Maria Callas - Anna Bolena Mad Scene SAX 2320 1958

My absolute favourite recording of Maria, completely stunning, epic and marvelous! From SAX 2320. Some light pops and light distortion towards the end, but excellent for a 50 year old ebay purchase :) Images from the 1957 and 1958 live performances at La Scala. Maria Callas as Anna Monica Sinclair as Smeton John Lanigan as Percy Joseph Rouleau as Rochefort Duncan Robertson as Hervey with The Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus Conducted by Nicola Rescigno Composed by Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) Recorded Kingsway Hall, London, 24 and 25 Spetember, 1958. English Translation Anna You all weep? From whence are tears? And on this, the morning of the wedding. The King awaits me... The altar is covered with flowers. Quickly, give me my chaste robes — bedeck my head with my crown of roses. Let Percy not know i t! The King forbids it. Chorus Oh, dark memory! Anna Oh... who weeps? Who spoke of Percy? I will not see him. I must hide from his sight. In vain... he is coming... accusing me... screaming at me... Ah! Forgive me, forgive me... I am so unhappy. Carry me from this depth of misery. You are smiling? Oh, joy! Do not believe, do not believe that I die here deserted. No, no... You are smiling. Percy? Oh joy... oh joy! Lead me to the dear castle where I was born, to the green plane trees, to the quiet brook that still murmurs of our sighs... Ah! there I forget past griefs; give me backone day of my youth, give me back one day of our love. Lead me to the dear castle where I was born, give me back one day of our love, just one single day of our love. [Drums begin to roll. Hervey enters with the guards. Anna is startled from her reverie.] What is that sad sound? What do I see? Hervey! The guards!... Hervey [to the guards] Go, and bring forth the prisoners from their cells. Anna Oh! In what moment did delirium leave me, oh heaven! Why do I recover? [Percy, Rochefort and Smeton are brought to the courtyard by their guards.] Rochefort and Percy Anna! Anna Brother! ...And you, Percy! Forme... for me you are dying! Smeton [Rushing to Anna, throwing himself at her feet] I alone... it was I who lost you... I am damned. Anna Smeton... Percy Traitor! Smeton Ah, yes... so I am, and as such go to death with a clouded name. I allowed myself to be deceived by the King. I accused you believing it would save your life; but I believed lies, and wild desire, and the hope I held deeply repressed in my heart for a year. Damn me as well, if you wish... Anna [abstractly] Smeton, come here to me. Rise... what are you doing? Why don’t you play your harp? Who has broken the strings? Rochefort Anna! Percy What are you saying? Women She returns to her wanderings... Anna A strumming sound comes forth from the strings like the frozen cry of a heart dying somewhere It is my heart, breathing its last prayer to heaven. Listen all of you! Percy Oh, cruel martyrdom!... Rochefort She is delirious. Anna Heaven grant me at last some rest from my long suffering. Let my final bit of life carry some hope at last. Smeton, Percy and Rochefort Merciful heaven, prolong this delirium, so that the beauty of her soul may awaken resting in you. [Bells are heard ringing, and the sound of a cannon. Anna recoils in confusion, straining to grasp their import.] Anna Festive sounds? What can it be? Tell me! ...Where am I? Tell me! Smeton, Percy and Rochefort Acclaimed by the happy populace is the new queen... Anna Silence! Silence! Ah... silence... To fully complete the crime only Anna’s blood is truly needed. Chorus Heaven spare this wounded heart of the burden she can no longer know. Anna Wicked couple, deepest revenge I do not call upon in this fatal hour. To the tomb, opened for me and awaiting me, I descend with pardon on my lips. May this grant me clemency and favor and the judgment of a merciful God! [Anna faints. The sheriffs arrive to take the prisoners.]