I cry every time I hear the public's reception at her entrance. They are thanking her for all the exquiste musical moments she ever gave them. They were many. And they will endure forever.
Corelli is one of the best Cavaradossi. Callas, even if at the very end of her career, is the best Tosca . Lucky people those who attended this performance
There were a lot of celebrities in the audience that night -------- Jackie Kennedy, Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich, Leonard Bernstein, Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra, Sophia Loren, Tallulah Bankhead, Lucille Ball, Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, etc. They were there for Callas. This was probably the most star-studded evening in the Met's history. I still have the newspaper clippings. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were supposed to be there but Liz got sick and landed in the hospital (as was usual for her even then). Ticket scalpers made a fortune of $$$$$ THAT night!
wow too bad i was only 7 yrs old, i would love to have been there. I ve been to the Met many times but nothing that outstanding, close was seeing Leontyne Price in Il Trovatore years later.
The crowd goes nuts for Callas's entrance and brings the opera to a standstill for a few minutes. Corelli is the perfect Cavaradossi, and Callas shows the multifaceted colours of her renowned voice. I'm sure that their acting was equal to their singing. What a treat for those who were able to attend this amazing performance.
I was at this performance. Before Callas enters the stage after she sings “Mario, Mario….” The applause were non-stop and then after the “son qui” she entered the stage. What an electrifying evening. Corelli of course was as usual THE BEST. And Gobbi…. what can I say. THE BEST SCARPIA. We lived in Manhattan (with less than $2 - $1.25 Family Circle standing room ticket and .30 cents round trip on the subway - the MET was on 39th and Broadway - 3 stops from where we lived) we saw the BEST singers and performances 9:05
The most emotionally striking part of this listening is the huge applause beginning at 00.13, I think. It is impossible not to feel at least a tear in the eyes while listening to a whole audience screaming, crying and being desperatly in love with its Diva. She was a living legend and her public was perfectly aware to be living a historical moment, while attending this performance.
Che dire oltre che sono due monumenti della lirica... ci pensate, gli spettatori di quel tempo ascoltavano il meglio in assoluto delle voci liriche ed erano molto esigenti... oggi ci accontentiamo delle carte veline e dei tromboni sfiatati già in giovane età,,,
For me, Corelli and Callas are fond, very fond memories. It was a different time. They electrified the stage and held their audiences in rapt admiration. We are lucky to have this recording to remind us of their magic. However I doubt someone could begin to appreciate their singing or their performances from this recording. For those who can’t please know they were the real thing on stage.
Io rispetto tutti i commenti ma qui non si possono discernere le voci e gli interpreti.Corelli la voce,Callas la diva,Questa è l'opera lirica,questa Tosca è stata!!!! Il meglio del meglio.Nulla in più si deve è si può dire
I saw Corelli several times including Tosca in '68 in Pasadena. His voice was stratospheric!! The upper range opening up several times larger. This doesn't show on recordings. Another fascination. With Tebaldi (Chenier) I heard the voices in layers, but Franco was on top, and Tebaldi lower, then the orchestra. All other operas I saw the soprano was always on top. The Tosca was my instant lifetime favorite.
highly unlikely that anything of this quality, this magic, this intelligence, this intensity, this honesty can be heard today. what a blessing is the technology of recording.
Es impresionante escuchar como es recibida la Callas por el público, en su entrada y su salida del escenario, al iniciar el dueto con Corelli, ovacionada y aplaudida aún antes de que empiece a cantar. Eso es una muestra de la expectación que causaba esa mujer carismática y controvertida, que entusiasmaba enormemente a la gente y que lograba cautivarla con su sola presencia. Esas funciones eran una atracción para todos incluidas las "estrellas" y celebridades que asistían para participar el suceso y el "Glamour" que se respiraba con esa energía que solo los grandes artistas pueden lograr. El tenor Franco Corelli era igualmente un ídolo de las multitudes pero la soprano absoluta era un fenómeno que no se ha vuelto a repetir jamás.
When you get that kind of ovation for merely walking onstage, well, that has to tell you something. My gratitude here goes to not only this magnificent singer, but to the New York audience lucky enough to have been there!
It is a great shame there is no Video recording,what a seller this would be this sound alone of 2 of the greatest of the 20th century cannot be seen on their wonderfull duet performance.I only can imagine in my thoughts what this was like and I envy in the nicest way those who were there on the night.Rene( 88 yrs)
Her New York fans welcoming her home!! They obliterated the orchestra. They are thanking her for giving them the core of their love for opera. .. How appropriate. To have been there must be something never to be forgotten. ..
2 of the greatest ever singers in Opera,the drama they exuded is phenomenal,this is the secret of the Opera,acting is almost as important as the voice,Opera is a play with music,we must thank composers and libretists,one feels almost there when hearing such singing when one uses imagination if one know the story.Rene
In 1965 Callas sing last time in Met at Tosca role..and Last total final time a Govert Garden in 5.6.1965.. Why audiens laught...because ..Most american dont speak Italian..and didnt understood the meaning of words...In those the was not subtitle´s no where..Less is Opera. These 2 singers where biggest Opera singers after second world war ...and the betters hasent seam and heard since after Callas and Corelli ! Punto e Basta . !
There is s short video with part of the curtain calls from this performance. Although Callas was just 4 months short of her last ever performance on the operatic stage (in the same role on 5 July 1965 at the ROH Covent Garden), these two are the definitive Tosca and Cavaradossi. Strangely they only sang together in Tosca just once: on this same night of 19 March 1965 at the MET.
Yes two of the very greatest, both with unmistakable unique sounds that suit Tosca so perfectly. Both have sublime vocal acting qualities really believable characterisation.
già e neanche il Maestro Corelli, sublime in ogni sua sfaccettatura. Ogni emozione e sentimento riusciva a trasmetterlo col suo generoso cuore. Unico, divino, irripetibile.
How incredible it must have been to be present, maybe the two greatest of the 20th Century. Both amazing singers, both physically beautiful and great actors.
I know my Mother is sitting in Heaven listening to Franco sing, mouth agape, tears in her eyes as she did listening to him when they both were alive. I will always be grateful to her for introducing me to Opera and "Classical" music. We spent many wonderful hours listening to beautiful music and wonderful performers on her Fisher stereo. The nights we were able to go to the Met for a live performance were magical, no matter the performers, but Franco and latter Placido would always leave us both in tears. The velvet cover on the rail of the box we often were able to use (thank you Dr. Guida!!) was stained with our tears on many occasions. I hope I never lose those memories....
I don’t understand some of the complaints about Callas here. Her voice sounds rich, luscious and velvety and her phrasing is so delicate and sensitive. So what if she didn’t have the notes above the high C anymore? The middle is still very plush and beautiful. If I ever became an opera singer, I’d hope to sound HALf this good in the year of my retirement.
With all due respect, I was there. The first act is low; however, there are three high CS in the second act and one in act 3. They were screeches. We knew it and she knew it. In fact, after the first one, these were audible comments from the house. They were not loud, just a low sound of people commenting to each other. She was magnificent otherwise. She only sang a year more and hung it up, leaving a 20 year glorious record of her vocal art, not to mention gazillion great CS.
Corelli is helping Maria.Mario and Floria between love and jealousy,the audience seems enchanted,Cleva fine conductor. Maria+Franco at La Scala 54 (Vestale) 56(Fedora) 58(Pirata) 60(Poliuto).I saw this marvelous couple
operalover9001, muchas gracias. Dos grandes y hermosos interpretes de la lirica. Maravillosa gala debe haber sido ésta; dichosos los que la disfrutaron en directo. El Gran Franco Corelli hermosa y magnifica interpretación, como siempre lo hizo, perfecta inalcansable, aún hoy en día.
This is great to hear. The quality of the singing from these two greats still shines through even if it is an "amateur" recording. Also, to hear that ovation even before they had started to sing the duet. I imagine that must be quite off putting for the two singers, having to wait and get ready. Thanks for posting this. I can remember hearing Grace Bumbry sing the role of Tosca in London many, many moons ago but I don't know how opera experts would compare her to the great Maria Callas. Franco Corelli is one of my all-time favourite tenors.
Io non so con esattezza, ma credo che il pubblico di quei tempi sviluppò una vera venerazione per Maria Callas. Un fenomeno di divismo che in quei tempi pur senza i moderni mezzi di diffusione, tv, internet etc, è rimasto senza pari. Non so se qualche complesso rock o ad esempio Elvis ha suscitato tanto affetto e ammirazione del pubblico: la gente era totalmente fuori di testa per la più grande interprete di tutti i tempi passati presenti e futuri. Chi mai come lei e Corelli possono infiammare la gente così?? E questo non si ferma, nè si fermerà mai, basta guardare cosa gli appassionati scrivono qui sotto. Lei ha vinto il tempo e la morte. E' eterna per sempre..
Qual emozione sentirla così ...! L'ho sentita a Parigi alla stessa epoca, ne ho guardato un ricordo assolutamente indelebile ! Un atrice cantante indissolubile ! Sfortunamente non era Corelli che è stato sempre un vero amico le ha datto sempre una grande energia ! Grazie mille "operalover9001" !!
Every time I open this track I have goosebumps and tears as people go wild when Callas shows up ! Only her could provoke this kind of emotion heard in sport event crowds ...
I dare not assume that people here on the background were laughing as though something that was sung in wrong notes... But I'd rather love to imagine that they were amused by how Maria Callas' interpreted the scene by the song- with her facial expressions as always she used so powerfully. Next with her hands and the rest of her gestures. - I am very new to discover opera and tho I cannot contain myself not to butt-in here with some of the comments that she sung awful or rather didn't hit the high notes as she were. Apologies for those will find me wrong. I am just expressing the possibilities. For most of us weren't there and based on the record, there were lots of things going on we can't see and as one admirers of Callas, I'd love to imagine the best possible thing could be and with Corelli. Such once in a life time event I dare say, if it's not to die for. 🤘🏼🌹🌹 Thank you so so much for sharing this record, I personally very grateful to experience this one. 🙌🏼
Wow, thank you for posting this. First I thought Callas was not her best, blah, blah, then by the end of it, she was immaculate. Corelli was magnificent.
They did go crazy over Corelli's entrance. This whole performance is amazing for the electricity, chemistry and energy. Even the audience was "on". Pure excitement,
Wow. Stupendous, and so exquisite. I will just say, after hearing two sopranos in Tosca this year, that Callas still takes the cake for this role. And the volume of voice! The louder of the two sopranos was maybe… maybe about the same volume as Callas in her last performances, with an already depleted voice. Marvellous!!