Bellini: Norma / Maria Callas (4LP)

Maria Callas first sang Bellini's Norma in 1948, when she was just 25 years old. She subsequently sang the role of the heroic but vulnerable Druid priestess - the ultimate embodiment of bel canto - more often than any other. In this second studio recording, her conductor was again Tullio Serafin (he had originally taught her the role in 1948), and the venue was again La Scala - where the opera premiered in 1831. By 1960 Callas had brought a wealth of new nuances to her interpretation, and she is aptly accompanied by Christa Ludwig with her creamy mezzo-soprano (in a rare recording of an Italian role) and the outstanding Franco Corelli. This spectacular recording is now available on vinyl.