Composer(s): Verdi, Giuseppe
Conductor(s): Serafin, Tullio
Label: Naxos Historical
Genre: Opera
Period: Romantic
Catalogue No: 8.111240-41
Barcode: 0747313324026
Distribution Note(s):
Not available in the United States, Australia and Singapore due to possible copyright restrictions
Release Date: 01/2007

VERDI: Aida (Callas, Tucker, Serafin) (1955)

Although Aida was one of the r�les which Maria Callas sang most, especially in the early years of her career, it is generally agreed that she was better suited to singing Norma, Violetta and Lucia. Nevertheless, when this 1955 recording was first released, Harold Rosenthal for Opera wrote: �for dramatic intensity and moments of heart-rending pathos [it] can have few equals�, while Dyneley Hussey enthused in the Musical Times that it was: �a great performance, splendidly recorded. Callas� dramatic power and her ability to shade the beautiful vocal line here find the best imaginable medium�. In, for example, the opening phrases of the Act III love duet with Radam�s, �L�, tra foreste vergini�, her voice has a limpidity which enables her to accomplish miracles of pianissimo shadings, singing dolcissimo as the score directs � one of innumerable occasions in which Callas renders the subtlest markings in the score so effectively.

Tracklist

Disc 1
Verdi, Giuseppe
Ghislanzoni, Antonio - Lyricist
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
Modesti, Giuseppe (bass)
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Zaccaria, Nicola (bass)
Ricciardi, Franco (tenor)
Milan La Scala Chorus (Choir)
Galassi, Elvira (soprano)
Gobbi, Tito (baritone)
1Prelude03:49
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
2Act I Scene 1: Si: corre voce che l'Etiope (Ramfis, Radames)01:34
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
Modesti, Giuseppe (bass)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
3Act I Scene 1: Se quel guerrier io fossi!… Celeste Aida (Radames)04:31
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
4Act I Scene 1: Quale insolita gioia nel tuo sguardo! (Amneris, Radames, Aida)06:23
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
5Act I Scene 1: Alta cagion v'aduna, o fidi egizii (King, Messenger, Aida, Radames, Amneris, Ramfis, Priests, Ministers, Captains)03:18
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Zaccaria, Nicola (bass)
Ricciardi, Franco (tenor)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
Modesti, Giuseppe (bass)
6Act I Scene 1: Su! del Nilo al sacro lido (King, Messenger, Radames, Ramfis, Priests, Ministers, Captains, Aida, Amneris)02:58
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Zaccaria, Nicola (bass)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
Modesti, Giuseppe (bass)
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Ricciardi, Franco (tenor)
7Act I Scene 1: Ritorna vincitor! (Aida)06:48
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
8Act I Scene 2: Possente, possente Ftha (High Priestess, Priestesses, Ramfis, Priests)05:23
Modesti, Giuseppe (bass)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Milan La Scala Chorus (Choir)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Galassi, Elvira (soprano)
9Act I Scene 2: Mortal, diletto ai numi (Ramfis, Priests, Radames, Priestesses)04:43
Milan La Scala Chorus (Choir)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Modesti, Giuseppe (bass)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
10Act II Scene 1: Chi mai fra gl'inni e i plausi (Slaves, Amneris)06:18
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Milan La Scala Chorus (Choir)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
11Act II Scene 1: Fu la sorte dell'armi (Amneris, Aida)07:27
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
12Act II Scene 1: Su! del Nilo al sacro lido (Soldiers, People, Amneris, Aida)02:39
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Milan La Scala Chorus (Choir)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
13Act II Scene 2: Gloria all'Egitto, ad Iside (People, Women, Priests, Men)03:32
Milan La Scala Chorus (Choir)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
14Act II Scene 2: Triumphal March06:00
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
15Act II Scene 2: Vieni, o guerriero, vindice (People, Priests)02:24
Milan La Scala Chorus (Choir)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Disc 2
1Act II Scene 2: Salvator della patria, io ti saluto (King, Radames, Ramfis, Priests, Aida, Amonasro)03:10
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Milan La Scala Chorus (Choir)
Gobbi, Tito (baritone)
Zaccaria, Nicola (bass)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
Modesti, Giuseppe (bass)
2Act II Scene 2: Quest'assisa ch'io vest vi dica (Amonasro, Aida, Slaves, Prisoners, Ramfis, Priests, King, People)04:42
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Gobbi, Tito (baritone)
Milan La Scala Chorus (Choir)
Zaccaria, Nicola (bass)
Modesti, Giuseppe (bass)
3Act II Scene 2: O re, pei sacri numi (Radames, King, Amneris, Priests, People, Ramfis)02:20
Milan La Scala Chorus (Choir)
Zaccaria, Nicola (bass)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
Modesti, Giuseppe (bass)
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
4Act II Scene 2: Gloria all'Egitto, ad Iside (King, People, Slaves, Prisoners, Ramfis, Priests, Aida, Radames, Amneris, Amonasro)02:52
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Zaccaria, Nicola (bass)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
Modesti, Giuseppe (bass)
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Gobbi, Tito (baritone)
5Act III: O tu che sei d'Osiride (Priests, Priestesses, Ramfis, Amneris)04:49
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Milan La Scala Chorus (Choir)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Modesti, Giuseppe (bass)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
6Act III: Qui Radames verra!… O patria mia (Aida)07:04
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
7Act III: Ciel! Mio padre! (Aida, Amonasro)08:09
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Gobbi, Tito (baritone)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
8Act III: Pur ti riveggo, mia dolce Aida (Radames, Aida)03:06
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
9Act III: Fuggiam gli ardori inospiti (Radames, Aida)04:16
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
10Act III: Aida!… Tu non m'ami. Va! (Radames, Aida, Amonasro)02:35
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
Gobbi, Tito (baritone)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
11Act III: Tu! Amonasro! (Radames, Aida, Amonasro, Amneris, Ramfis)02:39
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
Modesti, Giuseppe (bass)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Gobbi, Tito (baritone)
12Act IV Scene 1: L'abborrita rivale a me sfuggia (Amneris)03:15
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
13Act IV Scene 1: Gia i sacerdoti adunansi (Amneris, Radames)06:40
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
14Act IV Scene 1: Ohime! Morir mi sento (Amneris, Priests)04:22
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Milan La Scala Chorus (Choir)
15Act IV Scene 1: Radames! Radames! Radames! (Ramfis, Priests)07:08
Modesti, Giuseppe (bass)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Milan La Scala Chorus (Choir)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
16Act IV Scene 2: La fatal pietra sovra me si chiuse (Radames, Aida)02:19
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
17Act IV Scene 2: Presago il core della tua condanna (Aida, Radames, Priests, Priestesses)03:48
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
18Act IV Scene 2: O terra, addio; addio, valle di pianti (Aida, Radames, Priests, Priestesses, Amneris)05:00
Callas, Maria (soprano)
Serafin, Tullio (Conductor)
Milan La Scala Orchestra (Orchestra)
Barbieri, Fedora (mezzo-soprano)
Milan La Scala Chorus (Choir)
Tucker, Richard (tenor)

Total Playing Time: 02:26:01