Huge Bargain: Maria Callas: Complete Studio Recordings

Buy from Amazon.com | Amazon UK | Amazon FR

Update: This set is currently available from Amazon France (via the above link) for EUR 30, or, if you are ordering from outside of France, EUR 25 plus shipping (VAT is not charged). I don’t know why the price has been lowered so much, but I can only assume it’s because the set is not selling. If you’re tempted at all by this set, it’s almost being given away right now!

(The following text was originally posted when the set went on sale in 2007.)

Brilliant Classics has clearly caused the recording industry to rethink how it sells its back catalog. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Maria Callas’ death (any reason is good for marketing), EMI is releasing a big box set, 70 CDs, containing all of Callas’ studio recordings. This box, retailing in France for EUR 99, but available from Amazon FR for about EUR 91, or from Amazon US for around $150, would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. EMI would have charged so much that few people would have bought it. But with Brilliant Classics bringing down the prices of “big boxes”, the majors no longer have a choice. After all, they’ve made so much money off these recordings that they could probably afford to give them away, and any real Callas fans have most of them anyway, so would have no reason to spend a lot for this set.

As for me, I don’t own a single recording by Callas; this has never been a style that has piqued my interest. Not only her divaness, but just the type of music it involves. Nevertheless, I might be tempted to buy a copy of this set, if only to expand my musical knowledge. And that’s a good thing; that’s exactly why EMI is releasing this set at such an affordable price.