Maria Callas – Bellini: Norma – Vinyl LP

Teatro Ala Scala Milano/Tullio Serafin

This 1960 Norma represents Maria Callas’s final complete documented version of her signature role. Seven recordings of the opera exist with Callas (1950-60), plus numerous snippets and scenes captured between 1949 and 1965. With 89 performances, Norma is Callas’s most performed part; certainly no other 20th-century diva is more closely associated with the role, and no one since has even remotely eclipsed Callas in the perception of opera lovers. Countless moments, too numerous to catalogue here, raise this Callas Norma to the level of genius. From a haunting ‘Casta Diva’ to a final scene of incomparable grandeur and sweep, in every startlingly brilliant detail, Callas is Norma.

2023 will mark Maria Callas centenary.

Vincenzo Bellini 1801-1835 Norma Opera in two acts · Libretto: Felice Romani Recorded: 5-12.IX.1960, Teatro alla Scala, Milan Liner notes & full libretto in EN, FR, DE, IT.

Disc: 1
1 Norma: Sinfonia – Tullio Serafin
2 Norma, Act 1: “Ite sul colle… Dell’ aura tua profetica” (Oroveso, Coro) – Tullio Serafin
3 Norma, Act 1: “Svanir le voci!” (Pollione, Flavio) – Tullio Serafin
4 Norma, Act 1: “Meco all’altar di Venere” (Pollione) – Tullio Serafin
5 Norma, Act 1: “Odi?… I suoi riti a compiere” (Flavio, Coro, Pollione) – Tullio Serafin

Disc: 2
1 Norma, Act 1: “Me protegge, me difende” (Pollione) – Tullio Serafin
2 Norma, Act 1: “Norma viene” (Coro) – Tullio Serafin
3 Norma, Act 1: “Sediziose voci” (Norma, Oroveso, Coro) – Maria Callas
4 Norma, Act 1: “Casta Diva” (Norma, Oroveso, Coro) – Maria Callas
5 Norma, Act 1: “Fine al rito e il sacro bosco” (Norma, Oroveso, Coro) – Maria Callas
6 Norma, Act 1: “Ah! bello a me ritorna” (Norma, Oroveso, Coro) – Maria Callas

Disc: 3
1 Norma, Act 1: “Sgombra e la sacra selva” (Adalgisa) – Tullio Serafin
2 Norma, Act 1: “Eccola! Va, mi lascia” (Pollione, Adalgisa) – Tullio Serafin
3 Norma, Act 1: “Va, crudele” (Pollione, Adalgisa) – Tullio Serafin
4 Norma, Act 1: “Vieni in Roma” (Pollione, Adalgisa) – Tullio Serafin

Disc: 4
1 Norma, Act 1: “Vanne, e li cela entrambi” (Norma, Clotilde) – Maria Callas
2 Norma, Act 1: “Adalgisa!” – “Alma costanza” (Norma, Adalgisa) – Maria Callas
3 Norma, Act 1: “Oh! Rimembranza!” (Norma, Adalgisa) – Maria Callas
4 Norma, Act 1: “Ah si, fa core, abbracciami” (Norma, Adalgisa) – Maria Callas
5 Norma, Act 1: “Ma di’… l’amato giovane” (Norma, Adalgisa, Pollione) – Maria Callas

Disc: 5
1 Norma, Act 1: “Oh, di qual sei tu vittima” (Norma, Adalgisa, Pollione) – Maria Callas
2 Norma, Act 1: “Perfido!” – “Or basti” (Norma, Adalgisa, Pollione) – Maria Callas
3 Norma, Act 1: “Vanne, si, mi lascia, indegno” (Norma, Adalgisa, Pollione, Coro) – Maria Callas
4 Norma, Act 2: Introduzione – Tullio Serafin
5 Norma, Act 2: “Dormono entrambi!” (Norma) – Maria Callas
6 Norma, Act 2: “Ola! Clotilde!” (Norma, Clotilde) – Maria Callas
7 Norma, Act 2: “Mi chiami, o Norma?” (Adalgisa, Norma) – Maria Callas

Disc: 6
1 Norma, Act 2: “Deh! con te, con te li prendi” (Norma, Adalgisa) – Maria Callas
2 Norma, Act 2: “Mira, o Norma” (Norma, Adalgisa) – Maria Callas
3 Norma, Act 2: “Cedi… deh, cedi!” (Adalgisa, Norma) – Maria Callas
4 Norma, Act 2: “Si, fino all’ore estreme” (Norma, Adalgisa) – Maria Callas
5 Norma, Act 2: “Non parti?” (Coro) – Tullio Serafin
6 Norma, Act 2: “Guerrieri! a voi venirne” (Oroveso, Coro) – Tullio Serafin
7 Norma, Act 2: “Ah! del Tebro al giogo indegno” (Oroveso, Coro) – Tullio Serafin

Disc: 7
1 Norma, Act 2: “Ei tornera Si!” (Norma, Clotilde) – Maria Callas
2 Norma, Act 2: “Squilla il bronzo del Dio!” (Coro, Oroveso, Norma) – Maria Callas
3 Norma, Act 2: “Guerra! guerra!” (Coro) – Tullio Serafin
4 Norma, Act 2: “Ne compi il rito, o Norma?” (Oroveso, Norma, Clotilde, Coro, Pollione) – Maria Callas
5 Norma, Act 2: “In mia man alfin tu sei” (Norma, Pollione) – Maria Callas
6 Norma, Act 2: “Gia mi pasco ne’ tuoi sguardi” (Norma, Pollione) – Maria Callas

Disc: 8
1 Norma, Act 2: “Dammi quel ferro!” (Coro, Norma, Pollione, Oroveso) – Maria Callas
2 Norma, Act 2: “Qual cor tradisti” (Coro, Norma, Pollione, Oroveso) – Maria Callas
3 Norma Act 2: “Norma! deh! Norma, scolpati!” (Coro, Norma, Pollione, Oroveso) – Maria Callas
4 Norma, Act 2: “Deh! Non volerli vittime” (Coro, Norma, Pollione, Oroveso) – Maria Callas