Maria Callas

Armida

Gioachino Rossini
Teatro Comunale,
Firenze, April 26, 1952
Complete Opera – Live Recording
150 min. (mono)
DVN-16

FREE EXTRA MATERIAL: click here
• Liner notes in English
• Full libretto with stage action in Italian
• 38 photographs
• Full libretto with stage action in Italian
• Extensive liner notes and synopsis
• 4 newspaper reviews (scans)
• Hand program (scans)
• 21 sketches of the sets and costumes (scans)

Sound Restoration © 2002 Divina Records
Restored and remastered by Pablo Berruti

First ever release of complete performance, digitally remastered from a new master

This new edition of a historical performance of a neglected Rossini masterpiece is unique in several respects. Not only is it the first ever enhanced CD edition of the famous 1952 Maggio Musicale Fiorentino performance, but it also contains more than twelve minutes of music never before released* in any format (often erroneously considered lost). This includes a significant portion of Act III where Callas’ voice can be heard in the third Armida-Rinaldo duet as well as in the recitative that follows it. Also, a section of the Act I Finale, including a solo line by Callas (previously published on LP only), can now be heard for the first time on CD.
In addition to being the absolutely first commercial edition to include every note of Rossini’s Armida performed in Florence on April 26, 1952, the Divina Records version benefits from a clearer, less filtered sound than any known CD version, as well as a corrected pitch.
*Unfortunately, a male speaker voice in low pitch was dubbed over these portions of the recording, which possibly explains their absence from all previous commercial editions. However, Divina Records strongly feel that the performance should be heard complete, and that Callas’ only recorded assumption of Armida should be offered to listeners in its entirety.

About the never before released material

This edition is unique in several respects. Not only is it the first ever enhanced CD edition of the famous and historical Maggio Musicale Fiorentino performance of April 26, 1952, but it also contains more than twelve minutes of music never before released in any format, often erroneously considered lost even by renowned authorities:

(1) CD 1, track 24, from [1.38] to [1.45]: 7 seconds.
The first line sung together by Armida and Rinaldo in the Act I Finale — “Come, oh Dio, mi trema il cor!” / “Idol mio, serena il cor!” — is heard here for the first time. In all previous editions, this segment was omitted and replaced by the fourth of the five lines set to the same words.

(2) CD 1, track 25, from [1.16] to [1.48]: 32 seconds.
A section of the Act I Finale, including a solo line by Callas (“Vanne: i passi precedi d’Armida”), previously published on LP only, can now be heard for the first time on CD.

(3) CD 2, from track 11 [1.42] to track 16 [2.13]: 12 minutes 33 seconds.
This “new” material includes a significant portion of Act III, where Callas’ voice can be heard in the third Armida-Rinaldo duet (“Soavi catene”), as well as in the following recitative (“O mio Rinaldo”).
Unfortunately, a male speaker voice in low pitch was dubbed over this portion of the recording, which explains why it was excluded from all previous commercial editions. However, Divina Records strongly feel that the performance should be heard complete, and that Callas’ assumption of her only non-comic Rossini role should be available in its entirety.
In addition to being the absolutely first commercial edition to include every note of Rossini’s Armida performed in Florence on April 26, 1952, this version benefits from a clearer, less filtered sound than any known CD version, as well as a corrected pitch.

CAST
Armida: Maria Callas
Rinaldo: Francesco Albanese
Gernando: Mario Filippeschi
Goffredo: Alessandro Ziliani
Eustazio: Gianni Raimondi
Ubaldo: Antonio Salvarezza
Carlo: Gianni Raimondi
Astarotte: Marco Stefanoni
Idraote: Mario Frosini
Orchestra and Chorus of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino: Tullio Serafin
Teatro Comunale, Firenze

PART 1 [79.53]
1 • Sinfonia [6.21]
ACT I
2 • Lieto, ridente oltre l’usato [2.07]
3 • Ah! no: sia questo di tregua il giorno [1.46]
4 • Arditi, all’ire farem ritorno [1.56]
5 • Sì, guerrieri, fian sacre [0.56]
6 • Germano, a te richiede donna real [1.58]
7 • Signor, tanto il tuo nome ovunque suona [3.28]
8 • Sventurata! or che mi resta [3.46]
9 • Or che farò? Ceder dovrò? [2.30]
10 • German, se togli al campo [1.17]
11 • Per me propizio il fato [1.34]
12 • Cedei, guerrieri, è ver [1.53]
13 • Come! a Dudon costui succede? [1.59]
14 • Non soffrirò l’offesa
 [2.30]
15 • Grata quest’alma, costante la memoria [1.49]
16 • Amor… Possente nome! [4.07]
17 • Vacilla a quegli accenti [ 3.45]
18 • Ah! non poss’io resistere… [0.40]
19 • Cara, per te quest’anima [1.56]
20 • Ecco il guerriero, il duce [3.25]
21 • Se pari agli accenti [3.09]
22 • Che terribile momento! [2.02]
23 • Sappia il duce il caso orrendo [0.25]
24 • Deh! se cara a te son io (1) [2.39]
25 • Vieni, o duce, punisci l’errore (2) [1.48]
26 • Un astro di sangue [2.29]
ACT II
27 • Alla voce d’Armida possente [3.37]
28 • Sovrumano potere [1.50]
29 • Di ferro e fiamme cinti [1.50]
30 • Ebben, l’istante è giunto [0.52]
31 • Dove son io?… Fuggì [5.00]
32 • Mio ben, questa che premi [1.51]
33 • No; d’Amor la reggia è questa [2.11]

PART 2 [72.37]
ACT II (cont.)
1 • Canzoni amorose
 [1.42]
2 • Ballo [1.08]
3 • D’Amor al dolce impero [6.41]
Ballo:
4 • Marziale
 [2.05]
5 • Andante [4.26]
6 • Allegro moderato [4.08]
7 • Vivace [2.00]
8 • Coda [1.04]
ACT III
9 • Come l’aurette placide [2.47]
10 • Oh quanto, amico, d’Ascalona al saggio [0.48]
11 • T’inganni. A noi sen viene (3) [3.29]
12 • Fuggite infernei mostri (3) [1.19]
13 • Soavi catene (3) [2.33]
14 • O mio Rinaldo, ammira (3) [2.24]
15 • Lo splendor di quei rai (3) [2.15]
16 • In quale aspetto imbelle (3) [3.36]
17 • S’hai cor bastante in petto [1.50]
18 • Unitevi a gara virtude, valore [1.41]
19 • Musica di transformazione [2.47]
20 • Sia lode al ciel, da quelle inique mura [1.23]
21 • Ed è pur vero? [3.05]
22 • Se al mio crudel tormento
 [4.46]
23 • Dove son io!… Fuggi! [4.50]
24 • È ver… gode quest’anima [2.51]

BONUS TRACKS
Grandi concerti Martini e Rossi
Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano della RAI, Alfredo Simonetto
Teatro dell’Opera del Casinò Municipale, Sanremo, 27 December 1954
25 • Ballo [1.16]
26 • D’Amor al dolce impero [5.18]