Maria Callas 100 Best Classics

Best Callas 100 (part of the Best Classics 100 series) features 6 CDs of the best and most popular operatic arias and duets sung by legendary soprano Maria Callas from her EMI catalog of complete operas and recital albums. Each CD contains approx. 16-17 tracks.

CD 1 The Operas of Bellini
CD 2 The Operas of Donizetti and Rossini
CD 3 The Operas of Verdi
CD 4 The Operas of Puccini
CD 5 French Operatic Heroines
CD 6 Dramatic Heroines Album Description

Timeless Treasure

Cleverly organized into 6 sections:
1.Bellini
2.Rissini and Donizetti
3.Verdi
4.Puccini
5.French operatic heroines
6.Dramatic heroines

This 6 CD package is a must have for every classical music lover.
Who can,after all,resist the union of the most beautiful arias with the immortal voice of Callas. June 23, 2008

Superb Music, Poorly Packaged

Wonderfuld music. Maria Callas at her prime accompanied by other greats -- and so much of it! What's not to like?

However (and this has nothing to do with the music) the packaging is poor. This CD's box format is one that has evolved over the years. Initially used for double CDs, it gave way a short while later to triple CDs and was modified subsequently to accomodate four CDs. This Callas collection now has 6 CDs, and the package simply doesn't work. I anticipate the plastic hinging will fail before a dozen uses, whereupon I will need to visit my local electronics store to purchase extra jewel cases to accommodate some of the six CDs. Doing this properly will mean, of course, making color copies of the insert and snipping to size. What a needless hassle.

Callas had a reputation for paying extreme attention to detail -- one of the characteristics behind her greatness. Shame on the EMI packaging geniuses, who couldn't see their way clear to packagaing such a wonderful collection more appropriately. (Might have cost the company an extra 15 cents per package -- heaven forbid!)

The music: 5 stars. The package 0.00 stars. Average: 2.5 stars, which rounds to three.
March 29, 2008

Breathtaking

There are scarcely any words to describe the exquisite vocals of Maria Callas. The performances you may hear on various websites simply do not reflect the full power, range and talent that Ms. Callas demonstrated during her too-brief career and life. I apologize for the brief comments, but in order to fully appreciate her, you must purchase this CD! A masterpiece! February 12, 2008

Wonderful Callas Sampling

This is a great buy for someone looking to add this great artist to their collection. Maria Callas is a must for the serious classical music collector. December 14, 2007

Six discs, great price, but... a few obvious choices missing.

EMI's spate of Callas re-issues and compilations in the past few years is more distressing than commendable. First, what does it say about the state of the classical music market today, when a label's marquee artist is a soprano who passed away thirty years ago, and whose recordings are a half-century old? Second, just how many ways can you re-package Callas?

Those quandaries aside, this is highly recommended to those with a passing interest in either Callas, or opera in general. With six discs tucked inside a standard double jewel case, offered at a bargain price, it's a no-brainer. So what if linear and biographical notes are missing? So much has been written about Callas, it's doubtful that anyone could come up with original essay about her life and artistic legacy.

Again, if you have no Callas or (gasp!) no opera in your CD collection, BUY THIS COMPILATION. However, those of us who already have both will find some glaring omissions.

In my mind, there are two pitfalls where a six-disc Callas retrospective is concerned. First, the need to achieve a balance in Maria's studio output produces something of a constraint. For example, there could have easily been two Verdi discs. As previously noted, Sempre Libera is missing. But there are other examples, such as Ernani, Involami, Tu Che Le Vanita(!), and arias from Nabucco.

Second, creating a balanced list of 100 Maria Callas excerpts inevitably includes some that expose her improper technique. Now, as rival diva Leyla Gencer once stated, Callas had the "sacred fire," which compensated for her imperfect techique (I'm paraphrasing here). That fire roars with life when it comes to dramatic verismo arias, such as La Mamma Morta, Voi Lo Sapete, and Suicidio. It doesn't crackle when it comes a Mozart aria like Or Sai Chi L'Onore, where her utter lack of Mozartean technique is laid bare. Callas just couldn't work her magic over it, like she did with Mi Tradi Quell'alma Ingrata.

These are minor quibbles, though, in the final analysis. You get double the content of the Callas La Divina collector's box set, for less than half the cost!



July 15, 2007

More reviews at Amazon.com ...