Amazon.com

The second half of this recording is an important item in the too-scantyvideo discography of Maria Callas. Matched with another great singing actor,Tito Gobbi as the lecherous, hypocritical Scarpia, she participates in a textbookdemonstration of how Act II of Tosca should be performed. Thereis a subtlety and nuance in their interactions that one seeks in vain in later,technologically more advanced videos. With a murder onstage, torture offstage,sexual harassment, and deep anguish (beautifully expressed in "Vissi d'arte"), this act provides rich opportunities for these performers, and they take fulladvantage. You may hear it better sung; you are not likely to see itbetter acted. The first half, a 1964 recital, offers less scope for acting, and Callas's voiceis slightly past its prime, but she performs impressively in the mezzo range intwo arias from Carmen.--Joe McLellan ... Read more

Reviews (6)

BRILLIANT!
It's the TOSCA segment that surpasses everything! Besides the superlative vocal aspect - it is her incredible acting that impresses ...... before the 'murder' - the partaking of a goblet of wine - just to 'calm' the nerves - then realizing that the alcohol is taking effect [stress?] she puts her hand over the glass - fingers twitch nervously ... etc. etc. GREAT subtext!

.... confused?

No, no - this rare example of Callas skills as a talented actress is not to be missed - often imitated - the original is the one to see.

Pity so little is left though.

"THIS is the kiss of Tosca!"
And she plunges the dagger into the breastbone of her tormenter, Scarpia, and then it gets really good. She rises
over him as he staggers back mortally wounded and roars, "Did you torture me enough?...And so I forgive you." Most everyone loves the firey brilliance and dramatic dash of a Callas performance, even if her voice isn't that pleasant sometimes. This is a pair of thirty-minute black & white BBC TV programs from 1962 and 1964, the first a concert consisting of three arias, and the second a staging of Act II of Tosca with Tito Gobbi (who was also the finest Baron Scarpia ever). Just a taste, then, of someone who needed to be filmed for her legend to be fully appreciated. If only they had captured her Norma and Lucia of the mid-fifties--JE REGRET!

horrible
I am stunned at the acting and even worst the singing. In the second act. Callas's gestures and body movements-awkward, and hutchback remind me of the wicked witch in snow white.
This is the biggest hype of all time.

O My Goodness!
I first heard about this performance (Tosca) nearly 30 years ago when I was a teenager and new to the world of opera. Since then it had stuck in the back of my mind, occasionally being brought intensely to the forefront whenever a snippet of it was shown during the occasional documentary.

Here it is, after three decades, it's going on 2 a.m., and I've had one of the most profound experiences in recorded opera.....whew!

First of all, this is a barebones dvd: Chapter list and some brief but interesting notes in the accompanying liner.

Then there are the performances...Callas in concert at Covent Garden in 1962. "Tu che la vanità" from Don Carlos, plus the Habanera and Seguedille from Act 1 of Carmen. Callas sings with the expected intensity in the Verdi, and with atypical jovolity and coyness in the Bizet, which are all ably conducted by the young Georges Prêtre. If this were the entire content of this dvd, it would be worth the cost.

But along comes Act 2 of Tosca, from two years later. Holy Toledo! Renato Cioni sings Cavaradossi just adaquetely, and not really serving a whole lot of dramatic purpose with a standard performance. Robert Bowman as Spoletta and Dennis Wicks as Sciaronne are better in their acting, but not very impressive vocally. The conductor, Cillario, leads without much insight...again, standard opera fare.

Obviously, the big bucks went to Callas, Gobbi, and Zeffirelli who all certainly earned their pay. Callas and Gobbi had seen better days vocally, especially Callas who, though in pretty good voice, sounds downright nasty here and there. But those very few exceptions are far and few in between.

Here are two masters, two artists at the very top of their craft, two legendary performers giving a definitive performance of sight and sound. From the beginning of the act, Gobbi dominates with a presence that few could ever hope to do. And when Callas finally enters, the sparks fly. Nearly every gesture, every vocal inflection, every subtle nuance carries weight that cannot be measured. There are very very few moments of stage mannerisms, so complete are their portrayals. While not always pretty vocally, they show off to the world why they dominated the opera stage during their prime. The intensity they create together is incredible, seldom letting up in the cat and mouse game they play.

Technically, the picture is good, but not great.Pretty good by early 60's television standards. The camera work for the most part is well done, save for a few instances of poor angles or exclusionary closeups that can be pretty frustrating.Overall, it is quite good.

Zeffirelli, the ultra conservative, directs a wonderful production,but when you go back in time, you see how little he really changes over the years.

For all it's relatively minor shortcomings, this is one of the greatest operatic moments on film. The earlier clips are priceless, but after a (literally) hair raising Tosca, you may barely remember them! 5 stars to the 10th power! Thank you EMI!

Tosca, finalmente mia! ...
Finally we have the 1962 Covent Garden concert on DVD (previously it was available only on VHS). Of course, for many Callas fans, the coulomb lapse at the end of "tu che vanita" is piece of cake, but this is not the only reason to have this sound document. Maria is relaxed and her voice is is good condition (you will not hear any problems in the upper register here). She is happy and that's all we need from and outstanding artist. One should physically see the young Georges Pretre (with whom Callas recorded in these years Carmen). He conducts in the very extraordinary way, especially the I and III Act preludes from Carmen. The (1964) II act of Tosca with Gobbi and Cioni is an valuable material where Callas shows that she is still THE Queen. Gobbi is a little in rush and one can see that he was getting old. You cannot compare this performance with the 1958 Paris Gala concert (also with Maria, available on DVD). There is not that charm anymore... But despite all the pros and cans, this DVD is an additional step in the journey of the Callas appreciation; and you know that video is always a big deal in opera. Buy it today and you will be fascinated with the presence of Callas! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The career of Maria Callas was just a bit too early and too brief toreceive full and satisfying video documentation like that now being accorded tosuch singers as Renée Fleming and Luciano Pavarotti. This black-and-whitetelevised recital (Callas's Paris debut) took place at the Paris Opera onDecember 19, 1958 when television was still in its infancy. We might wish thatit had happened earlier, when her voice was in better condition, or later, whenvideo recording technology was more advanced--so that, for example, we would nothave to take the narrator's word that Callas is wearing a red dress. But this isprobably the best available Callas video recording, and her fans will welcome itwarmly. Visual elements were as important as the vocal dimensions in her art.

The material, carefully chosen to show Callas at her best and most versatile,includes "Casta Diva" from Bellini's Norma (a Callas specialty), thehaunting "Miserere" scene from Verdi's Il trovatore, and the mischievous"Una voce poco fa" from Rossini's Barber of Seville, a fine series ofstylistic contrasts in which the essential point is not pure tonal beauty butcharacterization and subtle expressive nuances. Others have made this musicsound prettier; nobody has presented it with more impact.

But the climax of this program is its second half, a staged performance of ActII of Puccini's Tosca. This is a study in police brutality, sexualharassment, and sheer violence, psychological and physical, that has some ofopera's most extreme moments--including the great aria "Vissi d'arte," themurder of the villain Scarpia, and the contemptuous dismissal flung at hiscorpse--"and all Rome trembled before him!" In this segment, Callas goes mano amano with Tito Gobbi, her only equal as a singing actor during her career. Theysavor this material in a virtuoso performance. --Joe McLellan ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Casta Diva!!!
It's so unfortunate and unfare, that there is no full opera recording featuring legendary diva, Maria Callas. What is available on VHS or DVD is just several concerts and fully staged II act from "Tosca" (two versions, this one and later one, 1964). I love all these concerts, every one is special for some particular reason. This one opens with "Casta Diva", from "Norma", which was Maria's one of the favourite roles and she sings it so well, so effortless, with such musical beauty. Then comes amazing performance of "Una poco", which I love the most on this DVD. It seems to me that Callas is not singing at all, her mouth opens the way as if she is just talking, even on the high C she stays so calm and so effortless. In my opinion Callas shouldn't have sung havier roles, which eventually ruined her beautiful voice, however I understand that singer always wants to achieve more. Although Callas voice was exactly right for belcanto singing and this aria is vivid example. The next on the DVD is Trovatore, aria followed by Miserere from last act. As I sad, Callas shouldn't have sung such dramatic roles, however this particular extract sound perfect.
And finally comes Tosca, II act, fully staged, whith Tito Gobbi. It is so amazing to watch just what these two greatest artist do on the stage, it is really unbelievable. If I compare this Tosca to 1964 version, I should say, Callas is better on this DVD, while Gobbi sounds better on 1964 recording for me. In whole, "Toujours" is must have, Callas was so great, true opera lover must not miss the chance to get her live recording.

discover Maria Callas
Of all the available visual samples available of Maria Callas this is the best and most loyal. In this peformance we are treated to some of Callas' most famous arias with dramatic changes in character and musical style. We begin with the bel canto treat of selections from Norma- Callas' famous "Casta Diva". Unfortunately the chorus who sings with her is horrible and off time which detracts from an otherwise perfect experience. No one was able to match the sheer expressiveness and fluid phrasing of Callas in this arena. Next selections from Il Trovatore are dramatic and again showcase the amazing phrasing which no other artist has been able to match. Leonora is shown to us as a living breathing person rather than just some pretty arias and a chance to showcase vocal beauty. Callas may not deliver the full throated beauty of other singers in this role, but you will never find a more fully developed and well phrased character in a role which was meant to be acted- not showcased for vocal fireworks. Then, she switches yet again into the comic light coluratura of Rosina's aria from the Barber of Seville. This was an aria she often performed in recital- yet rarely was she ever in such good voice as in this presentation. One overly eager fan began to shout brava in the middle of her aria while others shushed him. By far the highlight though is the staged preformance of act 2 of Tosca with Tito Gobbi. If you have ever heard Callas' Tosca then I need not comment of the genius she brought to this role. The greatest highlight of which is her Vissi D'arte which I dare you to sit dry eyed through. Her magnificent voice and unmatched vocal expression milk that aria for all it's worth. It is a shame that we weren't able to see Callas ealier when her voice was fuller and in richer bloom- but here we have her in fine voice and her usual dramatic perfection which she only achieved later in her career- this DVD is well worth it- discover La Divina today!

Okay
After I wrote some opinions on Callas' Hamburg recitals on DVD, I received from Theo of Athens a sardonic, catcallish email which I instantly responded to and then had my email address taken off Amazon to forestall any future puerile, boorish hate mail. Now for this DVD. I was very disappointed. Casta diva is a warhorse and one of the most boring arias I have ever heard. This performance (notwithstanding the voice-over pronouncements of Callas' overwhelmingly overwhelming success) was punctuated with more coughs than a tubercular ward. The Rossini was a treasure and the Verdi was wonderful. But the Tosca. Puccini and Donizetti (and Bach) are my favorite composers, and Tosca was my first opera and along with Rigoletto is my favorite. I have heard better Toscas, even (particularly) from Callas on CD. It was a chance of a lifetime actually to see Callas and Gobbi together, but as I thought after the Hamburg concerts and am positive now, I will stick to CDs of the voice and let the movies pass. One note. This flick's audio and video qualities were, with just one or two glitches, perfectly fine. I liked (and recommend) this DVD for its "historical" value, not for its musical.

LEGENDARY
All the Great Personalities of Art were there that night that occured a short while after the Roma Incident.
That night Callas had chosen as she used to those days a suicidal repertoire. She started with a silvery Casta Diva plus the two Cabalettas, she continued with Leonora's great Scene from Trovatore with a D'amor sull ali rosee that was soaking tears and drama and a Miserere that will make you shiver. There is a moment in that aria where Callas stands back while the Chorus of the prisoners sings and her body turned away from the audience takes the shape of an ancient statue. The lights create some rather bizarre shades around her and the entire sight has an element of Divinity that is totally unexplainable.
After the heaviest dramatic role the lightest coloratura of the famous reading of Una Voce poco fa where Callas transforms into a simple girl palying with her voice...
As for the second Part this is truly Operatic History.
Jose van Dam who was always against of filming any kind of opera, had said that filming in opera is only acceptable for such Historical Performances as Callas' Tosca.
Tosca was the role that no matter what, Callas will never be surpassed as for earlier and later soprani always suffered either by lack of lyricism, or by a ridicilous over-exageration in the dramatic scenes that used to bring laughter in the most dramatic moments (famous readings of Tosca's "finire cosi" or of Tosca's screams in the final act have managed to bring tears out of laughter thus completely destroying very famous performances).That night Callas was not of course as she was in her Classic 1953 De Sabata Tosca but she still managed her primary goal as Tosca. She herself had confessed that a Tosca is a failure if the singer does not manage to make the audience shiver at the last Act.
To be watching Callas and Gobbi together onstage was not just History of Opera... we should be thankful something like this actually was filmed...

The Ultimate Singer
As this is a recital, we don't have the other parts/settings etc except for Tosca. The recorded sound is not as good as one would expect, nor is the photography: they are slightly below the best standard of the time.

Yet we have a lot of music and drama. All the credits go to Callas. People say the violin is the devil's instrument. I say this is only one side of the coin and Callas, Caruso etc will show you the other side. The violin may be a difficult enough instument to learn but with a singer, we have to be borned with the voice, and then there is so much to learn. After all that, the singing career is piteously short for once her interpretation is really interesting, she will soon pass her prime...

But it's rewarding, as a lot of pianists would refer to Callas for the art of phrasing and one is none but Alfred Brendel. Well, her Norma and also her Verdi are so impressive that one would say that is the ultimate limit of music or indeed of any art form. Needless to say, her acting is totally convincing too. ... Read more

Description

"Sumptuously costumed and splendidly staged, this elaborate cinematic biography blends documentary with drama to tell the story of a great artistic genius who became the musical voice of a nation."* Booklist. Filmed on location in Italy, Leningrad, London, and Paris, this epic mini-series took several years to create, requiring more than 100 actors, 1800 extras, and 4000 costumes. This uncut version dubbed in English is 4 hours longer than the edited version that originally aired on Public Television to great acclaim. This spectacular film is filled with Verdi’s glorious music, sung in the original Italian and taken from past recordings featuring such operatic legends as Renata Tebaldi, Maria Callas, Luciano Pavarotti, and Birgit Nilsson. Stars Ronald Pickup, who plays Verdi with a "subdued, dignified passion" and Carla Fracci, the famed Italian ballerina, who is "absolutely superb" as Giuseppina Strepponi, Verdi’s second wife (Clive Barnes). ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A superb TV series. Unacceptable DVD setup . PIRATED work?
Some years ago, I had watched the original TV series that is superb, and left me with vivid memories. This is one of the very best biographies of a great artist that I ever watched on TV. A landmark. Definitely 5-star. I have great admiration and respect for the quality and authenticity of all the works of director Renato Castellani. So I was really happy to find that I could buy this biography of Verdi in DVD's.

However, this company KULTUR and its staff deserve to be taken to the woodshed -- maybe to court?

From a user point of view, there are several problems: (1) the quality of the recording is poor, video tracking pops-up from time to time. Images of large scale views such at the stage in La Scala are not sharp. It is readily apparent that this DVD series has not been made from the original tapes from some copy: this is conspicuous at the start of Episode 2 where the introducer's blue dress "bleeds" startingly on the screen. [I have not yet found the time to watch the last three episodes. Maybe there are surprises there too. I hope not.] (2) Switching from one episod to another is a true hassle because the programing is not set up properly. The episodes do not load on their own and start only after repeated clicks. Left unattended, the opening trailers at the start of each episode keep cycling endlessly. (3) There is also no background information about the series on paper: not on the cover box, not in a simple paper flyer inside the CD containers. The cover box only carries a quote from a review in a source named as "Booklist". The only basic information on how the series were made is embedded in the original PBS introductions to each episode.

Disappointedly, but not objectionable there no additional information inside the CDs in the form of video interviews of the director or actors, nor segments deleted from the original movie, which a very common value- added item in DVD movies, particularly expected in a 4-DVD series.

The strength and beauty of the original work is such that once the action gets started we are immediatly absorbed in Verdi's life and music. But not thanks to Kultur.

Commercially, could it be that Amazon.com is selling a pirated product? I am suspicious, but I am not a professional in those matters. Why suspicious? because, I was looking for the release date of the original TV series, but I could not find it anywhere. To my astonishment there is no reference to the date of the movie nor any listing of main actors on the box, or inside. On closer scrutiny, I then noticed also that there is not copyright statement on the cover box. I distincly recall also that such statements -- and the date of production again --are absent from the end trailers of credits at the end of every individual episode I have watched so far.

Is this KULTUR outfit legitimate? or were these DVDs made in some US or Asian garage?

Conclusion: a superb biography of one of the greatest opera composers of all times that is worth being part of a permanent DVD collection. But, a flawed and suspicious DVD transfer by KULTUR.

fine accomplishment but poor transfer
On all counts the original presentation of "Life of Verdi" was a well-conceived and well-executed treat on all counts. What fails us now is Kultur's amateurish transfer. First of all, viewers can't skip past Robert Peter's introductions (which could easily have been omitted but at least she, unlike Burt Lancaster on PBS, could pronounce "Verdi"). Second, the transfer is from a flawed video tape. Tracking problems occur occasionally which they wouldn't had Kultur bothered to go back to the originals. How cheap!! Now watch them remaster it and us who have it forced to decide whether to get a whole new set of something that should have been done RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!!

Even with all the flaws, it is worth it.
One can easily see that this film was made for Americans. Strange since they probably appreciate Verdi the least. It should have been Italian all the way, with appropiate subtitles for other languages. Likewise, the mispronunciation of proper names by Burt Lancaster as narrator is deplorable. Especially noticable is his pronunciation of 'verdi' to sound like 'birdie'. Also no dirty linen was brought out, especially about Strepponi and her abandoning her children at birth as unknowns, and never making any effort to ever see or contact them at anytime afterwards. The film also never raises the question as to why Giuseppe and Giuseppina produced no children of their own.

Ok, it's not the ideal film that I would make. But, hey, it is amazing that this film even exists. By the last hour of the film, you begin to feel almost privileged that you had the opportunity to see a great, great man and musician, and a great, great woman live out their life togheter in unconventional ways. Especially touching is the funeral march at the end. Too bad that there aren't any Verdis around today.

5 stars for content, *1* star for dvd quality
The greatness of Verdi is detailed meticulously in this brilliant miniseries/documentary. If you're a Verdi fan, this is definitely a must see. However, the DVD transfer is horrible. It would seem like that the source of the transfer is an old VHS tape. There are sections where the entire screen and audio are chewed up. This problem occurs frequently in episodes 3-6. Would it have killed Kultur to remaster the source?

Loved the story, DVD really stank though!
Well to the reviewer of this film that said he wanted the DVD of it, I can only say I hope yours is better than the one we got! All four discs in the new factory sealed copy we received have some major problems, they'll play fine for a bit and then all sorts of lines, fuzziness and sometimes even pauses occur and are most distracting.

As to the film itself, we loved it! It is an interesting form of docudrama and we learned much watching it, not just about Verdi, but the changing world he lived in and his part in it. The sets are gorgeous and long as this version is, it didn't drag for us, we couldn't wait to get to the next installment to see what happened next.

I didn't find the narrator annoying, just the awful quality of the dvd! If I can find it in video format I may just buy it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The only movie made by Maria Callas, Medea nevertheless contains not a note of the great diva singing. And yet her presence is stunning, with a face (often seen in close-up) that cuts across the frame like a great phenomenon of nature. This raw, mostly wordless take on the Greek classic is a characteristic film from the influential Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini:intellectually sophisticated yet almost primitive in its feel. The weird, jagged locations and Pasolini's elliptical style contribute to the sense of violence already in the story, and the visual approach (realized by Gangs of New York production designer Dante Ferretti) brings in African masks and pagan rituals. If it's not quite satisfying as a treatment of the original Euripides play, it succeeds as a blunt experience in its own right. And tantalizingly suggests what Callas might have done had she opted for a movie career. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Callas Conversations offers some rare and fascinating glimpses of Maria Callas,whose life and art are well-documented by books and records but lessso in video formats. What is documented here is mostly Callas as an interview subject, not Callas as an operatic actress who transfixed audiences with her visual presence. The two 1968 BBC interviews are her most important appearances on television. Her conversations with George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood, a dominant figure in English opera,and a friendly, knowledgeable interviewer, put her completely at ease. They discuss her early career (as Isolde and Brunnhilde, believe it or not), her conversion to bel canto, conductor Tullio Serafin who was her mentor, her vocal style, and her (often surprising) views on her best-known roles. Samples of her singing are scattered throughthe interviews in audio recordings artfully linked with still photos.

Also included (in French with subtitles) are her 1965 interview withcritic and organist Bernard Gavoty and three arias ("Adieu, notrepetite table," "Ah, non credea mirarti," and "O mio babbino caro")in concert performances conducted by Georges Pretre. Thissegment is more formal and less revealing than the Harewoodconversations but worth seeing. The arias are well-sung concert performances, out of costume and with minimal acting except forfacial expressions.--Joe McLellan ... Read more

Reviews (1)

MUST HAVE THIS DVD
I am the number ONE Callas fan and this DVD is a must to have. Watching her performed "ah non credea mirarti" was an abosute experience. No words can describe in detail how she interprete the aria with her voice, gesture, movements, even facial and eyes movement when she was not singing - everything is absolutely fantabolous! She is the best of all best. Viva Maria! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Long before the media's obsession with celebrity scaled its current heights, MariaCallas commanded headlines and column inches equal to any of the jet-settingelite of her time. In those terms alone, and much as opera purists might flinchat the idea, she was the Madonna of her day. But that is only one reason why herlegend extends well beyond her place in the pantheon of great sopranos and solong after her death in 1977.

An excellent companion to Tony Palmer's 1987 documentary La Divina, Maria Callas:Life and Art provides a well-rounded picture of an extraordinary talent whodefended her art with the courage of a tigress, but whose turbulent private lifegave her little except restless grief. It is crammed with concert footage andarchive interviews. She was, as contributor Franco Zeffirelli says, a genius ofhair-raising stature and one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. Butshe was also a rather fragile human being. The tension between the two makes thetelling of her story utterly compelling. The DVD includes chronologies ofCallas's life and the many roles she played during her career. --Piers Ford ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Songs of Her Own Fate
If you are mad about Callas, this is something you don't want to miss. Like Busoni or else Heifetz, Callas is too much a legend to compare with: even someone with the stature of Schwarzkopf was obliged to give way.

For those who are not so mad about opera, they may also find this DVD interesting. As suggested by it's title, it's more concerned with her life than her art: things like where she came from, where she was brought up, who her parents were, what sort of musical education she had, and lastly but not the least, her love with the shipping millionaire...

Her life was told by those who had first hand knowledge of her, like her long time partner Stefeno (Italian tenor), her piano accompanist, conductor (Giulini), her director, an EMI producer, a critic plus, 2 or 3 clips of herself, one in an interview and the others when she talked to the press. We also have a lot of her photos too when we hear her sing.

Not much was offered in terms of her art by these contributors. Perhaps for a legend like Callas, it's not really necessary especially when there are clips (not in full, of course) of her acting/singing. Tosca came up twice, they are just marvelous, so did Norma, something that we can't afford to miss. The voice with it's force and drama are just amazing. All the more so for Rossini's "Una voce poco fa" which is virtually unsurpassable. The duets with Stefeno are perhaps filmed when she had past her very prime, which are nonetheless very appealing.

Callas once said she was sick of New York since her parts in the great operas are all so sad, either dying of consumption or else with a broken heart, something she sang so beautifully and acted so well as though she was really one of those characters herself: this ironically turned out exactly to be her own portrait. Such being her fate of, the fate of a great artist who probably is the greatest opera singer of all times. So, this is life...

4 stars mainly because of the short running time: only 76 minutes. Recommended.

1 hour 16 minutes
The programme includes interviews with famous people who knew Maria Callas - such as Franco Zeffirelli and Carlo Maria Giulini - and is interspersed with extracts from famous concerts and recordings, including two duets with Giuseppe di Stefano.

Featuring extracts from the following performances:
"Vissi d'arte" - from Tosca by Puccini
"Casta Diva" - from Norma by Bellini
"Una voce poco fa" - from Il barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini
"Habanera" - from Carmen by Bizet: Concert at Covent Garden
Cavalleria Rusticana - by Mascagni: Duet with Giuseppe di Stefano
L'elisir d'amore - by Donizetti: Duet with Giuseppe di Stefano

FEATURES OF THE DVD:
- easy access to selected parts of the programme by means of a navigational timeline
- optional on-screen subtitles in English, French or German (but not Italian)
- on-screen information about Callas's life and stage roles
- linear PCM (uncompressed) sound

Touching life - highly recommended!
Well-balanced presentation of Maria Callas' art and life with numerous first-rate interviews with her long-term stage partner Di Stefano, conductor Guilini, producer Franco Zeffereli, EMI recording executives, and trusted friends. Opera and recital extracts include her famous Tosca role with Tito Gobbi, and recordings of Bellini, Bizet, Donizetti, and others. I'm not a Callas fan, but I thoroughly enjoyed this touching glimpse of her life, and I'll surely watch it again. Bravo to the producers of this touching DVD/video!

Callas fans: it's all here.
This is an excellent documentary. Some of the interviewees include Giulini, Zefferelli, di Stefano, Harewood, and Gorlinsky just to name a few; and the operatic footage and photos are a real treat if you want to see LaDivina at her absolute best--the legendary idol that we are all still (that I am still) obsessed with. My favorite segment is a clip from way back when, an interview Murrow's show in which he asks: "Madame Callas are you really temperamental?"...and Maria kind of gives a coy look, knowing good and well that she is a real fox and a shrewd businesswoman, and replies: "What do you mean by 'temperamental,' Mr. Murrow, I am afraid I have not understood..." and the conversation continues until Maria states sufficiently: "It is not true...some situations turn up...shall we say that we are victims of such situations?" And that is that--Callas the victim, Callas the woman, Callas the voice and the dreams that are everlasting. It's all here in THIS video, brilliantly executed with top-notch editing and just perfect honesty that brings to us, the applauding public she needed so much, the story. Plain and simple. Do it for yourself, whether you're a queen or a good-old-boy with a closet Callas adoration, just get it!

Highly recommend!
This is an outstanding documentary! You will learn all about Maria Callas' biography. It starts beautifully as the first scene shows Maria Callas singing "Visi d'arte, visi d'amore" (Tosca act II) - to show an analogy between Tosca and Callas: two divas who lived for art and love... This video is mostly a collection of interviews of colleagues and friends of Maria Callas. It also includes some interviews with Callas herself in which one may see her charming and magnetic personality. The timeline is explained very clearly and with good use of historical sources. There is also some footage of Maria Callas singing a few arias like Casta Diva (10+), Una Voce Poco Fa (Outstanding!) and others. Definitely one to buy! ... Read more

Amazon.com

It is almost a quarter of a century since Maria Callas died. But theyears have done little to diminish interest in this most iconic of divas. Thedebate surrounding the real quality of that voice continues to be fanned by herdevotees and detractors, intermittently reaching fever pitch with the arrival ofanother biography or the commercial release of a newly discovered liverecording. Tony Palmer's 1987 film portrait, now available on DVD, towers overthe bulk of contributions to the Callas industry because it manages to be bothpassionate about its subject and objective about the forces that shaped a greatmusical talent and then left it in ruins.

Lengthy interviews with colleagues and confidants embrace both Callas'sundoubted theatrical genius and the emotional traumas that propelled herstumbling private life. The scene is set from the moment this documentary'sproducer, John Ardoin (himself a Callas biographer), declares thestory of Callas the woman to be one of the great tragedies of our time. Fromthat point, the film forges potent links between the evolution of the diva'sartistry through her great performances--Tosca, in particular--and thedefiant soul captured in a considerable archive of media encounters that rangefrom the intense and contemptuous to the coquettish. This is 90 essentialminutes for anyone interested in the Callas legend. Her story will never bebetter told. --Piers Ford ... Read more

Reviews (3)

not just for La Divina fans
Pretty good documentary on Callas phenomenon. One certainly gets an idea of what it was all about. A bit too much of shallow psychology (Maria the artist, Maria the woman), but all in all it works. Even though there is much overlap with another documentary (Callas - Life and Art) this one is definitely better executed and gives more. If you want just the art part get Hamburg or Paris recital DVDs.

Diva Of Divas.
I, admittedly, am not an opera expert, by any stretch... I've seen a number of productions, enjoyed the spectacle, the talent, but don't know a mezzo from a matzho. But everyone knows Maria Callas. The first time I saw a film of this Anna Magnani with a voice, I was transfixed. I became intrigued with the legend, so I bought this video. I have re-watched several times, and I found it to be informative and revealing. She has been dissected almost more than any public figure,"the greatest", "the worst", "tempermental" ...etc.., they're all here. There are interviews with people from the very beginning of her career, when the ugly-(very large)duckling had few admirers. From her first singing teacher and a fellow student, who, upon first hearing the young Maria sing, says "my own mouth fell open", in awe, from Franco Zeffirelli, who worked with and adored her, from her friends, her "swan" period, her "tantrums", her scandalous affair with and betrayal by Onassis, her decline, her public humiliation by talentless, envious critics who weren't fit to wipe her feet, her lonely end. "Those whom the Gods love, they also destroy"...It offers a candid look at the greatest opera legend ever, who left in her wake detractors, yes, but also many who said seeing and hearing her was a once in a lifetime exposure to an almost supernatural talent..."possessed", as Signore Zeffirelli describes her here. I found this over-all very pleasing, it helped me to understand and better appreciate the woman who revolutionized an art form, and who many consider to be the greatest artist of this century.This film helps explain the continuing fascination. There was only one "La Divina". Long may she live.

Lack of information
There is not too much information in this DVD. La Callas sings many small pieces of arias but never tell you which arias are, there are many people interviewed but they never tell you who they are, the interviews of not English Language speaking people are "doubled" to English instead of just "subtitling" them etc. I do not recommend this DVD. ( I have others DVds of La Callas and are much better than this one) ... Read more