Esoteric Karajan- Callas Set 9 Discs

A Classical masterpiece collection! The Maestro Herbert von Karajan featuring the famous opera diva Maria Callas in a Classical SACD Box Set in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Esoteric! Superb Sound!

Discs 1 & 2 represent Strauss' Salome performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Herbert von Karajan and features a first-class ensemble including Hildegard Behrens, Jose van Dam, Agnes Baltsa, and Karl-Walter Bohm.

Discs 3-5 contains Verdi's Aida as recorded in 1979 by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Herbert von Karajan. Soloists include Mirella Freni, Jose Carreras, Agnes Baltsa and more.

Bizet's Carmen is found on discs 6 & 7 with soprano Maria Callas accompanied by Orchestre du Théâtre National de L'opéra conducted by Georges Prêtre.

The final two discs in this 9-SACD box set contain Puccini's Tosca, again with soprano Maria Callas performing but this time alongside L'Orchestre la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire conducted by Georges Prêtre.

Strauss/Salome:
"Herbert von Karajan's 1978 recording of Strauss' Salome was controversial when it was released...a first-class ensemble featuring some of the best singers of the time in roles well suited for them, including Hildegard Behrens as Salome, José van Dam as Jochanaan, Agnes Baltsa as Herodias, and Karl-Walter Böhm as Herodes...the Wiener Philharmoniker, widely regarded in German-speaking countries as the finest opera orchestra in the world... wildly controversial was the conductor, who seemed more than willing to impose himself on the work. This is not to say that Karajan did not elicit tremendously effective performances from his forces both on-stage and in the pit. The singers deliver hair-raising interpretations of their parts that plumb the depths of their character's sick and twisted psyches, while the orchestra provides them with soul-searing accompaniments that place their characters inside a sound world of utmost sensuality and fatal decadence. All this, of course, is right and proper -- if anything about this opera could be called "right and proper" -- since Salome is correctly regarded as one of the most extreme of all fin de siècle operas. What was and still is controversial about Karajan's interpretation, however, is that he makes all this seem overwhelmingly beautiful and irresistibly seductive. When approaching the zenith of his worship of the sheer sensual beauty of sound, Karajan apparently felt the uncontrollable urge to make Salome sound as beautiful as La bohème, and the result is, in the truest sense of the word, deeply perverted." - James Leonard, allmusic.com

Bizet/Carmen:
"Maria Callas never sang Carmen on-stage, but the role seems custom-made for her strengths -- Carmen is fiery, volatile, infuriating, seductive -- and Callas is such a superb singing actress that she conveys the character's complexity with rare effectiveness. The critical acclaim and public affection for Callas' Carmen put it very high on any list of preferred versions of the opera. She has a terrific supporting cast, including Nicolai Gedda who is in excellent voice and who makes a believable, tragic Don José, a performance that has been deemed among the finest of his career. Andréa Guiot is a sweet Micaëla, and the rest of the cast is strong. Georges Prêtre leads l'Orchestre du Théâtre Nationale de l'Opéra and the Choeurs René Duclos in an exciting, idiomatic reading of the opera. EMI's sound is clean and present." - Stephen Eddins, allmusic.com

A Classical masterpiece collection!
The reissue of classical music masterpieces by ESOTERIC has attracted a lot of attention, both for its uncompromising commitment to recreating the original master sound, and for using hybrid Super Audio CD (SACD) technology to improve sound quality. This series marks the first hybrid SACD release of historical recording selections that have been mainstays of the catalog since their initial release. 

These new audio versions feature ESOTERIC’s proprietary re-mastering process to achieve the highest level of sound quality. 

ESOTERIC equipment used for re-mastering:
The criterion of re-mastering is to faithfully capture the quality of the original master. ESOTERIC’s flag ship D/A converters, model D-01VU, Rubidium master clock generator model G-0Rb and ESOTERIC MEXCEL interconnect cables and power cords, were all used for this re-mastering session. This combination of highly advanced technology greatly contributed to capturing the high quality sound of the original master. 

Experience by yourself...
Experience the legendary performance in this new Super Audio CD/CD format. Not only for new followers, but also for well experienced followers of these recorded materials. All will be equally impressed by the “soul” hidden within the notes, but never before found in previously released recordings in any format. 

Features:
• Limited to 1500 copies
• SA-CD/CD Hybrid
• EMI Classics
• DSD mastering / SA-CD layer: Stereo
• Box set / Deluxe Digipak packaging

Musicians: 
Strauss/Salome:
Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra)
Herbert von Karajan, conductor
Hildegard Behrens as Salome
José van Dam as Jochanaan
Agnes Baltsa as Herodias
Karl-Walter Böhm as Herodes
Verdi/Aida:
Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra)
Herbert von Karajan, conductor
Mirella Freni
Jose Carreras
Agnes Baltsa
Piero Cappuccilli
Ruggero Raimondi
Jose van Dam
Katia Ricciarelli
Thomas Moser
Bizet/Carmen:
Orchestre du Theatre National de L'opera 
Georges Prêtre, conductor
Choeurs René Duclos 
Jean LaFarge
Maria Callas, soprano
Andrea Guiot
Nicolai Gedda
Robert Massard
Puccini/Tosca:
L'Orchestre la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire
Georges Prêtre, conductor
Maria Callas, soprano
Carlo Bergonzi
Tito Gobbi

Selections: 
SACD 1 & 2: 
Richard Strauss "Salome"
(Libretto: Hedwig Lachmann after Oscar Wilde)

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Recorded: May 9-11, 13 & 16-18, 1977 & May 2, 1978; Sophiensaal, Vienna
Producer: Michael Glotz, Balance Engineers: James Lock & Arthur Lilley 

SACD 3, 4 & 5: 
Giyuseppe Verdi "Aida"

Vienna State Opera Chorus & Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Recorded: May 7-10 & 14-17, 1979 Musikvereinssaal, Vienna
Producer: Michel Glotz, Balance Engineer: Wolfgang Gülich 

SACD 6 & 7: 
Georges Bizet "Carmen"
(Meilhac & Halevy)

Orchestre du ThéâtreNational de L'opéra
Georges Prêtre, conductor
Choeurs René Duclos 
Maria Callas, soprano

Recorded: July 6-20, 1964, Salle, Wagram, Paris
Producer: Michel Glotz, Balance Engineer: Paul Vavasseur

SACD 8 & 9: 
Giacomo Puccini "Tosca"

L'Orchestre la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire
Georges Prêtre, conductor
Maria Callas, soprano

Recorded December 1964 & January 1965, Salle Wagram, Paris
Producer: Michel Glotz, Balance Engineer: Paul Vavasseur