11 July 1958 - Milan,
RAI - Gencer, Bertocci, Clabassi, Rota; Gavazzeni
Photographs
Together again, Callas as Bolena and Simionato as Seymour at La Scala in 1957
with Callas in Anna Bolena
In rehersals with Visconti and Siepi at La Scala 1958
Seymour at La Scala in 1958
Recordings
17 April 1957 - La
Scala - Callas, Rossi Lemeni, Raimondi; Gavazzeni
11 July 1958 - Milan,
RAI - Gencer, Bertocci, Clabassi, Rota; Gavazzeni
Reviews
April 1957 "...the
evening belonged to Simionato. The great Callas has shared some of the
laurels , and not the least important, that had been reserved for her, and
she did so very gallantly., Giulietta Simionato, tackling a role whose
tessitura lies dangerously high for a mezzo- and is besides alternately
impassioned or imperious in the grand manner -offered her spellbound
audience the fruits of her superb and dependable artistic maturity. She was
acclaimed without respite and called again and again to the footlights and
even applauded in mid-scene. Gian Galeazzo Severi, Settimo Giorno,
April 27, 1957
October 7 "Signorina
Simionato is a singer of dramatic temperament. Even in this modified concert
version she gave the impression of tension and action. Her voice is big and
expertly used; in the first half she sang constantly at the full and her
tones seemed to spread. But as she warmed up, she managed to control and
focus them. She began to add refinement to power, and at the end of her
scene with the King in the second act the audience yelled as if Mantle had
hit a home run." Howard Taubman, The New York Times,
October 8, 1957.
April 1958 "For her
part, La Simionato seemed to be a worthy rival of the soprano lead on her
own turf whether in regal magnificence of their portrays or, if nothing
else, in the fiery, sun-like expressiveness of singing that was radiant,
vivid, rich." Franco Abbiati, Corriere della Sera,
April 10, 1958.
April 1958 "As far as
La Simionato is concerned she has not given any sign that there are limits
to her bravura. A year ago we thought we had heard her at the height of her
powers. This year she appears to have gone further. She is a great singer,
musical to the highest degree and most generous with her talent, as well as
a persuasive and intelligent actress, who succeeds miraculously in blending
her voice and gestures with those of La Callas - in blending so many
personal characteristics as to astound anyone who considers the technical
difficulty of being so skilful at the same time as she is required to be so
humble and sensitive." Luigi Gianoli, April 10, 1958
Anecdotes
During rehearsals for Anna Bolena at La Scala in 1957, Callas, who was
only playing about, amused herself by giving Simionato a few slaps on the
back. At one point the force of her unexpected blow caused Simionato such
pain that she instinctively slapped Callas's cheek- hard enough to leave the
imprint of her hand. Visconti, who witnesses the incident said that with
tears in her eyes Callas said that nobody had ever hit her that hard, not
even her mother who hated her. The friction didn't last and in fact they
were arm in arm half an hour later.
The 1957 performance was a huge success, among
those in the audience were the wife of the President of the Republic, the
entire Royal Family of Liechtenstein, nearly the entire diplomatic corps of
all the major governments
Simionato's New York debut took place on October
7, 1957, in a concert performance of Anna Bolena at the Town Hall. There was
a five minute applause after her first aria and it was such a sensation
another performance had to be put on at Carnegie Hall.
