Back in 1967-69 Montserrat Caballe, not yet the star she went on to become, recorded 3 LP of (then) extremely rare, forgotten and underestimated opera excerpts: Each LP dedicated one composer. The concept was not only extremely audacious (even for the immediate post-Callas years) but also very innovative: Montserrat, a pioneer even there, proposed entire scenes from each opera, not just the arias out of context. Of course, in the meantime she was preparing the revivals of many, if not all, of the (then) rare operas she was presenting. The singing is magnificent troughout and the variety of the items just as striking. All the trademark Caballe qualities are of course present, magnificent voice, fearless coloratura, incredible pianissimi, inepuisable breath and so on. The sensation that these issues provoked made the LPs quickly very sought-after, until they were reissued in 1992 in 2 CDs (the edition presented here),.There has been a recent reissue by BMG, in a super-budget series. Possibly one of the greatest Caballe recordings ever.

A friend recently gave me this CD and I fell instantly in love: Recorded back in 1969 when both artists were at their pic, this is one of the essential recordings of vocal music: The two voices blend magnificently and we can feel that they both enjoy the collaboration. There is no point highlighting this or that excerpt; Verrett has recorded Giovanna Seymour against Sills' Bolena, Caballe Norma with Cossoto: Just compare these quite famous versions and the excerpts here and you will understand what I mean: Two powerhouses. Perhaps some more dramatic elan (never Caballe's forte) would had made the Gioconda duet more exciting. Anyhow, it would be cheap to discuss this and that detail, when one can enjoy this impressive showcase of what two voices can achieve in romantic opera.

For those who have appreciated my first Bidu Sayão post (Bidu Sayão), here is the second volume of the Masterworks Heritage edition. She sings mostly Mozart and Puccini, in a somewhat "old fashioned" way but with that crystaline purity of voice, so characteristic of hers. Also, a very nice version of Debussy's Demoiselle Elue, quite stunning.

Another ultra-classic Verdi recording missing from Avax: The 1965 Gobbi-Souliotis-Gardelli Nabucco, a fascinating affair: Rarely so many defaults and such carelessness have produced as thrilling a performance: Gobbi, by 1965, was touching the end of his glorious career, the metal of his voice, never very rich, was thining and his top was becoming hard: Who cares? Never has the demented king been sung like Gobbi gives him, his use of Italian, the colouring of his tone, his pathos, are certainly not rivalled by anyone. Elena Souliotis, just 21 years old, was making her discographic debut. She was greek, she had a huge voice with a pronounced chest register, she was fearless vocally, had a rare dramatic instinct and was immediately labeld as the "new Callas". Souliotis's account of the role of Abigaille is also a case apart: Her singing seizes you by the throat through its raw depiction of malice and through its youthful, uninhibited power. She continued with her wild vocal ways: she ruined her voice in a few years, less than ten. Her short career was one of sensational impact and this Nabucco is the truest legacy of this phenomenal artist. She is, IMO, unmached in the part. The rest of the cast is more than OK and Gardelli, with his Viennese forces, are thrilling and offer this first Verdi "hit" a perfect frame. Magnificent!