Sold Date: February 1, 2015
Start Date: January 22, 2015
Final Price: $18.00 (USD)
Bid Count: 1
Seller Feedback: 248
Buyer Feedback: 158

Anna Bolena – Maria Callas

Giovanna Seymour – Giulietta Simionato

Herny VIII – Nicola Rossi Lemeni

Lord Percy – Gianni Raimondi

Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala

Directed by Gianandrea Gavazzeni

Recorded April 14, 1957 – Milan, Italy

Replica ARPL 32493 – Italy, 1981 – 3 LP Box Set (mono)

Libretto with staging notes.

There seems to have been three extant sources of this historic night in Milan, when Maria Callas delivered one her greatest triumphs. These, in turn, spawned to two EMI recordings, one BJR (Private Label), a Melodram and this set which doesn't pop up in the US very often.

The recording has very good bass and excellent microphone placement for La Scala Orchestra. (This is a “live concert” recording and the audience presence is heard.)This 1957 production reveals Callas' new comfort zone within the Mezzo-ish range. Speaking of mezzo sopranos, Giulietta Simionato gives a wonderful performance here as Giovanna Seymour.

This record set has two factory defects, one of which affects the playback for a few minutes. Side five was pressed off registration so that the grooves are slightly out-of-round in relation to the spindle hole. With nearly 27 minutes squeezed onto this side, the final grooves come fairly close to the label, thereby accentuating the lateral drift and promoting pitch wow that is discernible to the ear in the last few minutes of this side. Happily, this takes place within recitatives and a brief orchestral passage. Someone with a rattail file and a little epoxy, might well correct the out-of-round, but that is up to you. The other defect is side three missing its label. (See pictures)

This record comes from an estate that I acquired which included over 800 operas, lieders and songspiels. The original Detroit area owner, often went to some lengths in acquiring a collection that had many recordings and/or pressings that were not marketed in the United States. It appears he obtained the recordings both directly via European & South American mailings or through a dealer in New York on a record-by-record basis.

The previous owner also had a penchant for affixing a red disc sticker to one side of each record. The discs may or may not come off cleanly, but I don't want to risk tearing the label. (See pictures)

A couple of sides of the set show light scuffing (hence the EX+ grading) but these have no sonic consequences. I have listened to the entire recording and it plays clean and quiet (NM).

This item will be well-packed and promptly shipped.