Puccini: Madama Butterfly (1955)

2014 Maria Callas re-mastered series reissue. With this Abbey Road 24-bit 96kHz re-master, engineers returned to the original master tapes, bringing new clarity & brilliance to her legendary studio recordings. A famous backstage photo was taken in Chicago after one of just three performances that Callas gave of Madama Butterfly; it shows the soprano in her Japanese costume, snarling furiously at a bailiff who had served a writ on her - the very image of the tempestuous diva. By contrast, in her recording of the role, 'it is, miraculously,' as the critic John Osborne observed, 'the 15-year old girl and not the great Callas who stands before us.' Her genius for vocal characterization finds an apt complement in Herbert von Karajan's conducting: 'a wholly sympathetic rendering [that]brings out more of the detail of the score than I have ever heard before', wrote Gramophone.

Madama Butterfly (Opera In Two Acts)

CD 1:

1. E Soffitto...E Pareti (Act One) - 2:13

2. Questa È La Cameriera (Act One) - 4:15

3. Dovunque Al Mondo (Act One) - 4:17

4. Quale Smania Vi Prende! (Act One) - 5:42

5. Ah! Ah! Quanto Cielo!...Ancora Un Passo Or Via (Act One) - 3:01

6. Gran Ventura (Act One) - 3:42

7. L'Imperial Commissario (Act One) - 2:29

8. Vieni, Amor Mio! (Act One) - 2:38

9. Ieri Son Salita Tutta Sola (Act One) - 5:05

10. Ed Eccoci In Famigila (Act One) - 5:34

11. Vieni La Sera (Act One) - 3:20

12. Bimba Dagli Occhi Pieni Di Malia (Act One) - 3:37

13. Vogliatemi Bene, Un Bene Piccolino (Act One) - 7:23

14. E Izaghi E Izanami (Act Two) - 7:21

15. Un Bel Dì Vedremo (Act Two) - 4:46

CD 2:

1. C'è. Entrate (Act Two) - 3:33

2. Non Lo Sapete Insomma (Act Two) - 1:52

3. A Voi Pero Giurerei Fede Costante (Act Two) - 3:32

4. Or A Noi (Act Two) - 6:09

5. E Questo? E Questo? (Act Two) - 2:25

6. Che Tua Madre Dovrà (Act Two) - 3:32

7. Io Scendo Al Piano (Act Two) - 1:43

8. Vespa! Rospo Maledetto! (Act Two) - 1:59

9. Una Nave Da Guerra (Act Two) - 2:31

10. Scuoti Quella Fronda Di Ciliegio (Act Two) - 5:14

11. Or Vienmi Ad Adornar (Act Two) - 5:11

12. Coro A Bocca Chiusa = Humming Chorus (Act Two) - 3:07

13. Oh Eh! Oh Eh! Oh Eh! (Act Two) - 7:31

14. Già Il Sole! (Act Two) - 2:02

15. Povera Butterfly! (Act Two) - 2:49

16. Io So Che Alle Sue Pene (Act Two) - 4:02

17. Addio, Fiorito Asil (Act Two) - 1:59

18. Gllielo Dirai? (Act Two) - 2:10

19. Che Vuol Da Me? (Act Two) - 5:42

20. Come Una Mosca Prigioniera (Act Two) - 2:54

21. Con Onor Muore (Act Two) - 5:25