29.9.10

Callas and Fiorilla IV



Mr. Karl H. van Zoggel, editor of Maria Callas Magazine, published by the Maria Callas International Club, kindly shared with me a recent issue. It includes original articles, interview transcriptions, reminiscences by readers, and a number of rare photos.

One reader, a Peter S., shared these remarks about Callas:
For me, her funniest recorded moment… comes about halfway through [Rossini’s] Il turco in Italia when Fiorilla, being upbraided by her furious husband for her outrageous behaviour, uses what can best be described as “fake weeping” in order to bring him back into line (Mia vita, mio tesoro…). She succeeds, of course.
Mr. S. is quite right: This is one of Callas’s great moments on disc, often overlooked for several reasons—the (relative) rarity of the opera, the shredded edition used for the recording (unacceptable by today’s standards), and the fact that we tend to associate Callas with tragedy and comedy.

Listen closely, and enjoy!

Hear Maria Callas in other music by Rossini.

1 comment:

  1. I love this recording! It's a pity that Maria Callas only sang two comic rôles, Fiorilla and Rosina. Even though in the 70's her voice wasn't as great as it used to be, watching her final tournée with Di Stefano we can imagine how excellent her Adina - and her Marie, I'd add - would have been.

    Another very funny moment of Callas is the recitativo before her "Dunque io son" with Tito Gobbi:

    Figaro - Ah, che bel nome! Si chiama, si chiama...
    Rosina - Ebben, si chiama...?
    Figaro - Poverina!
    Rosina - Poverina?
    Figaro - Oh, no! Si chiama R-O
    Rosina - Ro...
    Figaro - Brava! S-I
    Rosina - Sì?...
    Figaro - Ro-si...
    Both - N-A, na. Rosina!

    (She says that "Sì?" in such a funny and sweet way! :-D)

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