La Traviata - Giuseppe Verdi Performance of May 28th, 1955 at Teatro alla Scala, Milano conducted by C.M. Giulini Teatro alla Scala Orchestra & Chorus Alfredo: G. Di Stafano Giorgio: E. Bastianini HUNT 2HUNTCD 501 1986 FOYER 2-CF 2001 1986 AMPLITUDE HRCDO-2-8501 1988 ARKADIA 2CDHP 501 1991 EMI Musical Excerpts Live performance Somewhere in the mid fifties, there was a point at which Callas' art had mellowed and her voice was at its best: the opening night of the 1955 season at La Scala is evidence of that. This performance has a special place in Callas' career, but above all it plays an important part in the world of opera, because it is said to be THE lyrical night of the century, where she was never to sing better and her artistic genius had never known such fulfilment. Her second role after Norma – of which she gave 63 performances, the first one with Tullio Serafin, her mentor, with whom she studied it, so that any phrase of recitative was likely to receive the same care and insight as the great arias – but it did not have a great place in the history of her recordings: six radio tapes (Mexico City 1951 and 1952, Milan 1955 and 1956, Lisbon and London 1958), one studio recording for CETRA in 1953 where the other singers seem so insipid, but none for EMI because of contractual impossibilities; what a pity for a role that was perfectly suited to her voice and character! Nevertheless, with those recordings, we could dream of her ideal Violetta: the Brindisi of Mexico, 1951; Ditte alla giovine of Milan, 1955; the reading of the letter of Lisbon; Addio del passato of Milan, 1956; and the Violetta's death at Covent Garden.

Discography Live performances Performance of July 17th, 1951 at Palacio de Bellas-Artes, Mexico-City conducted by O. de Fabritiis Palacio de Bellas-Artes Orchestra & Chorus Alfredo: C. Valletti Giorgio: G. Taddei MELODRAM CDM 26019 1990 MELODRAM GM2.0015-10 CD 1997 ARCHIPELARPCD 0018 2001 FONO ENTERPRISE 1029.30 2001 Performance of June 3rd, 1952 at Palacio de Bellas-Artes, Mexico-City conducted by U. Mugnai Palacio de Bellas-Artes Orchestra & Chorus Alfredo: G. di Stefano Giorgio: P. Campolonghi RODOLPHE RPC 32431/32 1997 MELODRAM MEL 26021 1988 OPERA D'ORO OPD-1226 1999 MELODRAM GM 2.0016-10 CD 2000 ARCHIPEL ARPCD 0048-2 2002 Performance of January 19th, 1956 at Teatro alla Scala, Milano conducted by C.M. Giulini Teatro alla Scala Orchestra & Chorus Alfredo: G. Raimondi Giorgio: E. Bastianini MYTO 2 MCD 89003 1989 Performance of March 27th, 1958 at Teatro Nacional de Sao Carlo, Lisboa conducted by F. Ghione Teatro Nacional de Sao Carlo Orchestra & Chorus Alfredo: A. Krauss Giorgio: M. Sereni CARILLON CAL 28-29 1987 MOVIMENTO MUSICA 051.021 1992 RDP 02/03 CD 2000 EMI Performance of June 20th, 1958 at Covent Garden, London conducted by N. Rescigno Covent Garden Orchestra & Chorus Alfredo: C. Valletti Giorgio: M. Zanassi CBS/SONY 54DC 831-2 1984 MELODRAM MEL 26007 VIRTUOSO 2697292 1989 VERONA 27054/55 1990 ARKADIA CDMP 465.2 1992 ENTERPRISE LV 961/62 1994 SAKKARIS PR.SR.259/260 1997 SAKKARIS SR.DIVA 1113/1114 1999 Official recordings Recorded in September 1953 at RAI Auditorium, Torino conducted by G. Santini Chorus Master: G. Mogliotti RAI Orchestra & Chorus Alfredo: F. Albanese Giorgio: U. Savarese CETRA (WARNER FONIT)