Mitch Friedfeld wrote:

>After enjoying yet again the overture to La Forza, I've decided to buy
>a CD of the opera itself, which I've never heard.  Recommendations?
>Specifically, I'd like to know about the sound on the 1954 version with
>Callas and Tucker, conducted by Serafin, on Mailand.  It claims to be
>remastered, but is it at least comparable to Callas's Tosca of the same
>era?

Who/what is Mailand?  This is an EMI recording.  And of course they are
remastered, all such recordings, as they were LP recordings.  And all
EMI Callas have been remastered endless times and each remastering has
a different sound according to persons who specialize in this matter.
It may be that on another label (since the 50 year copyright is over)
there will not even be a libretto.  Opera sets without bilingual libretti
are worthless as your first recording.  I personally do not find that a
favorite Forza of mine.  What makes the Callas Tosca so great is that
it was one of her super-roles.  In my opinion none of her other Puccini
operas is really that fascinating.  As to Forza one also has to be careful
in using the word "version" as this is one of the Verdi operas that
exists in two versions, the St.  Petersburg original version and the
usually done revised version.  Forza is a truly fascinating opera with
a number of non-main characters who should never be ignored or deleted,
as sometimes did occur in some performances.

I have no personal recommendations except I find nothing special about
this Callas-Tucker.

Yoel