Thread: Looking for recommendations for a La Sonnambula CD

This one is currently at the top of my list after listening to a lot of La Sonnambulas this past week.

I know they are not the same but something about Luba Orgonasova's voice reminds me of Ana Durlovsky. Is it just me, or do others pick that up too? Here are You Tube clips of the same part:

Luba Orgonasova

Ana Durlovsky

I need a Callas fan to help me out here. I want to run poll on favorite Callas Sonnambula recording but don't really know how many La Sonnambula commercial recordings are there with Maria Callas? Listings on Amazon are confusing.

I think there are four and I think they are listed in order of best sound to worst sound:

1957 Votto, live

1957 Votto, Studio

1957 Votto, live Edinburgh Festival

1955 Bernstein, live



This discography says there are four:

1955 Orch. Teatro alla Scala Milano, Leonard Bernstein (cond.)
Maria Callas (A), Cesare Valletti (E), Giuseppe Modesti (R), Eugenia Ratti (L) Gabriella Carturan (T), Pier Luigi Latinucci (Al)

1957 Orch. Teatro alla Scala Milano, Antonino Votto (cond.)
Maria Callas (A), Nicola Monti (E), Nicola Zaccaria (R), Eugenia Ratti(L), Fiorenza Cossotto (T), Giuseppe Morresi (Al)
reissued as:

1957 Orch. Teatro alla Scala Milano, Antonino Votto (cond.)
Maria Callas (A), Nicola Monti (E), Nicola Zaccaria (R), Marietta Angioletti (L), Fiorenza Cossotto (T), Dino Mantovani (Al)

1957 Orch. Teatro alla Scala Milano, Antonino Votto (cond.)
Maria Callas (A), Nicola Monti (E), Nicola Zaccaria (R), Edith Martelli (L), Fiorenza Cossotto (T), Dino Mantovani (Al)

If I am going to run a poll I want the selections to be right as they are hard to revise (need moderator assistance).

Originally Posted by The Conte

You can find further details of the Cologne and Edinburgh performances on the Divina Records website.

That is a nice website for Callas fans. I wish they would put a few sound clips up on the various recordings. Looks like a poll might be easier to list the main recordings and have an "other" category just in case any other recordings show up.

Originally Posted by The Conte

1957 Orch. Teatro alla Scala Milano, Antonino Votto (cond.)
Maria Callas (A), Nicola Monti (E), Nicola Zaccaria (R), Edith Martelli (L), Fiorenza Cossotto (T), Dino Mantovani (Al)
Edinborough - Sonnambula.jpg

Here is one thing that puzzles me. The title says Teatro alla Scala Milano (Milan, Spain), but the CD cover says Edinburgh (Scotland?). What is going on here?

Originally Posted by Fritz Kobus

Here is one thing that puzzles me. The title says Teatro alla Scala Milano (Milan, Spain), but the CD cover says Edinburgh (Scotland?). What is going on here?

The La Scala company - orchestra, casts and chorus - travelled to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival in 1957. Callas sang in La Sonnambula and Di Stefano sang in L'elisir d'amore - there were some nice photos taken when they went sightseeing

image.jpeg

There's quite an interesting article about the Edinburgh Sonnambula performances here http://www.operascotland.org/tour/560/Sonnambula-1957

Originally Posted by Fritz Kobus

Milan, Spain ...... What is going on here?

Indeed! what is going on here?

Originally Posted by Florestan View Post
Oh, I suppose Bartoli would be an interesting Amina, though I thought Amina was supposed to be a soprano.

Originally Posted by The nose

I liked her in the role of Amina but i think she's more a Lisa.

Or really, Bartoli should sing Teresa, but they probably don't put huge stars in minor roles.

Originally Posted by Headphone Hermit

I'm surprised no-one (on this thread) has urged you to go for the Callas 'live' set from Koln. I picked this up from a charity shop last week for 99p (hahaha!) and it is thrilling throughout.

Second 'Best Buy' is the Callas 'live' recording on Testament from Edinburgh - I think this has the edge on the Koln set for the atmosphere of the recording, but the Koln recording is (probably) better from Callas in many places

After that, I'd go for the Callas versions mentioned by Greg .... and steer clear of Sutherland for this role entirely

So now I have all the Callas and Sutherland recordings of this opera and must say that I really like the Edinburgh Callas Sonnambula. As for Sutherland, there are a couple good ones

THE BEST (1963):


Also quite good:

Originally Posted by Fritz Kobus

So now I have all the Callas of this opera and must say that I really like the Edinburgh Callas Sonnambula.

My least favourite, oddly enough. She was in ill health, and I think it shows. I never can decide which of Bernstein La Scala 1955 and Votto Cologne 1957 I prefer. I do like the studio version too, but it comes in third for me.

Originally Posted by GregMitchell

My least favourite, oddly enough. She was in ill health, and I think it shows. I never can decide which of Bernstein La Scala 1955 and Votto Cologne 1957 I prefer. I do like the studio version too, but it comes in third for me.

Simply have to have all of them!

May be the novelty of the Edinburgh set, and will go back to the Studio. We'll see. Bernstein is a bit rough sound, I think Edinburgh is better sound.

Found this statement on an Amazon review regarding recordings of La Sonnambula. A shame Beverly didn't record La Sonnambula.

Beverly Sills (who did record the great cavatina of Act I, in 1968) should have been in their number, but her scheduled "La sonnambula," for the Opera Company of Boston (1977), was changed to "Rigoletto" (with Susanne Marsee as Maddalena).

Originally Posted by vivalagentenuova

My favorite version of La sonnambula is a recording with Anna Moffo on VAI. It's available as a film or a CD. Danilo Vega, who is otherwise totally unknown to me, is a very good Elvino. There are minor sound issues with "Son geloso del zefiro errante", unfortunately.

Yes, the Moffo DVD portrays what I find to be the finest Amina of all from the traditional perspective. On DVD and CD, but the cover images do not do it justice as she is actually much younger in the film.


Here she is in the video: