This recording, made in 1959, finds Maria Callas in dire vocal condition, with the wobble in prominence, the voice in three distinct parts with some squally top notes and booming, baritonal chest tones. Add to that some pretty unimpressive performances from her cast members: Fiorenza Cossotto, here early in her career, is in tame, too-well-behaved form as Laura; Ivo Vinco sings well as Alvise but lacks menace; Piero Cappuccilli makes little of Barnaba’s text; Pier Ferraro sings at one volume and turns Enzo into a bully; Irene Companeez’s Cieca is well-sung but utterly without desperation. Add to this the rum-tum-tum conducting by Antonino Votto and you’d think this would be worthless. P.S: It isn’t. Callas’ phrasing and interpretation are so thrilling, and her nuanced reading of this poor character’s plight is so right-on, that it’s a performance that keeps you riveted, even while occasionally cringing. So this could be a complicated decision–but at mid-price, why not?
