[rockadanny]

I picked up this live 2-CD 1955 recording (Callas, di Stefano, Giulini, 1997 EMI remaster), due to many recommendations.


While the singing seems like it must have been amazing if you were at the performance, on CD I am not enjoying this. Recorded sound quality is too dated for me. Inconsistent volumes, tinny, cartoonish sounding orchestra. Even though Maria Callas sings on this (my gosh, what a voice!), I think I'd better enjoy a more modern recording.

Any recommendations?

p.s. Unfortunately on the same order, though not yet arrived, I also ordered Puccini's Tosca, again with Callas, di Stefano, Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, this one recorded 1953 (EMI 2003). Ugh. I am afraid this one might sound as bad or even worse than above?  ?


Any more modern recommendations for this too?

[no1maestro]

As you have now realized, many of the cd versions of great operas have been replaced with dvd and bluray versions. I own the Callas two that you mention and Boheme as well. Maria has slipped into the "historical" niche due to her peak coming during the change from mono to stereo and many of her performances have that tinny quality you mention. I can recommend Solti's Traviata with Ghergiau and Tosca with Nilsson and Corelli which are nice readings. I can tell you that although I am not a Callas fan, per se, I found that about twenty minutes into the opera, I forgot about the shortcomings of the recordings and concentrated on the performance.
Good luck in your search!





gheorgiau

[rockadanny]

Thank you no1maestro for your reply. I must admit I am becoming engrossed in the singing and its conveyed emotion from this Traviata. After listening to it twice now, I don't think I'll toss it on the trash heap as originally thought. It might be growing on me and the horrible recording becoming less of an issue, although still maddeningly terrible at times (e.g., disc 2, track 13, Largo al quadrupede, the awful sound quality almost makes me gag in disgust).

That said, I will still pursue better recordings for both. I will check out your suggestions. Thank you again. 

[Kenneth Patchen]

Tosca: Leontyne Price and Von Karajan w/  DiStefano and Giuseppe Taddei (Decca/London, 1962).
I actually prefer the Price version over Callas (blaspheme!). Price and Von Karajan are in top form here with strong support from DiStefano and Taddei. I have this on vinyl and I give it full marks; I haven't heard the cd
version.

Kp

[woodsyi]

Callas was a great Tosca but her steely voice does not transfer well to digitized format.  Somewhere in the digitizing process, her steeliness gets heightened and is not pleasing to my ears.  I only listen to her in the original vinyl versions.  That recording in mono vinyl is the cat's meow IMO.  Remastered digitally into stereo loses something even in vinyl format.  I don't prefer Callas as Violetta.  The version I like the best on digital is this.  DSD tranasfer beats the CD version although the CD is quite good in its own right.  Kleiber is not always consistent but he gets it right on this one but I have admit that I am partial to Cotrubas.  The recording quality is really good here.  For visual, this movie is the best.  Stratas is not my favorite but the movie is well done and Domingo is in great form.  If you had analog source I could have sent these recordings to you.  I have more than one copy of many operas.  Tebaldi, Fleming and de Los Angeles are good too although recording quality (on CD) isn't that good on the earlier recordings.  Fleming is good as she is contemporary.  Just heard her as Marschallin last weekend in a concert opera production of Der Rosenkavalier.  She is probably the best current Violetta. 

[Kenneth Patchen]

For visuals, a very good Bluray recording from 2000 has Angela Gheorghiu as Tosca and Alberto Alagna as Cavaradossi, conducted by Antonio Pappano. 

Oh, and what about Kabaivanska? Another Tosca we enjoy is the 1976 Kabaivanska, Domingo, Milnes with Giacomo Puccini conducting, on LASERDISC. (Please mail my hipster award to my home address).

Heh, heh, heh, ... Laserdisc.

[rockadanny]

KP - Thank you for the recommendations. I may pursue the DVD for visuals, although my TV speaker setup is mid-fi at best. Wish I had the funds to bring that system up to snuff.    (p.s., I sent my sealed vote in for you for "hipster of the year" award. I think you've got a good chance at winning it!  )

woodsyi - Thank you for the information and recommendations. Sadly, and stupidly, my analog source got dumped last century.    You have sparked my interest to see Traviata live. Brilliant! I've never before seen an opera live. Closest I've come is Carmina Burana.

[woodsyi]

woodsyi -  You have sparked my interest to see Traviata live. Brilliant! I've never before seen an opera live. Closest I've come is Carmina Burana.

I am not sure where you live, so I did this search for you and these are the dates and places in the world for upcoming Traviata performances.  I wouldn't recommend the Met version this year as it's setting is contemporary and not suitable for your first Traviata.  San Francisco, Kansas City and LA are the domestic venues and you have all the other places in the world.  I always try to squeeze in an opera when I travel over seas for vacation.  Got to see performances in Paris, Milan and Bueno Aires.  Haven't done London yet which I plan to change soon.  You could fit one in your travels!  I hope you really go see one. It's a fun one to see. 

Preview

[IW]

Tosca: Price with Von Karajan/Vienna.
Traviata: Scotto, Raimondi, Bastiannini with Votto.
Wonderful performances. Of course Callas reigns supreme, but the sound really detracts from the sheer enjoyment.

[rockadanny]

woodsyi - Thank you for the info. I'm in Atlanta, GA (USA), so my only hope is to catch one of these performances while travelling. Would love to catch it in Venice! For now though, that is a pipe dream.

IW - Thank you for the recommendations.

[rockadanny]

I ended up picking these two, which I like very well:





Thank you all for your recommendations! 

[rockadanny]

.

[Art_Chicago]

For La Traviata-- surprised no one mentioned  Decca's Sutherland · Pavarotti · Bonynge version from 1983. SQ is excellent in spite of being early DDD.
Also have a DG Cotrubas · Domingo · Milnes on LP, but prefer Decca recording for clarity and a wide dynamic range.

[kernelbob]

Though not one of the operas you mention and understanding that vintage recordings can be challenging, the live 1955 Berlin Lucia with Callas, DiStefano, and Gobbi under Karajan is a must-have recording.  I have it both on LP and CD.  Callas' live recordings are generally better performances versus those in the studio since she tended to hold back in the studio, seemingly needing the audience to really let loose.  The performances are electric.  To my ears this is what opera can be.

I do find that Callas' recordings are extremely challenging to be reproduced with musicality in modern digital systems.  I always include one of her recordings when I'm evaluating equipment.

[rockadanny]

thank you kernel for the recommendation. i will check that out.

[Randy]

Version with Ann Moffo in glorious early 1960's RCA sound, now in SACD. Only drawback is the now steep price which will probably only increase as the years go by.


http://www.amazon.com/Traviata-Hybrid-SACD-Giuseppe-Verdi/dp/B000G759LC/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1449436326&sr=1-1&keywords=anna+moffo+la+traviata