LA TEBALDI AND I

In the early 1950s, there was an enormous controversy and rivalry between  Renata Tebaldi and me.She was an Italian lyrico spinto soprano and sang nothing else. The contrast between my voice with its unconventional vocal qualities and Tebaldi's classically beautiful sound resurrected an argument as old as opera itself, namely, beauty of sound versus the expressive use of sound.

In 1951, Tebaldi and I were  booked for a  recital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Although we agreed that neither would perform encores,Tebaldi took  not just one but two, and I was incensed.It began the rivalryand it got worse and worse and became very  personal indeed

--- "I have one thing that Callas doesn't have: a heart"

I answered back in Time magazine

--- It's ridiculous to compare our voices, it's like  "comparing Champagne with Coca Cola .We can be rivals only  when Tebaldi sings Norma or Medea one night and Lucia and Anna Bolena the next, as far I am concerned La Tebaldi would never be able to do what I did at the Venice opera in 1949. Signora Tebaldi essays only late Verdi and verismo parts.Not surprising the signora has a ESSAYS ONY sIGNORA tEBALDI 

According to John Ardoin, however, these two singers should never have been compared.^[16] Tebaldi was trained byCarmen Melis, a noted verismo specialist, and she was rooted in the early 20th century Italian school of singing just as firmly as Callas was rooted in 19th century bel canto.^[16] Callas was a dramatic soprano, whereas Tebaldi considered herself essentially a lyric soprano. Callas and Tebaldi generally sang a different repertoire: in the early years of her career, Callas concentrated on the heavy dramatic soprano roles and later in her career on the bel canto repertoire, whereas Tebaldi concentrated on late Verdi and verismo roles, where her limited upper extension^[31] and her lack of a florid technique were not issues.^[16] They shared a few roles, including Tosca in Puccini's opera and La Gioconda, which Tebaldi performed only late in her career.

Yes we were rivals, and we didn't like each other, nothing personal I only wanted to dethrone her as the Prima Dona Assoluta of Italy and she didn't like what I stood for,for her as for every one before and after her, singing was singing, acting on stage and acting with the voice was for the birds.I agree that she  had little things going for her and I said so publicly

-- "I admire Tebaldi's tone; it's beautiful,also  has some beautiful phrasing. Sometimes, not always I actually wish I had her voice.and I like her sound judgement" At one point of her career she wanted to essay La Gioconda and asked  Francis Robinson of the Met to recommend a recording so she could listen and learn. Being fully aware of our rivalry, he recommended Zinka Milanov's version. A few days later, he went to visit Tebaldi,  to find her listening to my recording. She then looked up at him and asked,more than her singing I admire her sound judgement.

 ----"Why didn't you tell me Maria's was the best?". The rivalry was very good , because it created much publicity and  enormous interest about us, very good in the end.

--- Her voice is very different,is really something unusual, from now on she stayed near the radio every time  that there was something on radio by me.

Vocal decline[edit]