Maria Callas (The Complete Studio Recordings 1949-1969)

I own the Membran box set with all of Callas's Studio (taken from the EMI box set) and Live operas. So I thought after fans of Von Karajan's raved about Warner's remastering of his EMI recordings, I must buy Warner's "Callas remastered".I am glad I did. However, the review is rather long, for I have included every detail about the Box and CD's that I can think of. (SEE my reviews further down).According to the hard covered booklet, Alan Ramsey, one of the team of engineers responsible for the remastering at Abbey Road Studio, states " Digital editing software has become so sophisticated that we can correct problems which were insoluble even a few years ago. The listener will experience something as close as possible to the actual recording sessions. How then does this new release of Callas's studio output differ from previous releases? Her recordings have been remastered in the mid-1980's, then they were transfered to CD and then again in 1997-and there have been other reissues in the EMI Great recordings series. why now? Whats new? Some of the tapes from the 1950's are becoming increasingly hard to work with, so its vital we transfer them, using the most sophisticated technology we have, while we still can. Part of the problem was that the quality of the transfers have not been ideal. To explain a digital remastering is by using a digital camera as an example. Imagine the difference in image clarity between a 1 megapixel camera and a 12-megapixel camera. So with high definition, which can operate at 96kHz and 24 bits, we are extending the range higher, with more detail, then ever before." Translated you will hear sounds you were not able to hear before. "Nobody should be able to notice it. We are wiping the glass clean. There is no artistic interference". says Ramsey. Tech heads will love this, for there is much more about this subject in the booklet.I own a lot of box sets, and have seen them evolve over a number of years. Warner has learnt from the mistakes made with some box sets, and came up with a new solution. The very tough cardboard box lid is bright red and covers the box, which is as long as the Membran Callas box set. The Red lid is higher than the Britten complete works box set. On the top of the lid is Maria Callas's signature, and along the side in white large lettering her name, plus remastered, the complete studio recordings 1949-1969. Also, I must mention the fact, that the box looks like a red stop sign. There is a paper with pictures of the CD sleeves, held at the side of the box by the plastic wrap. I would keep that for reference. The box itself is black. There is another box inside, which allows for a space where you can put the hard covered booklet, plus the information paper. In the area, where the CDs are placed, which are divided into two, there are two slanted bottoms. Thus when you take the lid off you can see the sleeves immediately, because operas names and recital titles are placed on the spine and the side; the sleeves are low at the bottom and higher at the top, which is a unique idea. Covering the CDs is a slanted piece of rubber protecting them. I must point out, when reading the spine, place the sleeves the right way up and not upside down, as then the CDs will fall out.The sleeves are the originals, I know for I once owned them on LP. On the back, are the singers and their roles, on a background with diffferent colours, which match the center of the CD, created like a LP. Inside each cardboard sleeve are 1-3 CDs, each CD in a black paper sleeve, with the Composer, opera, or recital, Acts and CD number, plus Orchestra, conductor and Year recorded. On the back with a white background, the track numbers, arias, and roles. Inside the cardboard sleeve, is a small booklet with information about Callas and the recording. This is in English, German, Italian and French. You can read the words too. The way they have dealt with the CDs is a first, for generally with two CDs you have two sleeves joined together which folds in twoThere is no CD number on the Sleeves, only the CD. The reason being, Warner are not dictating to you how you wish to set up the box. They have placed them in the order in which they were recorded. But you can put the Verdi and Puccini operas in your own order, plus the recitals afterwards. Most are MONO with STEREO.ADD. I shall point out the stereo recordings next to the composers name, in the reviews on the CDs. There is a CD-ROM with the libretti. This CD Rom contains electronic booklets which can be accessed from any computer equipped with a CD-Rom drive and Abode Acrobat 6.0. The booklet has many pictures of Callas and essay's; the complete studio recordings; the new technology; the engineer's Perspective, which are also written in German, French and Italian. In all 131 pages. No index of recordings, or track numbers and arias in this booklet. They are on the paper sleeves, which are placed in the cardboard sleeve. But it is interesting to note, that Warner owns the EMI and Cetra recordings, and they have licenced others from various companies. To sum up, this is a box that celebrates Callas, as Decca did with Britten's complete works box set.I shall explain Callas. She brought back to the Bel Canto roles emotion, and brought character to the roles. She was taught by Elvira de Hidalgo, once a light Coloratura of the Galli-Curci type. Normally, as Christiansen states, with a Greek voice like hers, black, strident but vibratoless, a sound of tragic absolutes, she should have been groomed for verismo types. De Hilalgo seems to have brightened and coloured her timbre. She had a great dramatic voice trained to sing little girl roles like Rosina, Lucia and Gilda, which Callas did. However, it was Serafin in 1948 after he conducted her Norma's, that he gave her the unprecedented, almost lunatic feat of singing Brunnhilde in die Walkure and Elvira in Bellini's I Puritani within days of each other.Serafin had a profound understanding of the great Italian tradition represented by the art of Pasta, Malibran and Grisi, and the music Bellini and Donizetti had provided for them. It was above all he who led what became known as the Belcanto revival. Meaning revival of the dramatic potental of Coloratura singing as opposed to the evergreen nightingale aspect. This begun before Callas who was a restorer rather than a revolutionary. In the 1920's and 1930's many dramatic soprano's sang Bellini's Norma, such as Gina Cigna. Then there was Rosa Ponselle, who Serafin had worked with closely in Norma and Spontini's La Vestale. But Callas had the magic ingredient which the previous generation did not have, a true coloratura. John Ardoin in his book the Callas Legacy, stated that she had been schooled to push her voice beyond its natural limit. She demanded more from her voice than it could deliver. Yet had she not put herself in less peril, taken fewer chances, she would never have been Callas.THE FIRST RECORDINGS: (1949) WAGNER: Tristan und Isolde. Dolce e Colmo. Liebestod. BELLINI: Norma. Casta Diva. Ah! Bella a me ritorna. I puritiani. O rendetemi la speme. Vien,diletto,e in ciel la luna. Orchestra Sinfonica di Torino della RAI. Cond Arturo Basile. The engineers have returned to the original 78's, bringing new clarity and brilliance to a classic album, with spellbinding and astonishing singing by the 25 year old Callas. For example, in the Sony box set Verdi at the Met, you have La Traviata, recorded for radio in 1935, with Ponselle. However, I owned the Pearl version, from which you could hardly hear anything, than the Naxos which was better. But with the Met remastered version you can hear Ponselle in all her glory. Celemony Capstan software was used on these releases, but is not as good as this Warner remastering of Callas recordings.PONCHIELLI:(1952) La Gioconda. Callas, Barbieri, Neri, Poggi, Orchestra Sinfonica di Torino della RAI. Cond Votto. The early Gioconda features Callas with a volcanic like power. The chest voice is high, employed with searing intensity. For example, Callas delivers a white hot Gioconda and Laura duet, surpassing any on disc for she is captured at her youthful best. Barbieri is a powerful Laura. However, the rest of the cast let them both down.VERDI:(1953) La Traviata. Callas, Albanese, Savarese, Orch Sinfonica di Torino della RAI. Cond Gabriele Santini. I have always liked this La Traviata, where Callas was at her youthful best, and the rest of the cast supported her well. Albanese is good as Alfredo. The original Cetra recording was digitally remastered in 1991 and sounded as though it were recorded in a cavern. However, this Warner remastering makes it one of the great La Traviatas with a Violetta to Cherish. I own the famous Giulini 1955 live version.DONIZETTI: (1953) Lucia di Lammermoor. Callas, Di Stefano, Gobbi & Arie. This is a tragic characterization by Callas, with her irrestible musical imagination and her ability to turn a well-known phrase into something different. There are fine contributions from Gobbi and Di Stefano. Often nominated as one of the great sets in recording History. I also own the 1955 live version in Berlin cond by Von Karajan, for there is nothing like Callas Live.BELLINI: (1953) I Puritani. Callas, Di Stefano, Panerai, Rossi-Lemeni. Coro and Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano. Cond Serafin. Callas discovered undreamed of-emotional depths in Elvira's dilemma. A superb momento of Callas in her prime, for she is unforgettable and uniquely compelling. Di Stefano voice is at his youthful best and is hard to resist. Serafin's conducting is is a masterly demonstration of how BelCanto should be accompanied.PUCCINI: (1953) Tosca. Callas, Di Stefano, Gobbi, Orchestra del teatro alla Scala di Milano. Cond De Sabata. Callas totally identifies with Tosca the prima Donna and creates her into a tragic figure. Gobbi makes the police Chief into a totally belieable figure and Di Stefano was at his finest. De Sabata interpretation is lyrical as well as dramatic. These CDs are still thought to be the greatest recording of this Opera. I must point out that Callas was the introduction to opera for some of us. For I heard her when aged 15 and was blown away and I still am. Penguin Classical Guide awarded a rosette to this opera, meaning it is excellent.MASCAGNI:(1953) Cavalleria Rusticana. Callas, Di Stefano, Panerai. Orch Teatro alla Scala cond Serafin. Callas gives a totally distinctive characterization which is matched by few others. I suppose I am biased. The singing of the other principals is just as dramatic. Serafin gives ths music its full power.LEONCAVALLO: (1954) I Pagliacci. Callas, Di Stefano, Gobbi, Monti, Panerai. Orchestra Teatro Alla Scala. Cond Serafin. Callas finds extra intensity and meaning, so that the performance is worth listening to for her alone. But she is never conventional. Gobbi's bite of his voice and its distinctive sound is unique. Again Di Stefano is at his finest, as these three often were when singing together.BELLINI:(1954) Norma. Callas, Flippeschi, Stignani, Rossi-Lemeni. Orch del Teatro alla Scala di Milano. Cond Serafin. At this period, Callas had slimmed down. This is one of her most powerful performances, recorded at the peak of her powers. Ebe Stignani, as Adalgisa is a worthy partner in the duets. Regarded as a Classic of the CD catalogue. Serafin was a great Belcanto conductor.VERDI: (1954) La Forza Del Destino.Callas, Tucker, Tagliabue, Rossi-Lemini, Capecchi, Clabassi. Orchestra del teatro alla Scala di Milano. Cond Serafin. Callas's performance is electrifying, for she puts her individual stamp on even the familar passages. Tucker sings superbly and Rossi-Lemini singing is good. Serafin's direction is dramatic and well paced, for he was one of the greatest Italian operatic conductors.ROSSINI: (1954) IL Turco in Italia.Callas, Rossi-Lemini, Gedda, De Palma & Stabile.Orchestra Teatro alla Scala cond Gavazzeni.It is vintage Callas, her first uniquely essay in operatic comedy. This recording gained a rosette, awarded by Penguin classical guide, which means it is excellent.CALLAS SINGS OPERATIC ARIAS BY PUCCINI:(1954) Manon Lescaut. In quelle trine morbide. Solo, perduta, abbandonata. Madame Butterfly. Un bel di vedremo. Con onor muore. La Boheme. Si, Mi chiamono Mimi. Donde lieta usci. Suor angelica. Senza mamma. Gianni Schicchi. O mio babino caro. Turandot. Signore, ascolta! In questa reggia. Tu che di gel sei cinta. Philharmonia orchestra cond Serafin. Gramophone stated "It is, indeed, one of the great recitals. Phrase after phrase, one character after another: everything is special"CALLAS SINGS OPERATIC ARIAS: (1954) CILEA: Adriana Lecouvreur. Ecco: respiro appena. Io son i'umile ancella. Poveri fiori. GIORDANO: Andrea Chenier. La mama morta. CATALANI: La Wally. Ebben? ne andro lontana. BOITO: Mefistofele. L'altra notte in fondo al mare. ROSSINI: Il barbiere di Siviglia. Una Voce poco fa. MEYERBEER: Dinorah. Ombra leggera. DELIBES: Lakme. Dov'e l indiana bruna. VERDI: I Vespri siciliani. Merce, dilette amiche. Philharmonia Orch cond Serafin. Callas's portrait of Rosina in Una voce was never more viperish than here. Also, she never surpassed the heart-felt intensity of such numbers of La mamma morta and Poveri fiori. This CD has many claims to be the finest single Callas recital on CD.VERDI: (1955) Rigoletto. Callas, Gobbi, Di Stefano, Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano. Cond Tullio Serafin. There has never been a more compelling performance of Rigoletto than that of of this Classic set, for Gobbi was a great singer actor. Callas is imaginative as Gilda and Di Stefano is at his best in the part of the Duke. According to Tony Locantro in his notes on this opera, he states that this recording was recently in 2014, selected by Gramophone magazine as the best of all available versions of Rigoletto. Not bad for a 1955 recording.VERDI: (1955) Aida. Callas, Tucker, Barbieri, Gobbi, Zaccaria.Orchestra Teatro Alla Scala di Milano.Cond Serafin. Penguin classical Guide 1993, thought that Callas's voice and that of Gobbi, two of the most characterful of the century, are vividly caught, to make this a classic indispensable set. The Nile scene has never been more powerfully performed on record than in this set. Barbieri is a commanding Amneris and Tucker gives one of his finest performances on record. Callas's imagination in the singing of the part of Aida is irresistible.CALLAS AT LA SCALA: BELLINI: La Sonnambula. Compagne, teneri amici. Oh! se una volta solo Ah! non giunge. CHERUBINI: Medea. Dei tuoi figli. SPONTINI: Ti che invoco. O Nume tutelar. Caro aggetto. Orch del teatro alla Scala di Milano cond Serafin. When Callas heard the tapes, she withheld her approval of the Sonnambula items and the release of the album was postponed indefinitely. A few of the items ended up on various LPs. However, the material is now assembled for the first time in the order intended for the original LP release that never took place. (From the notes.)PUCCINI:(1955) Madame Butterfly. Callas, Lucia Danieli, Gedda, Ercolani. Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano cond Von Karajan. Callas's view and imaginative conducting by Von Karajan gives extra dimension to Butterfly. John Steane wrote " miraculously, it is the 15 year old girl and not the great Callas who stands before us". Gedda as Pinkerton is a less caddish and more thoughful character than usual.PUCCINI: (1956) La Boheme. Callas, Di Stefano, Panerai, Zaccaria, Anna Moffo. Orch del Teatro alla Scala di Milano cond Votto. Callas's insights make for a vibtantly involving performance; very moving in the extreme. Act 3 is heartrendering. Di Stefano is in excellent voice and Moffo and Panerai make a strong partnership as the second pair of lovers. Votto directs with energy.VERDI: (1956) IL Trovatore. Callas, Panerai, Barbieri, Di Stefano, Zaccaria. Orch del Teatro alla Scala di Milano. Cond Von Karajan. In 1955 Jussi Bjorling declared Callas was the finest Leonora in his experience. She gives the character a depth of character which is created by her dramatic singing. Barbieri is a magnificent Azucena and Panerai a strong Count. Swift tempi from Von Karajan. The finest Il Trovatore recorded; one by which others are judged.VERDI: (1956) Un Ballo in Maschera.Callas, Di Stefano, Gobbi, Barbieri, Zaccaria. Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano. Cond Votto. One of the best of the sets with Callas from La Scala. She brings her familar intensity to the music, also Di Stefano was at the top of his career in 1956. Cast from strength with Gobbi in top form.BELLINI:(1957) La Sonnambula. Callas, Cossotto, Zaccaria, Monti. Orchestra del Teatro del teatro alla Scala di Milano. Cond Votto. Callas transported this opera to the age of Pasta, for whom it was created, offering her share of vocal fireworks-but in the name of expression. Parts of the opera are cut. Monti makes a strong contribution, but blends well with Callas in the duets. Mezzo Cossotto is a good Teresa.ROSSINI:(1957) Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Gobbi, Callas, Alva, Zaccaria. Philharmonia Orchestra cond Galliera. Gobbi and Callas were here at their most inspired. Callas remains supreme as the minx-like Rosina.PUCCINI:(1957) Turandot. Callas, Fernandi, Schwarzkopf, Zaccaria.Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano. Cond Serafin. Callas seems to make the character more believable than the others. Schwarzkopf or Mrs Legge, the producers wife, who was known as Her Masters voice, makes Liu more distinctive than usual. Fernandi timbre is pleasing enough as Calaf. Serafin's conducting suits Schwarzkopf and Callas.PUCCINI:(1957) Manon Lescaut.Callas, Fioravanti, Di Stefano, Calabrese, Cossotto. Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano. Cond Serafin who is electrifying. Typically, Callas turns the final scene into the most compelling part of the opera. Di Stefano is inspired to one of his finest complete opera recordings.CHERUBINI: (1957) STEREO. Medea. Callas, Scotto, Pirazzini, Giacomotti, Picchi. Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano. Cond Serafin. This is an example of the fire eating Callas. A cut text is used with Italian instead of the usual French. This opera includes the young Renata Scotto.MAD SCENES CALLAS:(1958) STEREO. DONIZETTI:. Anna Bolena. Piangete Voi? Al dolce guidami castel natio. Monica Sinclair Contralto. John Lanigan tenor. Joseph Rouleau bass. Duncan Robertson tenor. THOMAS: Hamlet. A vos jeux. BELLINI: Il pirata. Oh! s'o io potessi. Philharmonia Orch Cond Nicola Rescigno. About this collection a critic suggested, that it summed up the essence of Callas's genius.CALLAS PORTRAYS VERDI HEROINES 1.: (1958) STEREO. Macbeth. Nel di della vittoria..Vien! t'affretta. La luce langue. Una macchia e qui tuttora. Nabucco Ben io t'invenni. Ernani. Ernani, Ernani, involami. Don Carlo Te che le vanita. Philharmonia Orch cond Rescigno. Abigaille and Elisabeth all come out as real figures, sharply individual, such was Callas's art. A pity she did not record Macbeth in the studio.DONIZETTI:(1959) STEREO. Lucia di Lammermoor Callas, Tagliavini, Cappucclli, Elkins. Philharmonia Orch cond Serafin. Callas's interpretation remains unique. Tagliavini he once of honey tones, is a bit past his prime. Serafin's conducting is ideal. Producer Walter Legge, his wife was Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, stated that Callas's voice was changing again, becoming darker and lower-centered.PONCHIELLI:(1959) STEREO. La Gioconda. Callas, Cossotto, Vinco, Cappucclli. Orchestra del teatro alla Scala di Milano. Cond Votto. At the time of the recording Callas had left her husband and was living with Onassis. She arrived in Milan in love and in glorious voice. Callas gave one of her most vibrant, compelling, totally inspired performances on record in this opera. This encouraged Cappucclli and Cossotto both at the beginning of their careers to give of their best. Votto has never done anything finer on record. This is Callas at her greatest.BELLINI: (1960) STEREO. Norma. Callas, Corelli, Christa Ludwig, Zaccaria, De Palma. Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano. Her interpretation was as sharply illuminating as ever, helped by a strong cast. Ludwig as Adalgisa brings not just rich, firm tone but also a real feeling for Italian style. Corelli sings heroically. Serafin as ever understood Belcanto music and his conducting shows this. This Norma offers more than its share of gorgeous singing from Callas, you could say Callas is Norma. The role she is known for more than any other. However, this new remastering of this stereo recording brings you closer to one of the greatest of opera singers.CALLAS SINGS GREAT ARIAS FROM FRENCH OPERAS. PARIS 1.: (1961) STEREO. Orchestre national de la Radiodiffusion Francaise cond Georges Pretre. GLUCK: Orphee et Eurydice. J'ai perdu mon Eurydice. Alceste. Divinities du Styx. BIZET: Carmen. L'amour est un oiseau rebelle. Pres des remparts de Seville. SAINT-SAENS: Samson et Dalila. Printemps qui commence. Mon Coeur's ouvre a ta voix. THOMAS: Ah, pour ce soir... Je suis Titania. MASSENET: Le Cid. De cet affreux combat. CHARPENTIER: Louise. Depuis le joir. Here Callas is at her most commanding.CALLAS A PARIS 2: (1963) STEREO. GLUCK: Iphigenie en Tauride. O malheureuse iphigenie!. BERLIOZ: Damnation of Faust. D' amore l' ardente flamme. BIZET: Pearlfishers. Me voila seule. Manon. Adieu notre petite table. Werther Air des lettres. GOUNOD. il etat un Roi de Thule.BEETHOVEN:(1963-1964)STEREO. Ah! perfido. MOZART: Don Giovanni. Or sai chi l'onore. Nozze di Figaro. Porgi,amor. Weber. Ocean! thou mighty monster. Don Giovanni. Non mi dir. orchestre de la societe des Concerts du Conservatoire. Cond Rescigno. ROSSINI & DONIZIETTI ARIAS: (1963-1964) STEREO. ROSSINI: La Cenerentola. Non piu mesto. William Tell. Selvo opaco. DONIZETTI: La Figlia del reggimento. Convien partir. ROSSINI: Semiramide. Bel raggio lusinghier. DONIZETTI: Lucrezia Borgia. Com'e bello. L'elsir d' amore. Prendi, prendi; per me sei libero. Orchestre de la societe des Concerts du Conservatoire cond Rescigno. VERDI ARIAS 2: (1963-1964) STEREO. Othello. Ave Maria. Aroldo. Ciel, Ch'io respiril. Don Carlo. O Don fatale. Aroldo. O Cielo! Dove son io. Don Carlo. Non pianger, mia compagna. Orchestra de la societe des concerts du Conservatorire cond Rescigno. O Don Fatale is very theatrical. Actually, whatever Callas sang there were moments she brought to life unlike anyone else. She asked for Rescigno to be her conductor in these recitals as they worked well together.BIZET: Carmen.(1964) STEREO. Callas, Gedda, Guiot, Massard, Berbie. Orchestre du Theatre national de l' opera de Paris conduct Pretre. Carmen should suit Callas, but Callas remains Callas, but she does bring out the inner fire of Carmen. Pretre brings out the Frenchness of the score with swift conducting. I do like this recording.PUCCINI:(1964-1965) STEREO. Tosca. Callas, Bergonzi, Gobbi. Orchestre de la society des Concerts du Conservatoire cond Pretre. With a cast like this, Callas brings all her experience to this role, that she did not have in 1953 when she recorded the famous De Sabata Tosca version. The conducting suits the overall concept.THE CALLAS RARITIES. You do get to hear the first two tracks made for the producer Walter Legge to get the feeling of working with Maria Callas. In 1960 Callas began a series of 'working sessions' in London under Antonio Tonini. The intention was for Callas to retrain her voice after vocal problems that had beset her at the end of the 1950's. Plus CD ROM LIBRETTI.I would only do this for Maria. I hope you enjoy this set as much as I have.DVDS about Callas. I own Tony Palmer's film about Callas's life. Also Medea directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, now in Bluray. Callas is Medea. Also,a film Callas forever, about what if Callas made a return to the stage in a different medium. Directed by Zeffirelli who knew her very well, he directed her in a few operas.References: Booklet: Maria Callas. 2014. Warner's. Christiansen, R. Prima Donna. A history. 1995. Pimlico. Gruber,P. (Ed) The Met Guide to Recorded Opera. 1993. Thames and Hudson. The Penguin Guide to Classical music, 1993, 1996 and 2008. Penguin Books. Steane,J.B. The Grand Tradition. Seventy years of singing on record.1900- 1970. 1974. Duckworth.

I would expect that most purchasers of this already have at least one of the operas / recitals it contains already. (I already had the pair of Toscas and one other opera, for example.) Thanks to a library that has the 2007 remastered version, I've heard that too.This is better, certainly in terms of the audio quality.Compared to the 2007 version, there are a few moments where the orchestra is not as solid, but throughout the set Callas's voice - the reason you're considering getting this - and the other voices are very noticeably better. (And this is from someone who can rarely tell the difference between a CD or FLAC file and a high rate MP3 version of the same track!)So why return it? The basic reason is that Momox sent me a set missing two of the operas! The earlier (mono) Tosca and the Madame Butterfly, to be precise. Having heard the difference this remastering makes, I am not missing that on those, but the partial refund offered was less than the cost of acquiring those two separately. (Instead, I'm being expected to bear the cost of sending a 4kg parcel back, despite the problem being at their end.)There are other quibbles too. I would love to hear Warner's justification for having such short notes on each set: a few paragraphs on a CD-sized page. Did they not own the rights to the longer essays that were included in the 2007 releases? A significant pile of money must have been spent on the remastering for this release alone - any additional cost for proper notes must have been minimal in comparison.Similarly, the libretti are all contained on a single CD-ROM rather than being on paper form. Great, it saves space, but you can't print these out sensibly at all: they're formatted for non-standard sized very wide landscape pages with three (typically German, French and English) or four (those three plus Italian) columns of lyrics / translations. From the info in the files, I can see Quark Express was used to format them and it did it so that you cannot copy the whole of, say, the English translation at once, but have to do it aria by aria. That CD holds just over 10MB of data because the images that were on the equivalent disc on the earlier release have gone. Why there could not have been several 'original language plus single translation' versions, one for each translation, formatted for a standard portrait paper size, I don't know.I'm also not a fan of the cardboard CD slipcases. The ones for the 2 CD sets are too shallow, so that fitting the notes micro-booklet and two discs in can be hard (even for the packing machines: several already had bent corners). For some reason, the spine labelling highlights the COMPOSER and MARIA CALLAS / CONDUCTOR over the name of the opera / recital disc. Erm, she did rather a lot of operas by Puccini and Verdi, so it would be good to see the name of the opera clearly. We know it's MARIA CALLAS, that's the set it's in! (Or is this how they're sold separately and they haven't bothered to do new slipcases for the collection? That must have saved pennies!)Finally, it would have been nice to have had the admission that EMI / Warner have completely lost the original tapes for Madea (the remastering for that was done on the work done for the 1990 release) somewhere other than in tiny print at the end of the main essay on the remastering work. Compared to the larger 'new transfers from the original master tapes' blurb here and throughout the set itself, it feels a little shabby. A bit like managing to lose the tapes themselves, really.But despite all that, if you get a complete set, your ears can't do better than this if you want them in a physical format.