in top form) access to the RCA recording with the wonderful Björling and the excellent, though no longer young Milanov or Serafin with the great performer Carlo Bergonzi as Manrico, Ettore Bastianini luxurious Luna, Fiorenza Cossottos demonic Azucena and unfortunately pale but elegant Leonora of Antonietta Stella. A great overall package also offers the recording under Zubin Mehta with Leontyne Price, Fiorenza Cossotto, Sherill Milnes and the very young Placido Domingo.
A word on this issue was taken: The company Warner, who has assumed the Classical Archives of EMI, has newly remastered all studio recordings of Callas. That just helped the first shots, given them their unadulterated sound again. In this recording, the difference is less significant. Nevertheless, the result is convincing for me and I would prefer the issue to the numerous alternatives.
