Lady Macbeth Battle Royale: Callas vs. Rysanek

Lady Macbeth's act I aria and cabaletta "Vieni, t'affretta" Maria Callas and Leonie Rysanek were iconic Ladies Macbeth. In fact, Rysanek made her auspicious Met debut in this role, replacing Callas who was quarreling with the management at the time. An excerpt from a review of the performance: "There may be talk as to whether Maria Callas would have been a more edgy, gore-obsessed Lady Macbeth had she not quarrelled with the Met management and lost the chance. Misguided fans of Callas shouted her name aloud (she's in Italy at the moment) in regret that this was not be her night. It was very definitely Mme. Rysanek's. Seldom does any soprano, especially on a debut register so dramatically. No matter that the Met held the lights, the curtain and the music to allow the third act ovation to exhaust its full force. The point is that the soprano had built up a magnificent head of audience steam. She may well cherish this performance forevermore as a, or the, peak of her career." (from Variety, signed by 'Land') Excerpts: Callas, live 1952, cond. Victor de Sabata Leonie Rysanek, 1959, cond. Erich Leinsdorf