Maria Callas: Her Best Recordings in Good Sound

Twenty-six years ago today, Maria Callas died in Paris at the age of 53.

I give here an extended post I zipped off some while back in response to a poster on another forum who had grown rather frustrated at the occasionally murky sound quality of the better examples of Maria Callas's singing.

I assured the poster there were a few examples that did combine state-of-the-art sonics, or close to that, with perfectly assured singing. In the course of providing my recommendations, I offered what I hope is a useful thumbnail sketch of Callas's vocal development.

Clearly, such a sketch would never have been possible without the late John Ardoin's groundbreaking "The Callas Legacy", to whom many Callas aficionados owe a great deal. And yet, as alert readers here may note, I am not invariably in agreement with all his assessments, much as I respect and value his contribution.

Geoffrey Riggs