The first recital/1949

Description

Exceptional reissue meticulously restored in 24-bit/96Hz, produced by Abbey Road Studios from the original tapes. Recorded in 1949 by a Maria Callas just 25 years old, this recital - in fact her 1st album - showcases the astonishing maturity of the young soprano, the elegance of her technique, and the flexibility of her performance. On stage, she had sung the 3 roles present in this program - Wagner's Isolde, Bellini's Norma, and Elvira from The Puritans. As Gramophone wrote, which found this recital "incandescent and fascinating," "the Death of Isolde remains a magnificent example of tense interpretation, with a broad line that unfolds throughout the piece, and phrases that progress remarkably until the arrival of the Climax." And it concluded: "The eloquence of expression, the control of technique, in the service of a sensitivity and spirit full of tact, are undeniable."