Rating: 
Summary: Okay
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: LEGENDARY
Review: 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...
Rating:
Summary: The Ultimate Singer
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Callas at her best
Review: Despite some edgy high notes this Paris gala finds Callas at her best. The challenging program alternates between lyric and dramatic arias with several moments justifing this as a must have dvd. The descending scale at the end of the Casta Diva is uniquely Callas-no one sings like this. The Act two of Tosca is phenomenal especially the Vissi D'arte aria. When Callas sinks to her knees at the aria's end and you hear all Paris applaud it's as if you're in the audience.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Spectacular!!
Review: Ever since I began listening to opera a few years back, I have been a big Callas fan. This DVD is pure gold. After listening to her recordings, and the sheer drama in that heart-stopping voice, it was incredible to see her in action, live on stage. If not for all of the other amazing arias she sings, you must buy this DVD just to see her perform ACT II of Tosca with Titto Gobbi. Unlike the other live recording of ACT II Tosca at Covent Garden (1965), this recording was made in 1958, during a time when she was in really good voice. Titto Gobbi too puts on a spectacular show of the evil Scarpia - after seeing Titto Gobbi's Scarpia, I just hate this guy! If you believe that Opera is not just singing, but acting as well, you don't want to miss this ACT II. In other words, BUY THIS DVD NOW! Even if you won't be able to eat for 3 days, buy it! Atleast you'll have soul food.
Rating: 
Summary: Starry evening.
Review: I first came across this film when it was released in one of those "laser discs" developed by Pioneer a couple of decades ago, nowadays gone the way of the Betamax, superseded by newer, although not always better, technologies. This EMI release contains most of that laser disc's contents, for some reason leaving out the initial segment (some dozen minutes I estimate), one that included introductory shots that showed the cars going round the Place de l'Opéra under a heavy rain to disembark their illustrious passengers, then proceeding inside to pan across the vast hall before the recital starts, spotting for us a few of the "toût Paris" that had attended the gala evening when Maria Callas would first sing before them, people like Juliette Greco, Brigitte Bardot, Charlie Chaplin and others, then went on to show the entrance of then French President René Coty, allowing us to listen to the National Anthem and then to the overture of Verdi's La Forza del Destino. This dvd release catches up when the latter has ended and Callas makes her grand entrance. Substituted for the segment I've described EMI have decided to give us some sort of a colour "guided visit" of the theatre, which resumes variously within the programme as we switch from one composer to another. A real loss, as the original film placed us within a marvellous context, allowing us to feel the atmosphere of the evening, as close as one can more than four decades away, and allowing ous to savour the diva's entrance practically as much as the Paris audience on 19/12/58 did. And whatever information one gets on the Palais Garnier in the new segment one can also get (and more) from the green Michelin guide. Musically, the film is a mixed bag. There are magical moments in the recital, true, and the second half comprising the better of her filmed second act of Tosca (staged and in costume) with Gobbi giving his famous portrayal in top form makes it worth purchasing the disc alone, in spite of a defficient Cavaradossi, but by the time Callas came to Paris her voice no longer was the instrument that had given a solid floor to her legendary fame, justly earned on the Milan, London or Rome stages. Faulty (or ill-placed) breath takings are not uncommon, there's some shouting in the Tosca and she wobbles sometimes (the Verdi segment is especially affected). But anyway, documents like these are rare indeed and are a must. The Abbey Road engineers have improved the sound quality (mono, of course) over previous releases, as well as the image, and there is a very interesting and informative article by Gramophone magazine's well-known contributor, contributor John Steane.
Rating:
Summary: Starry evening.
Review: I first came across this film when it was released in one of those "laser discs" developed by Pioneer a couple of decades ago, nowadays gone the way of the Betamax, superseded by newer, although not always better, technologies. This EMI release contains most of that laser disc's contents, for some reason leaving out the initial segment (some dozen minutes I estimate), one that included introductory shots that showed the cars going round the Place de l'Opéra under a heavy rain to disembark their illustrious passengers, then proceeding inside to pan across the vast hall before the recital starts, spotting for us a few of the "toût Paris" that had attended the gala evening when Maria Callas would first sing before them, people like Juliette Greco, Brigitte Bardot, Charlie Chaplin and others, then went on to show the entrance of then French President René Coty, allowing us to listen to the National Anthem and then to the overture of Verdi's La Forza del Destino. This dvd release catches up when the latter has ended and Callas makes her grand entrance. Substituted for the segment I've described EMI have decided to give us some sort of a colour "guided visit" of the theatre, which resumes variously within the programme as we switch from one composer to another. A real loss, as the original film placed us within a marvellous context, allowing us to feel the atmosphere of the evening, as close as one can more than four decades away, and allowing ous to savour the diva's entrance practically as much as the Paris audience on 19/12/58 did. And whatever information one gets on the Palais Garnier in the new segment one can also get (and more) from the green Michelin guide. Musically, the film is a mixed bag. There are magical moments in the recital, true, and the second half comprising the better of her filmed second act of Tosca (staged and in costume) with Gobbi giving his famous portrayal in top form makes it worth purchasing the disc alone, in spite of a defficient Cavaradossi, but by the time Callas came to Paris her voice no longer was the instrument that had given a solid floor to her legendary fame, justly earned on the Milan, London or Rome stages. Faulty (or ill-placed) breath takings are not uncommon, there's some shouting in the Tosca and she wobbles sometimes (the Verdi segment is especially affected). But anyway, documents like these are rare indeed and are a must. The Abbey Road engineers have improved the sound quality (mono, of course) over previous releases, as well as the image, and there is a very interesting and informative article by Gramophone magazine's well-known contributor, contributor John Steane.
Rating:
Summary: Casta Diva!!!
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Casta Diva!!!
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: discover Maria Callas
Review: 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!
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