Commented
Discography of Mozart Da Ponte Operas
by RML
re:opera
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~Le
Nozze di Figaro
1 - Cheryl Studer (The Countess), Sylvia McNair (Susanna), Cecilia
Bartoli (Cherubino), Boje Skovhus (The Count), Lucio Gallo (Figaro),
Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Claudio
Abbado
2 - Cheryl Studer (The Countess), Marie McLaughlin (Susanna), Gabriele
Sima (Cherubino), Ruggero Raimondi (The Count), Lucio Gallo (Figaro),
Wiener Staatsopenchor und Orchester, Claudio Abbado
3 - Heather Harper (The Countess), Judith Blegen (Susanna), Teresa
Berganza (Cherubino), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (The Count), Geraint
Evans (Figaro), John Alldis Choir, English Chamber Orchestra, Daniel
Barenboim
4 - Gundula Janowitz (The Countess), Edith Mathis (Susanna), Tatiana
Troyanos (Cherubino), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (The Count), Hermann
Prey (Figaro), Chor und Orchester der Deutschen Oper, Karl Böhm
5 - Kiri Te Kanawa (The Countess), Mirella Freni (Susanna), Maria Ewing
(Cherubino), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (The Count), Hermann Prey (Figaro),
Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Karl Böhm
6 - Gundula Janowitz (The Countess), Lucia Popp (Susanna), Agnes Baltsa
(Cherubino), Bernd Weikl (The Count), Hermann Prey (Figaro), Chor und
Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, Karl Böhm
7 - Jessye Norman (The Countess), Mirella Freni (Susanna), Yvonne Minton
(Cherubino), Ingvar Wixell (The Count), Wladimiro Ganzarolli (Figaro),
BBC Symphony Chorus and Orchestra, Colin Davis
8 - Hillevi Martinpelto (The Countess), Alison Hagley (Susanna), Pamela
Helen Stephen (Cherubino), Rodney Gilfry (The Count), Bryn Terfel (Figaro),
The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Elliot Gardiner
9 - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (The Countess), Anna Moffo (Susanna), Fiorenza
Cossotto (Cherubino), Eberhard Wächter (The Count), Giuseppe Taddei
(Figaro), Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra, Carlo Maria Giulini
10 - Renée Fleming (The Countess), Alison Hagley (Susanna),
Maria-Ange Todorovich (Cherubino), Andreas Schmidt (The Count), Gerald
Finley (Figaro), Glyndenbourne Festival Chorus, London Philharmonic
Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
11 - Charlotte Margiono (The Countess), Barbara Bonney (Susanna), Petra
Lang (Cherubino), Thomas Hampson (The Count), Anton Scharinger (Figaro),
Nederlands Operakoor, Concertgebouw Orkest, Nikolaus Harnoncourt
12 - Eva Mei (The Countess), Isabel Rey (Susanna), Liliana Nikiteanu
(Cherubino), Rodney Gilfry (The Count), Carlos Chausson (Figaro), Opernhaus
Zürichs Chor und Orchester, Nikolaus Harnoncourt
13 - Dorothea Röschmann (The Countess), Anna Netrebko (Susanna),
Christine Schäfer (Cherubino), Boje Skovhus (The Count), Ildebrando
d'Arcangelo (Figaro), Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener
Philharmoniker, Nikolaus Harnoncourt
14 - Véronique Gens (The Countess), Patrizia Ciofi (Susanna),
Angelika Kirchschlager (Cherubino), Simon Keenlyside (The Count), Lorenzo
Regazzo (Figaro), Collegium Vocale Gent, Concerto Köln, René
Jacobs
15 - Annette Dasch (The Countess), Rosemary Joshua (Susanna), Angelika
Kirchschlager (Cherubino), Pietro Spagnoli (The Count), Luca Pisaroni
(Figaro), Choeur du Théâtre des Champs-Elysées,
Concerto Köln, René Jacobs
16 - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (The Countess), Irmgard Seefried (Susanna),
Sena Jurinac (Cherubino), George London (The Count), Erich Kunz (Figaro),
Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan
17 - Anna Tomowa-Sintow (The Countess), Ileana Cotrubas (Susanna),
Frederica von Stade (Cherubino), Tom Krause (The Count), José
van Dam (Figaro), Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Herbert
von Karajan
18 - Carol Vaness (The Countess), Nuccia Focile (Susanna), Suzanne
Mentzer (Cherubino), Alessandro Corbelli (The Count), Alastair Miles
(Figaro), Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus, Charles Mackerras
19 - Danielle Borst (The Countess), Sophie Marin-Degor (Susanna), Laura
Polverelli (Cherubino), Nicolas Rivenq (The Count), Hubert Claessens
(Figaro), La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy, Jean-Claude
Malgoire
20 - Lucia Popp (The Countess), Barbara Hendricks (Susanna), Agnes
Baltsa (Cherubino), Ruggero Raimondi (The Count), José van Dam
(Figaro), Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields,
Neville Marriner
21 - Karita Mattila (The Countess), Marie McLaughlin (Susanna), Monica
Bacelli (Cherubino), Lucio Gallo (The Count), Michele Pertusi (Figaro),
Orchestra e Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Zubin Mehta
22 - Eteri Gvazava (The Countess), Patrizia Ciofi (Susanna), Marina
Comparato (Cherubino), Lucio Gallo (The Count), Giorgio Surian (Figaro),
Orchestra e Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Zubin Mehta
23 - Margaret Price (The Countess), Kathleen Battle (Susanna), Ann
Murray (Cherubino), Jorma Hynninen (The Count), Thomas Allen (Figaro),
Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Riccardo Muti
24 - Arleen Augér (The Countess), Barbara Bonney (Susanna),
Alicia Nafé (Cherubino), Håkan Hagegård (The Count),
Petteri Salomaa (Figaro), Drottningholm Court Theatre Chorus and Orchestra,
Arnold Östman
25 - Dorothea Röschmann (The Countess), Miah Persson (Susanna),
Rinat Shaham (Cherubino), Gerald Finley (The Count), Erwin Schrott (Figaro),
Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Antonio
Pappano
26 - Teresa Stich-Randall (The Countess), Rita Streich (Susanna), Pilar
Lorengar (Cherubino), Heinz Rehfuss (The Count), Rolando Panerai (Figaro),
Choeur du Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, Orchestre de la Societé
des Concerts du Conservatoire, Hans Rosbaud
27 - Kiri Te Kanawa (The Countess), Lucia Popp (Susanna), Frederica
von Stade (Cherubino), Thomas Allen (The Count), Samuel Ramey (Figaro),
London Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Georg Solti
28 - Leyla Gencer (The Countess), Mirella Freni (Susanna), Edith Mathis
(Cherubino), Gabriel Bacquier (The Count), Heinz Blankenburg (Figaro),
The Glyndenbourne Chorus, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Silvio Varviso
29 - Malin Hartelius (The Countess), Martina Janková (Susanna),
Judith Schmid (Cherubino), Michael Volle (The Count), Erwin Schrott
(Figaro), Chor des Opernhauses Zürich, Orchester der Oper Zürich,
Franz Welser-Möst
Herbert von Karajan's first studio recording of Le Nozze di Figaro
is a disappointing affair - some have criticized the egg-timer approach
to the overture, but what to say of the egg-timer applied to the entire
opera? Although the Vienna Philharmonic copes well with the insensitively
fast tempi, the same cannot be said of the singers - the orchestre often
sounds furious while singers seem a bit desperate. Only the acknowledgedly
beautiful passages, such as Porgi, Amor or the letter duet,
receive a more relaxed approach, which unfortunately invites singers
to apply cuteness all over the place. To make things worse, singers
are recorded upfront while the orchestra is shown in recessed perspective.
Considering it is a mono recording from 1950, there is practically none
distortion when sopranos ascend to their top notes. Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
was in excellent voice and, provided you can put up with her precious
mannerisms, she offers the only all-round finished interpretation in
this cast, especially compared with the kitsch performance by Irmgard
Seefried, who is at clearly at a loss singing in Italian. Because of
this handicap, she cannot make any sense of Da Ponte's text and replaces
legitimate interpretation for operetta-style quirks such as pecking
at notes. When you are ready to call this one of the most detestable
recorded operatic performances, she finally produces a charming account
of Deh vieni. Although Sena Jurinac's is a treat to the ears,
she skates through the role of Cherubino without ever trying to produce
something close to a boyish impression. Erich Kunz's Figaro can be charming
- his basic tone is pleasant and his manners are congenial, but his
Italian is accented, his idea of spontaneity has more to do with Lehar
than with Mozart and too often he cheats when confronted with the problem
of having to sing high notes. George London is probably the best voice
in the cast and he also has the less problematic Italian - he is also
probably the darker-toned Count Almaviva in the discography, but he
knows how to produce the necessary lightness. Only the results are so
superficial that he could be sight-reading as well. The final drawback
- secco recitatives were excised altogether.
Recorded live in the Aix-en-Provence Festival, Hans Rosbaud's performance
is sabotaged by the unclear and congestion-prone recorded sound, the
subpar orchestral playing (brass instruments especially) and lugubrious
piano accompaniment in the recitatives. One is left wondering what the
conductor would do in ideal conditions - his is a cleanly conceived,
structurally clear and forward-moving account of the score. It is also
an opportunity to listen to rarely recorded singers. Teresa Stich-Randall
is another what-might-have-been. If she sang actual phrases instead
of attacking each note individually, she would be an ideal Countess
- her voice is pleasant and spontaneous, there is something elegant
about her and she is a sensitive and intelligent performer. Considering
all the shortcomings, very few sopranos would survive the slow tempo
in the first section of Dove sono as commendably as she does
here. Rita Streich might be too coy for Susanna, but her bell-toned
soprano is consistently pleasant and she avoids the cuteness many a
German soprano would indulge in those days. Pilar Lorengar's Cherubino
is also loveliness itself, but again the approach is too girly and well-behaved.
Heinz Rehfuss is an austere Count Almaviva, whose dark velvety bass-baritone
suggests gentility rather than lechery. His restraint involves avoiding
the high f # in the end of Vedrò, mentr'io sospiro.
Rolando Panerai's energetic attitude, "open" vocal production,
idiomatic Italian and interpretative touches ranging from snarling to
off-pitch effects suggests a more rustic Figaro than we are used to
here, what is a refreshing approach to a role often too "nobly"
sung.
Carlo Maria Giulini's 1959 is considered a classic in the discography.
The conductor certainly displays his legendary care with details - the
orchestral balance is perfect, there is amazing clarity and the tempi,
somewhat lacking in forward movement now and then, tend to be pleasant
to the ears. It is true that the Philharmonia strings are a bit on the
edge having to deal with passagework, and Giulini's playing with dynamics
may turn the sound colourless now and then, but, when this orchestra
is made to play loud, they can be overloud. The recorded sound is clear,
if congested when there are too many singers on stage (it is a studio
recording, but tries to reproduce stage atmosphere). Also, the harpsichord
is too dimly recorded. On the whole, the performance is not very convincing.
The conductor seems to see the whole thing on purely musical terms (the
shifts in the finali may sound a bit awkward therefore), while the cast
enacts their parts in a kind of "I Love Lucy" overpointed
style - the result is a bit schyzophrenic. In very good voice, Elisabeth
Schwarzkopf won't disappoint her fans with her detailed/artifficial
performance. Her phrasing may sound outdated now and then - there is
a bit of sliding, unsupported low register and some pecking into notes.
Anna Moffo's soprano may lack purity in the upper range, but her voice
is definitely sexy, she is stylish (for today's standards, maybe the
one stylist in the cast) and seems to be having fun. Fiorenza Cossotto
is a distinguished Cherubino - Non so più is a bit overdone,
but Voi che sapete is delightful. This is a Cherubino who does sound
seductive without sounding feminine. Eberhard Wächter's blustery
Count deals with distortion of tone and line too often - but Taddei
is definitely the chief offender. It seems he is singing the Mustafà
in L'Italiana in Algeri. In the comic effects' department, he goes for
the works - under the note attack, nasal voices, parlando effects among
other bizarreries.
Recorded live in Glyndenbourne in 1961, Silvio Varviso's recording
is a lively affair, with fast tempi, clear textures and sprightly rhythms.
The conductor has admirable feeling for comedy and, even if his orchestra
is not truly world-class, it never misses its theatrical/musical points.
It is indeed admirable how cleanly ensembles are carried out, even when
really rapidly paced. It is a pity that Leyla Gencer was not in her
best voice here - the tone is slightly veiled and her customary floating
mezza voce was simply not working that day. Because of that, Porgi,
Amor is everything but intimate. Dove sono is far better
- her a tempo handling of the stretta is particularly praiseworthy.
Her Countess has something chic yet playful about her. If Mirella Freni
had left no other recording but this first of her Susannas, one would
immediately understand why she was so famous - it is a thoroughly lovely,
spirited performance, caught in those days when she had one of the most
exquisite voices in the international scene. Edith Mathis is the best
soprano Cherubino in the discography - she achieves believable boyishness
and is unfailingly stylish. Gabriel Bacquier is in strong voice and
offers a debonair approach to the role of Count Almaviva - even his
aria is smoother than we are used to hear. Heinz Blankenburg's hearty
baritone has its wooden moments, but he is never less than congenial.
Finally, when one has someone like Hugues Cuenod for Basilio, one asks
him to sing his aria. The recorded sound is spacious and natural enough,
practically free of congestion and distortion.
Karl Böhm, an echter Österreicher, knows everything about
understatement. This is the first recording where Susanna and the Countess
do not behave as childhood friends (listen to Gundula Janowitz’s
horrified "fammi or cercar da una serva aita!"),
even if Edith Mathis's Susanna is a bit overserious. The Count has nothing
suave about him and is far from gentle with his wife (or, for that matter,
with anybody else). Böhm's tempi are invariably slow, but textures
are clear and light. The CD has a cast that sets the standard for all
future performances - Janowitz’s heavenly aristocratic Countess
and Hermann Prey’s utterly congenial Figaro outstanding. In the
interesting (if rather kitsch) film by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, Dietrich
Fischer-Dieskau is in better voice than in the audio recording, Mirella
Freni offers her best recorded Mozartian performance and Kiri Te Kanawa
is in fresh voice as the Countess. The secondary roles are better taken
in the CDs. Do not expect idiomatic Italian from any of these singers,
with the exception of Prey (and naturally Freni...).
Colin Davis’s most remarkable achievement is the atmosphere of
tension and nervousness kept during the whole opera This was a revolution
in terms in this opera, often performed as a gemütlich pantomime.Although
the concept is well-conceived, one often wonders if some of the nervousness
is rather a byproduct of the orchestra's discomfort. Jessye Norman,
in one of her few recorded Mozart performances, is a most original Countess.
Although the role is on the high side for her voice, she sings a sensuous
Porgi, Amor and, in the garden scene, no other Countess disguises
her voice as nicely as she does. However, the stretta of Dove Sono
takes her to her limits. Mirella Freni here abuses from off-pitch effects,
disfiguring her otherwise admirable Susanna, and Yvonne Minton is quite
anonimous as Cherubino. Waldimiro Ganzarolli is an unsuble and uningratiating
Figaro, but Ingvar Wixell is an interesting Count - a rather unsmiling
and unsubtle master. The recording lacks a bit definition - violins
are too prominent in relation to the other instruments in the orchestra,
for example.
Daniel Barenboim's recording, following performances at the Edinburgh
Festival, is a more relaxed affair, but some heaviness prevents the
conductor to achieve true Mozartian graciousness. Although woodwind
are beautifully highlighted, string playing sorely lacks clean articulation,
what makes generally pleasant tempi sound a bit staid. Heather Harper's
rather thick but flexible soprano tends to sound pinched in high notes.
Hers is a mature countess, not really sensuous and somewhat grand in
manner. On the other hand, Judith Blegen is a bright-voiced, charming
and vivacious Susanna. Teresa Berganza's sexy mezzo does not attempt
at all to sound boyish, but phrases her Mozartian lines to the manner
born. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's baritone had by then lost some richness,
but still sounds firm enough in a part congenial to his patrician ways.
Unfortunately, Geraint Evans's woolly, unfocused Figaro sounds too elderly
for comfort.
Herbert von Karajan’s Decca recording deserves some attention.
It has been quite forgotten these days, what is a pity, since it is
one of the best examples of his talents. Here, he reaches the optimal
level of balance between orchestral richness and clarity of articulation.
There is real purpose in his phrasing and woodwind are prominent in
an unusual way for this conductor. Most numbers have fast tempi, but
he relaxes for the more lyric moments, less aptly in Cherubino arias.
It is particularly nice the way both finali are built - although it
is far from the zippiest Ah, signor, che giusto siete, it is
wonderfully pointed and clear. Of course, the Vienna Philharmonic has
lots to do with it. No other large orchestra sounds so natural in this
piece. Alas, here end most of the qualities of the recording. First
of all, the sound is too fussy - with unnaturally varied recording levels
and artifficial perspectives. The cast has some serious blots too. Anna
Tomowa-Sintow is particularly flawed as the Countess. Her voice lacks
firmness and purity - there are intonation problems too. Ileana Cotrubas
is a naughty Susanna with delicious silvery tones, but she sounds modest
in the scale of this performance. Frederica von Stade’s superb
Cherubino is better sampled in Solti’s recording, where she is
even more characterful. Tom Krause is rough voiced as the count, but
José van Dam offers his best Figaro - he is far more outgoing
here than in Marriner’s recording.
How marvelous the 80's must have been in Japan! There was nothing expensive
enough money could not buy - for example, a guest performance from the
Vienna State Opera featuring an all-star cast. Regardless of the excitment
of witnessing such an occasion live, this document has today a more
restricted value, I am afraid. In 1980, Karl Böhm had lost a great
deal of ebullience. Considering his Mozart always tended to be more
elegant than lively, this means that tempi here tend to drag a bit,
making the stage action stiff and unnatural. Although his orchestra
is not necessarily heavy, the recorded sound lacks definition, what
impares clarity as a whole. On the plus side, singers are recorded in
natural perspective, though. Unfortunately, nobody is as clearly recorded
as the very much present prompter - a serious blemish. Gundula Janowitz
had lost a great deal of spontaneity since her studio recording (but
her Italian had become more natural, it must be said) and some mannerisms
were by then a bit annoying. In her good moments, however, she still
can offer exemplary Mozartian phasing, crowned by her hallmark ethereal
pianissimi. If you want to sample Agnes Baltsa's Cherubino, this is
your recording. She is far more stylish and in better voice than in
the studio - she was clearly a favourite with the audience that evening.
This is also a unique opportunity to listen to Bernd Weikl's elegant,
firm-toned Count Almaviva. It is a pity, though, that Hermann Prey was
not in his best voice - he takes a while to warm up and then still sounds
short-breathed and blustery, resorting too often to "acting with
the voice". Minor roles have singers such as Kurt Rydl, Heinz Zednik,
Kurt Equiluz and Margarita Lilowa. Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's production
had by then become something bureaucratic and the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
is a venue that somehow stimulates to these days outdated theatrical
conventions (such as having singers return to the stage to receive the
applauses for their arie di sortita). If I have to retain something
positive out of this dusty performance, it is probably the way Count
and Countess Almaviva are portrayed as that kind of couple who like
to perform teazing games in order to keep their marriage's interest
going on - it might seem obvious but it often goes unnoticed. I left
the best for last - the gush of fresh air in the proceedings is the
incomparable Lucia Popp, an ideal Susanna. She is in exquisite voice,
looks lovely, oozes charm, never stops trying to add some zest to her
scenes and has Mozartian style in her veins - a cherishable memento
of a truly delightful artist.
Georg Solti’s recording had everything to be a major entry in
the discography, but, alas, it seriously lacks profile. Although the
conductor opts for animated and forward-moving tempi, it seems there
is no concept behind that. The fact that the playing of the London Philharmonic
is not transparent enough and that the recorded sound lacks definition
make the performance even more faceless. Kiri Te Kanawa is an aristocratic
and velvety-voiced Countess, but her expression is finally too generalized.
Lucia Popp was not in her best Susanna-form. In the beginning of act
I, the voice is a bit heavy and some vowels sound squeezed. Later on,
she improves immensely and offers a sexy Deh vieni. Frederica
von Stade’s is a classic performance. It has an unique boyish
and naughty quality. Thomas Allen is an aristocratic and a bit dissimulate
Count. It is wonderfully sung with accurate divisions in the stretta
of Vedrò, mentr’io sospiro. Samuel Ramey is a
rich-toned, stylish if overserious Figaro.
Riccardo Muti offers a uniquely dramatically and musically satisfying
approach to Nozze di Figaro - behind the brilliant orchestral playing,
the breathtaking passagework by the Vienna Philharmonic's strings, the
absolute clarity, the underlying tension is never out of sight. Unfortunately,
the recorded sound is problematic. Not only is it too resonant and are
microphones placed a bit distant, but also the sound image changes during
the recording. That does not disturb in the least the Viennese musicians,
in top form. The cast is a bit eccentric, but so devoted to creating
a theatrical experience that I forgive everybody for their minor flaws.
An experienced Countess, Margaret Price is here a bit past her best.
It goes almost unnoticed, but the wear is clearly exposed in Dove sono.
Kathleen Battle's Susanna is either flirting with the whole male cast
or she is fooling all of them - who can tell? She is in silvery voice
and blends well with Price, but the big acoustics do not help her. Ann
Murray does not sound boyish at all, but offers a very meditative, almost
Romantic Cherubino. Jorma Hynninen is a total bully as the Count, while
Figaro is really debonair. The part is too high for the former, and
too low for the latter, though.
Arnold Östman's conducting is masterly and shows total understanding
of operatic style in the late XVIIIth century. However, the Drottningholm
orchestra still lacks tone and one gets frustrated for being so close
to the ideal, the lack of orchestral sound being a serious drawback.
Arleen Augér is in easy voice as the Countess and sings her arias
as if she were singing for herself (as a matter of fact, that is what
she should be doing according to the plot) and is also very animated
in recitative. Barbara Bonney is in heavenly voice as Susanna and it
is a relieve to listen to the role sung without any comical afffectation.
Alicia Nafé is a decent Cherubino, but Håkan Hagegård
presses his baritone a bit too hard as the Count. He builds a convincingly
obnoxious character, though. Petteri Salomaa’s light and compact
bass works wonderfully for Figaro. This performance has also the best
Marcellina in the discography, Della Jones, but, more than that, has
every alternative number ever meant for the opera - including the 1789
Dove sono for Catarina Cavalieri, the higher version of the
Count’s Vedrò, mentr’io sospiro and the
1789 arias for Adriana Ferrarese dal Bene’s Susanna, Un moto
di gioia and Al desio, exquisitely sung by Barbara Bonney.
Neville Marriner has decided to play safe when he recorded this Figaro.
The tempi are comfortable, neither dazzling nor dragging, but too often
indistinguished. Although woodwind are beautifully recorded, the strings
are a bit dim. This is dangerous both in the most animated numbers,
where the orchestral sound may sound recessed and in the lyrical numbers,
where singers are left to build atmosphere on their own. Lucia Popp
decided to record the role of the Countess when the voice was less pure
and light than it used to be. It may lack "floating" quality
for Porgi, Amor, but her voice sounds younger than most Countesses'
and her tone colouring, perfect pronunciation, sensitivity and sense
of theatre are all for the best. Barbara Hendricks has a sensuous voice
(which becomes the role of Susanna) and is stylish, but her lower register
(which is quite important in this role) is far from ingratiating. Agnes
Baltsa is miscast as Cherubino. She does not sound very Mozartian and
does not make me think of a boy either. Ruggero Raimondi is an experienced,
efficient Count who makes good use of recitatives. As for José
van Dam, he tries too hard to be a convincing Figaro. He is not a very
cheerful guy and sounds a bit silly trying to be one. On the other hand,
his voice in excellent shape and he is utterly stylish.
John Eliot Gardiner’s video offers a semi-staged performance,
quite creatively done. As much as in his Così, everything sounds
right, if not particularly illuminating. Sometimes, the approach is
a it is a bit on the cute and superficial side. For example, I dislike
the idea of Cherubino singing the first verse of Voi che sapete
off pitch. There are subtler ways of showing Cherubino’s anxiety
when he is singing to the object of his fantasies. The cast is very
good. Hillevi Martinpelto has a lovely voice - sometimes it seems she
is trying too hard to adapt herself into a Mozartian soprano, but it
is still a beautiful performance. Alison Hagley is delicious as Susanna
and she looks really really nice in the video. Sometimes, her pitch
is not true and the low notes are not always there, but she compensates
that with charm. Pamela Stephen is a decent Cherubino, but the low voices
are the main source of interest here. Both Rodney Gilfry and Bryn Terfel
offer healthy, rich vocalism, imagination and charisma.
Bernard Haitink's video from Glyndenbourne is probably the best video
of Le Nozze di Figaro around. It is true that the sets look like "opera
on TV studios", but the stage direction is utterly efficient -
all the most with the responsive cast available, singing their recitatives
con gusto and with understanding of dramatic situations. I am not an
admirer of Renée Fleming, but if she always sang as she did here,
she would be one of my favourite singers. Her Countess is dramatically
alive, a believable touching impersonation - and she achieves it without
resorting to jazzy scooping effects. She proves her ability to keep
a pure creamy line throughout - and colours her voice according to Mozartian
style. Both arias are sung in the grand manner - a delicate Porgi,
amor, filled with longing and sensuousness, and a wide-ranging
Dove sono - the change of atmosphere in the stretta beautifully
grasped. Alison Hagley's Susanna counts with true theatrical talent
and the right quicksilvery kind of singing. There is abuse of off-pitch
effects and the tone may harden in the upper reachers, though. Marie-Ange
Todorovich is very funny too, but her mezzo soprano is a bit edgily
produced. Andreas Schmidt is an imposing Count, patrician and unexaggerated,
but too often distorts his otherwise handsome baritone for effects.
Gerald Finley is a light firm-toned and stylish Figaro, who knows how
to produce the right effect without exaggerations too. A bit more animated
than usual, Haitink is the reliable Mozartian of always, excelling in
his rather traditional view of the score: elegant phrasing, comfortable
tempi and concern for balance and beauty of sound. Although the London
Philharmonic is not glamourous as the Vienna Philharmonic, it offers
here clear articulation and transparent perspectives. Moreover, the
recorded sound favours a rich orchestral sound.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's studio recording is preditably an eccentric
affair. I guess he took the "revolutionary" spirit too seriously
and decided to let go his weirdest fantasies here. The tempi are generally
slow and lack forward movement, except when it is extremely fast (Cherubino’s
first aria, for example). It is particularly bothersome when the conductor
suddenly slows down to show a detail that would sound really better
in the frame of rhythmic consistence. Of course, there are niceties
every now and then, especially with wonderfully upfront woodwind and
some outstanding theatrical accents. The Concertgebouw is in good shape.
The cast is somewhat disappointing. Charlotte Margiono’s smoky-toned
Countess lacks focus in the upper range. Barbara Bonney is the best
in the cast and her Susanna is as lovely as it was in Östman’s
recording. Petra Lang is a down-to-earth Cherubino, but one can feel
she is scaling down most of the time. Thomas Hampson is a rather phlegmatic
nasal-toned Count and Anton Scharinger lacks finish as Figaro. On the
other hand, small roles are nicely taken by Ann Murray, Isabel Rey,
Philip Langridge and Kurt Moll.
There is also Zubin Mehta’s recording from Florence, which offers
quite an unusual view of the work. Maybe because of the directness of
Mehta’s conducting and its concern about charming sonorities,
clear perspectives and comfortable phrasing, there is a real Florentine
quality about the performance - in the sense of relaxed playfulness.
Here there is no nasty undertones - the Count snarls a lot, but this
is just bluffing; the Countess has its lamenting moods, but it is caprice
most of the time; the Count is flirtatious, but the Countess is the
one he always comes gladly back to; the Countess seems to be offended
by his behaviour, but she thinks it could not be otherwise. In this
Boccaccio-like frame of mind, some points are wonderfully taken as the
French horns mocking sounds in the end of Aprite un po’
or how clearly Susanna and the woodwind are overdoing their teasing
in Deh vieni - or, most of all, how effective is the shift of mood for
Or tutti contenti saremo così, done in really serious
mood so as to make us think whether those people are so happy as they
claim to be. The recorded sound has woodwind upfront with the singers,
for splendid effects; there is some advantage for upper strings too
and singers are recorded with some space around them. Some of Mehta’s
tempi are pointlessly tending to be slow - sometimes it tends to sound
too pretty, but my main complaint is that the strings’ phrasing
could be more pointed. However, the conductor's purposefulness and structural
sense are admirable - his act II finale and the finale ultimo are exemplary.
The cast is quite strong. Karita Mattila is an elegant Countess, who
displays absolute vocal ease and musicianship throughout. On the other
hand, Marie McLaughlin’s Susanna tends to be too much the "mistress
of the situation". When she is indeed playing the cards, it can
be nice - but there are moments, when she is not and I would have appreciated
a less knowing approach. It is a pity when she decides to scoop and
slide, such as in Sull’aria. Monica Bacelli’s slim-toned
Cherubino is musical and accurate enough and I like very much Angelo
Nosottti’s spontaneous Bartolo. However, the two Italian basses
taking the main male roles are the distinctive feature of this recording.
Their dramatic imagination, idiomatic delivery and sheer charisma make
them perfect in their roles. Lucio Gallo is commanding enough as the
Count and sings his aria with finish and Michele Pertusi’s naturalness
and vividness are irrestistible.
Claudio Abbado’s CDs are a revelatory experience. This is the
kind of recording in which one discovers many hidden treasures in the
score. Abbado’s tempi are also very apt all of them and the performance
is nicely recorded. Cheryl Studer’s Countess lacks naturality
- she seems to be scaling down all the time, and the result is that
there is a lot of singing below the note. Sylvia McNair is a rather
faceless Susanna - her voice has no expression or colour in it. It sounds
like an instrument, played without much affection, but Cecilia Bartoli
is a charming and animated if not entirely boyish Cherubino. Boje Skovhus
is an elegant Count and Lucio Gallo is a most sayisfying Figaro. Studer
and Gallo also appear in the Abbado video, where she seems more at ease
with her role. Her Susanna is Marie MacLaughlin, whose voice has developed
to be really dark when she recorded that. Hers is an efficient but not
altogether ingratiating performance. Gabriele Sima is not of the same
level of her colleagues, but is an excellent actress. Ruggero Raimondi
is still an interesting count. Jonathan Miller's staging is pleasant
to the eyes and does not try to force lots of alien ideas in Da Ponte's
libretto.
Charles Mackerras's recording is a disappointing affair. Compared
to the other releases in his excellent Mozart opera series, this is
a bit lacklustre and the cast is really unhelpful. Carol Vaness is one
of the less satisfying Countess in the discography. The tone lacks poise
and her performance is unvaried. Nuccia Focile is rough-toned as Susanna,
Suzanne Mentzer is an unappealing Cherubino, Alessandro Corbelli does
not seem comfortable with the "serious" role of Count Almaviva
and Alastair Miles was simply a bad idea for Figaro. I understand he
wanted to cast the part with a deep bass voice, but he could have found
a less lugubrious singer for this task.
Jean-Claude Malgoire’s conducting has the measure of the dramatic
qualities of Beaumarchais’s play and the rough-edged sound of
his orchestra adds a bit to the atmosphere, but he should have looked
for a more responsive cast. Danielle Borst is charming and vulnerable
as the Countess, but Dove Sono is a stretch for her. Sophie
Marin-Degor is an unsubtle Susanna, but Laura Polverelli is pleasing
as Cherubino. The remaining singers do not stand the competition, I
am afraid.
If you really want to sample Harnoncourt's view on Le Nozze di Figaro,
maybe you should check his DVD recorded live in Zürich. Although
Jürgen Flimm's staging is depressively ugly and often pointless,
Harnoncourt is a fraction more spontaneous than in the studio. Balance
between orchestra and soloists is exemplary and one almost forgives
the eccentric treatment of tempi. I say "almost" because the
prevailing slow tempi entirely rob comedy scenes of any sense of timing
- the act II finaly being this approach's main victim. The unusual casting
of Eva Mei as the Countess pays its dividends. Although her detached
attitude and rather instrumental phrasing may sound insensitive and
small-scaled at first, her naturalness with high tessitura, crystal-clear
diction and aristocratic bearing make her a particularly elegant countess,
well contrasted to the stylish and vivacious Isabel Rey, whose bell-toned
soprano is taylor-made for the role of Susanna. The warm- and yet light-toned
Liliana Nikiteanu is also a very good choice for Cherubino. Rodney Gilfry,
on the other hand, was not in his best shape here - he often sounds
rough and resorts to "acting with the voice" to get away in
the most tricky passages. He is of course an intelligent singer who
knows how to colour his recitative in a creative manner, it must be
said. The first impression of Carlos Chausson's Figaro is quite positive
- his voice has a dark mellow quality, but after a while it sounds just
monochrome and his self-conscious attitude makes Figaro seem quite foolish.
Mehta and his Florentine forces would visit again the Almavivas and
his household in his DVD recorded live at the Teatro Communale. Although
the cast is downright unglamourous, Mehta's understanding of Mozart's
musical-dramatic effects, sense of comic timing and absolute structural
clarity are constant source of pleasure - under his conducting, the
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino orchestra offers polished and graceful sounds
throughout. Even if one misses the impressive list of singers in his
studio recording, I find the results here even more spontaneous and
effective. Silly coreographies aside, Jonathan Miller's production takes
profit of the Italian cast's talent for comedy. More than that, these
singers offer more than idiomatic recitatives, they know from inside
out the conventions of Italian comedy which are pretty much alive in
Italian stages to our days. Because of that, Da Ponte's recreation of
Beaumarchais's characters seem far more multidimensional than in many
other videos. Although Peter J. Davison's sceneries are noneventful,
Sue Blane's costumes are particularly exquisite. Patrizia Ciofi finds
the role of Susanna a bit low and has its breathy moments, but she is
a stylish and intelligent singer who alternates sweetness and playfulness
with absolute mastery. Her supple and quickwitted stage performance
would fit to perfection in any staging of a Goldoni play. In any case,
if you want to sample her Susanna, this is far preferable to her studio
performance for René Jacobs. On the other hand, Marina Comparato's
firm-toned Cherubino lacks some finish and variety. Lucio Gallo's baritone
has grown thicker and less flexible since his studio recording - although
his stage persona is engaging and genuinely funny, his singing is often
rough. Giorgio Surian's Figaro unfortunately cannot stand the competition
- even his acting is a bit clueless. However, it is precisely the non-Italian
singer the less satisfying member of this cast. Siberian soprano Eteri
Gvazava has the opposite of a golden touch for Mozart - her vocal production
is not clean enough for the Countess, her phrasing is quite clumsy and
her whole approach is amazingly inexpressive and unelegant. Other than
easy top notes, there is little to praise. It is a pity, for she has
the perfect looks for her role.
René Jacobs leads an unsettling performance of Nozze di Figaro
in his Harmonia Mundi recording. To start with, his orchestra has a
peculiar sound, slightly metallic and glassy. Although there is clarity
aplenty, the articulation is a bit confuse, as if effects - instead
of phrases - were being played. Also, the overall impression is that
the orchestra is playing for nervousness - and most of the charm and
sensuousness is lost. There are rare examples of eccentric tempi, but
phrasing tends to be fussed and Jacobs' purpose of revealing interesting
things here and there ends on imparing forward movement and naturalness.
The fortepiano continuo is creative if a bit overpresent. The cast is
quite appealing. Although some top notes are a bit tense, Véronique
Gens's creamy warm soprano fills out the Countess's music beautifully
and she really means what she sings - a theatrical and beguiling performance.
Patrizia Ciofi similarly makes beautiful use of the text, more so being
a native Italian speaker - but her middle register is a bit smoky as
if her basically seductive voice was experimenting some wear during
the recording sessons. Angelika Kirchschlager is a feminine but entirely
musicianly and ingratiating Cherubino. Simon Keelyside has the necessary
patricianship as the Count - a forceful performance - and Lorenzo Regazzo
is a winning Figaro, sung in firm voice.
Live performances at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
found Jacobs more relaxed and flexible, but some of his playing with
tempo still catches his soloists by surprise, especially in ensembles.
The recorded sound is a bit problematic. Although his orchestra sounds
less dry and the fortepiano is far less intruding live than in studio,
singers on stage are caught by the microphones in surprisingly artifficial
perspective, especially whenever more than one of them is in action.
Then, the sound seems congested as if someone had recorded the broadcast
in their home stereo. The stage production is unfortunately a bit lackadaisical,
especially Hans Schavernoch's rather provincial sets. Annette Dasch
not only has a bit of Scarlett Johannsen about her, but also displays
a most pleasant golden-toned soprano, younger-sounding than we are used
to hear in this role. Her phrasing could be a bit more flowing and varied,
though. Although the youthful attitude "susannifies" a bit
her Countess, she is well contrasted to Rosemary Joshua, whose shimmering
creamy soprano is taylor-made for Mozart. Nevertheless, she can be small-scaled
when part of an ensemble. Angelika Kirchschlager has no problems about
producing a boyish impression, but could be more imaginative. A singer
of her rank should try to make an impression in a star-crowded discography.
Pietro Spagnoli is a solid firm-toned Count. As an Italian, he delivers
his lines with crisp pronunciation, but one could wish for a tiny bit
more legato now and then. Luca Pisaroni is a light, pleasant and likable
Figaro. The edition is complete and both Enrico Facini and Sophie Pondjiclis
offer positive version of Basilio's and Marcellina's aria.
Nobody can accuse Harnoncourt of capriciousness. Thirteen years since
his studio recording have not changed a speck in his cubistic approach
to Le Nozze di Figaro, in which the attempt to show different angles
in this score at the same time makes for a rather distorted view of
Mozart and Beaumarchais's comedy. As before, tempi are unflowing and
whimsical accelerando and ritardando effects are a central element to
the performance. The nimble playing of the Vienna Philharmonic does
add extra zest to the proceedings and a touch of lightness not entirely
redeeming of this bizarrerie offered in the Salzburg Mozart 250th Anniversary
Festival. Claus Guth's heavy-handed staging shoots the coup de grâce
in any attempt of comedy and subtleness. In this production, the Count
is a neurotic whimp, the Countess desperately needs Prozac, Cherubino
is charmless, Figaro is rather ill-humoured and - worst of all - Susanna
is a double-faced skank whose infatuation with the Count makes the whole
story entirely pointless. Ah, there is an omnipresent Cupid dressed
in student outfit jumping and blowing white feathers all over the place
while singers try to sing their arias unbothered. If the concept was
to offer a cynical and realistic view of Beaumarchais's play, why making
these characters act as mentally challenged singing their ensembles
while performing silly coreographic movements? Promoted to the role
of the Countess, Dorothea Röschmann offers an intense and generally
stylish performance, but the smooth legato required by this role eludes
her entirely. The fact that Anna Netrebko's velvety homogeneous soprano
sounds nobler than her mistress's makes it all more confusing. No wonder
the Russian diva chops her phrasing when she has to imitate the Countess
in the "garden" scene (here staged in a staircase). This could
be counted as her isolated example of sense of humour during the whole
performance, since her Susanna is everything but playful, indifferent
delivery of the text largely to blame. Although Christine Schäfer
looks believably boyish, her crystalline high soprano is hardly the
Cherubino-type and the low end of the part's range is left to imagination.
Once praised for his elegant and subtle performances, Boje Skovhus does
not live to his reputation anymore. His phrasing is rough-edged, his
Italian is embarassing and his acting is exaggerated in an almost burlesque
manner. Ildebrando d'Arcangelo is on an entirely different level from
the rest of the cast, offering a pleasant and intelligent performance,
sung in his dark firm-toned basso cantante. With the exception of a
healthy-voiced Basilio (Patrick Henckens), minor roles are bureaucratically
handled.
Antonio Pappano's performance at the Royal Opera House, released on
DVD, is a pleasing entry in the videography. David McVicar's staging
is elegant and intelligent and his stage direction is unobtrusive and
creative, benefiting from the cast's outstanding acting skills - it
only falls in the usual trap of not knowing what to do with act IV.
Accordingly, Pappano's conducting is supple and agile - if only his
strings could tackle fast divisions with a little more sense of abandon,
the performance could go a bit beyond correctness. As it is, it is hardly
worth the purchase of another Figaro DVD for purely musical terms. Dorothea
Röschmann still finds difficult to produce seamless legato, but
is otherwise far more comfortable than in Salzburg. From the interpretative
point-of-view, her assertive and energetic approach to a role often
portrayed in a passive manner is quite rewarding. I am afraid that the
quicksilvery Miah Persson is hardly legato's best friend neither - there
is a mechanical sense of one-note-after-the-other in her singing as
Susanna that simply goes against any kind of spontaneity. Her high register
also lacks flowing quality, what impares some lyrical passages. Her
careful study of how to seem natural could be self-defeating, but her
Figaro's fondness for ad lib does help her to offer some natural interaction.
Rinat Shaham is extremely well cast as Cherubino - she has the voice,
the looks and the sense of style. It is hardly her fault if there are
more exquisite-toned Cherubinos elsewhere. Other than this, this is
a faultess performance. Gerald Finley somehow comes off too hard-pressed
- although the role is taylor-made for his firm, high baritone, it seems
that he feels that the Count's petty-tyranny cannot live together with
patrician vocal production. The final effect is tense and abrupt at
times. Although Erwin Schrott has been recorded in more exuberant vocal
form, this is still a very commendable piece of singing. He has a natural
talent for savouring the text, generally respects the limits of style
for his theatrical effects and has plenty of personality. However, his
attitude is somehow too formidable for Figaro. The minor roles are cast
with veteran experienced singers who know how to turn their vocal inadequacies
to dramatic purpose, especially the bête-de-scène
Graciela Araya (Marcellina), together with Basilio grant their act four
arias.
As much as his Don Giovanni from the same venue, Franz Welser-Möst's
Nozze from the Oper Zürich eludes labels. Limited employment of
vibrato in string instruments, rough playing by brass instruments, somewhat
abrupt phrasing and some sudden and inexplicable shift in tempi in the
middle of numbers may suggest that Harnoncourt was hidden in the pit,
but it would be a gross exaggeration to call this performance historically
informed - it is certainly ambitious. Although the orchestral sound
is not really pleasant, it is transparent enough. Artifficial recording
might account for that: the sound picture suggests rather a large number
of microphones, sometimes one would wish for more space around singers
too. It is clear that the conductor wants to highlight the many hidden
jewels in Mozart's score - but that could be achieved in the context
of a rhythmically consistent, forward-moving performance - Claudio Abbado
was able to do that in Vienna, for example. And it is important to stress
one point: Welser-Möst's tempi are not slow, on the contrary -
Cherubino has a hard time with a breathlessly fast Non so più,
for example - but they seem staid, rather pointless as if the speed
were altogether unrelated to animation or excitement. Malin Hartelius
is a light, elegant and absolutely stylish Countess. Both Porgi,
Amor and Dove sono are elegantly and immaculately sung.
She also finds more playfulness in the role than we are used to see.
Martina Janková is a delightful Susanna, who uses Da Ponte's
words with mastery. It is most fortunate that she not only stands her
Figaro's fondness for ad lib, but also responds to that with comparable
wit. Judith Schmid is an efficient Cherubino, but her high mezzo is
far from the most individual and memorable around. Michael Volle is
rather rough and awkward as the Count - he has poor legato, sketchy
Italian, unsupported low notes and his high register is not really smooth
either. On the other hand, Erwin Schrott's velvety rich bass is always
easy on the ear. Actually, I find this his best Figaro recorded so far
- although he still indulges himself too much, he is less "feisty"
here than in London. His Aprite un po is indeed imaginatively
and beautifully sung. Sven-Eric Bechtolf's production sets the action
around the 1940's in what seems to be a ballroom, the aspect of which
does not seem to suggest that it belongs to Count Almaviva's house.
The director scores many points in making the Count and the Countess
behave as if they were actually married - they seem to know each other's
irritating mannerisms, they kiss, argue and make peace like every other
couple - but I have some trouble to accept the Count portrayed as such
a daft, clownish fellow. Why people would fear so much a guy who is
entirely harmless, wearing bear costumes and carrying around his magician's
wallet and doing stupid tricks during the whole length of the opera?
But then silliness seems to increase as the plot develops: Don Curzio
jumps a lot making bunny ears with his hands, Marzellina strips to he
bra while singing Il capro e la capretta etc etc. At least,
Irène Friedli does a good job with it, as much as Martin Zysset
with his act IV aria.
IN CONCLUSION: For a safe choice in period instruments, go for the
Gardiner. There is no safe choice with modern instruments - so why not
taking some risks? My idea is the Muti, but I keep the Östman for
Östman, for the cast and for the alternative numbers.
top
~Don
Giovanni
1 - Carmela Remigio (Anna), Soile Isokoski (Elvira), Patrizia Pace
(Zerlina), Uwe Heilmann (Ottavio), Simon Keenlyside (Giovanni), Bryn
Terfel (Leporello), Ildebrando d’Arcangelo (Masetto), Matti Salminen
(Commendatore), Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
2 - Lella Cuberli (Anna), Waltraud Meier (Elvira), Joan Rodgers (Zerlina),
Uwe Heilmann (Ottavio), Ferruccio Furlanetto (Giovanni), John Tomlinson
(Leporello), Michele Pertusi (Masetto), Matti Salminen (Commendatore),
RIAS Kammerchor, Berliner Philharmoniker, Daniel Barenboim
3 - Regina Schörg (Anna), Heidi Brunner (Elvira), Birgid Steinberger
(Zerlina), Jeffrey Francis (Ottavio), Kwangchul Yun (Giovanni), Maurizio
Muraro (Leporello), Richard Mayr (Masetto), Reinhard Hagen (Commendatore),
Sine Nomine Chorus, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Wien, Bertrand de Billy
4 - Regina Schörg (Anna), Véronique Gens (Elvira), Marisa
Martins (Zerlina), Marcel Reijans (Ottavio), Wojtek Drabowicz (Giovanni),
Kwangchul Yun (Leporello), Felipe Bou (Masetto), Anatoly Kocherga (Commendatore),
Chamber Choir of the Palau de la Música Catalana, Orchestra Academy
of the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Bertrand de Billy
5 - Anna Tomowa-Sintow (Anna), Teresa Zylis-Gara (Elvira), Edith Mathis
(Zerlina), Peter Schreier (Ottavio), Sherrill Milnes (Giovanni), Walter
Berry (Leporello), Dale Duesing (Masetto), John Macurdy (Commendatore),
Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Karl Böhm
6 - Carolyn James (Anna), Carol Vaness (Elvira), Andrea Rost (Zerlina),
Kiell Magnus Sandve (Ottavio), Thomas Allen (Giovanni), Ferruccio Furlanetto
(Leporello), Reinhard Dorn (Masetto), Matthias Hölle (Commendatore),
Gürzenich Orchester Köln, James Conlon
7 - Martina Arroyo (Anna), Kiri Te Kanawa (Elvira), Mirella Freni (Zerlina),
Stuart Burrows (Ottavio), Ingvar Wixell (Giovanni), Wladimiro Ganzarolli
(Leporello), Richard Van Allan (Masetto), Luigi Roni (Commendatore),
Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Colin
Davis
8 - Luba Orgonasová (Anna), Charlotte Margiono (Elvira), Eirian
James (Zerlina), Cristoph Prégardien (Ottavio), Rodney Gilfry
(Giovanni), Ildebrando d’Arcangelo (Leporello), Julian Clarkson
(Masetto), Andrea Silvestrelli (Commendatore), The Monteverdi Choir,
English Baroque Soloists, John Elliot Gardiner
9 - Rachel Mathes (Anna), Sheila Armstrong (Elvira), Ann Murray (Zerlina),
Robert Tear (Ottavio), John Shirley-Quirk (Giovanni), Stafford Dean
(Leporello), Arthur Jackson (Masetto), Don Garrard (Commendatore), Scottish
Chamber Orchestra, Alexander Gibson
10 - Joan Sutherland (Anna), Elisabeth Schwarrzkopf (Elvira), Graziella
Sciutti (Zerlina), Luigi Alva (Ottavio), Eberhard Wächter (Giovanni),
Giuseppe Taddei (Leporello), Piero Cappuccilli (Masetto), Gottlob Frick
(Commendatore), Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra, Carlo Maria Giulini
11 - Gundula Janowitz (Anna), Sena Jurinac (Elvira), Olivera Miljakovic
(Zerlina), Alfredo Kraus (Ottavio), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Giovanni), Sesto
Bruscantini (Leporello), Walter Monachesi (Masetto), Dimiter Petkov
(Commendatore), Orchestra della RAI, Carlo Maria Giulini
12 - Carol Vaness (Anna), Maria Ewing (Elvira), Elizabeth Gale (Zerlina),
Keith Lewis (Ottavio), Thomas Allen (Giovanni), Richard van Allan (Leporello),
Dale Duesing (Masetto), Dmitri Kavrakos (Commendatore), Glyndenbourne
Chorus, London Philharmonic, Bernard Haitink
13 - Adrianna Pieczonka (Anna), Regina Schörg (Elvira), Ildikó
Raimondi (Zerlina), Torsten Kerl (Ottavio), Boje Skovhus (Giovanni),
Renato Girolami (Leporello), Boaz Daniel (Masetto), Janusz Monarcha
(Commendatore), Nicolaus Estherházy Sinfonia, Michael Halász
14 - Carmela Remigio (Anna), Véronique Gens (Elvira), Lisa Larsson
(Zerlina), Mark Padmore (Ottavio), Peter Mattei (Giovanni), Gilles Cachemaille
(Leporello), Till Fechner (Masetto), Gudjon Oskarsson (Commendatore),
Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Daniel Harding
15 - Alexandra Deshorties (Anna), Mireille Delunsch (Elvira), Lisa
Larsson (Zerlina), Mark Padmore (Ottavio), Peter Mattei (Giovanni),
Gilles Cachemaille (Leporello), Nathan Berg (Masetto), Gudjon Oskarsson
(Commendatore), Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Daniel Harding
16 - Christine Schäfer (Anna), Melanie Diener (Elvira), Isabel
Bayrakdarian (Zerlina), Piotr Beczala (Ottavio), Thomas Hampson (Giovanni),
Ildebrando D'Arcangelo (Leporello), Luca Pisaroni (Masetto), Robert
Lloyd (Commendatore), Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener
Philharmoniker, Daniel Harding
17 - Edita Gruberová (Anna), Roberta Alexander (Elvira), Barbara
Bonney (Zerlina), Hans-Peter Blochwitz (Ottavio), Thomas Hampson (Giovanni),
Lászlo Polgár (Leporello), Anton Scharinger (Masetto),
Robert Holl (Commendatore), Nederlands Operakoor, Concertgebouw Orkest,
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
18 - Isabel Rey (Anna), Cecilia Bartoli (Elvira), Liliana Nikiteanu
(Zerlina), Roberta Saccà (Ottavio), Rodney Gilfry (Giovanni),
Lászlo Polgár (Leporello), Oliver Widmer (Masetto), Matti
Salminen (Commendatore), Opernhaus Zürichs Chor und Orchester,
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
19 - Olga Pasichnyk (Anna), Alexandrina Pendatchanska (Elvira), Sunhae
Im (Zerlina), Kenneth Tarver (Ottavio), Johannes Weisser (Giovanni),
Lorenzo Regazzo (Leporello), Nikolay Borchev (Masetto), Alessandro Guerzoni
(Commendatore), RIAS Kammerchor, Freiburger Barockorchester, René
Jacobs
20 - Leontyne Price (Anna), Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (Elvira), Graziella
Sciutti (Zerlina), Cesare Valetti (Ottavio), Eberhard Wächter (Giovanni),
Walter Berry (Leporello), Rolando Panerai (Leporello), Nicola Zaccaria
(Commendatore),Wiener Staatsopernchor und orchester, Herbert von Karajan
21 - Gundula Janowitz (Anna), Teresa Zylis-Gara (Elvira), Olivera Miljakovic
(Zerlina), Stuart Burrows (Ottavio), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Giovanni), Geraint
Evans (Leporello), Rolando Panerai (Leporello), Victor von Halem (Commendatore),
Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Herbert
von Karajan
22 - Anna Tomowa-Sintow (Anna), Agnes Baltsa (Elvira), Kathleen Battle
(Zerlina), Gösta Winbergh (Ottavio), Samuel Ramey (Giovanni), Ferruccio
Furlanetto (Leporello), Alexander Malta (Masetto), Paata Burchuladze
(Commendatore), Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan
23 - Anna Tomowa-Sintow (Anna), Julia Varady (Elvira), Kathleen Battle
(Zerlina), Gösta Winbergh (Ottavio), Samuel Ramey (Giovanni), Ferruccio
Furlanetto (Leporello), Alexander Malta (Masetto), Paata Burchuladze
(Commendatore), Wiener Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan
24 - Claire Watson (Anna), Christa Ludwig (Elvira), Mirella Freni (Zerlina),
Nicolai Gedda (Ottavio), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Giovanni), Walter Berry (Leporello),
Paolo Montarsolo (Masetto), Franz Crass (Commendatore), New Philharmonia
Orchestra and Chorus, Otto Klemperer
25 - Hillevi Martinpelto (Anna), Adrianne Pieczonka (Elvira), Juliane
Banse (Zerlina), John Mark Ainsley (Ottavio), Gilles Cachemaille (Giovanni),
Steven Page (Leporello), Roberto Scaltriti (Masetto), Gudjon Oskarsson
(Commendatore), Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Yakov Kreizberg
26 - Suzanne Danco (Anna), Lisa della Casa (Elvira), Hilde Güden
(Zerlina), Anton Dermota (Ottavio), Cesare Siepi (Giovanni), Fernando
Corena (Leporello), Walter Berry (Masetto), Kurt Böhme (Commendatore),
Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Josef Krips
27 - Julia Varady (Anna), Arleen Augér (Elvira), Edith Mathis
(Zerlina), Thomas Moser (Ottavio), Alan Titus (Giovanni), Rolando Panerai
(Leporello), Rainer Scholtze (Masetto), Jan-Hendrik Rootering (Commendatore),
Bayerischer Rundfunk Symphonie Orchester und Chor, Rafael Kubelik
28 - Elena Vink (Anna), Christina Högmann (Elvira), Nancy Argenta
(Zerlina), Markus Schäfer (Ottavio), Werner Van Mechelen (Giovanni),
Hubert Claessens (Leporello), Nanco de Vries (Masetto), Harry van der
Kamp (Commendatore), Collegium Compostellanum, La Petite Bande, Sigiswald
Kuijken
29 - Renée Fleming (Anna), Solveig Kringelborn (Elvira), Hei-Kyung
Hong (Zerlina), Paul Groves (Ottavio), Bryn Terfel (Giovanni), Ferruccio
Furlanetto (Leporello), John Relyea (Masetto), Sergei Koptchak, Metropolitan
Opera Orchestra and Chorus, James Levine
30 - Edda Moser (Anna), Kiri Te Kanawa (Elvira), Teresa Berganza (Zerlina),
Kenneth Riegel (Ottavio), Ruggero Raimondi (Giovanni), José van
Dam (Leporello), Malcolm King (Masetto), John Macurdy (Commendatore),
Choeur de l'Opéra de Paris, Orchestre de Paris, Lorin Maazel
31 - Christine Brewer (Anna), Felicity Lott ((Elvira), Nuccia Focile
(Zerlina), Jerry Hadley (Ottavio), Boje Skovhus (Giovanni), Alessandro
Corbelli (Leporello), Umberto Chiummo (Masetto/Commendatore), Scottish
Chamber Orchestra and Chorus, Charles MacKerras
32 - Danielle Borst (Anna), Véronique Gens (Elvira), Sophie
Marin-Degor (Zerlina), Simon Edwards (Ottavio), Nicolas Rivencq (Giovanni),
Hubert Claessens (Leporello), Patrick Donnelly (Masetto /Commendatore),
La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy, Jean-Claude Malgoire
33 - Sharon Sweet (Anna), Karita Mattila (Elvira), Marie McLaughlin
(Zerlina), Francisco Araiza (Ottavio), Thomas Allen (Giovanni), Simone
Alaimo (Leporello), Claudio Otelli (Masetto), Robert Lloyd (Commendatore),
Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields, Neville
Marriner
34 - Edita Gruberová (Anna), Ann Murray (Elvira), Suzanne Mentzer
(Zerlina), Francisco Araiza (Ottavio), Thomas Allen (Giovanni), Claudio
Desderi (Leporello), Natale de Carolis (Masetto), Sergei Kloptschak
(Commendatore), Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala, Milano, Riccardo
Muti
35 - Cheryl Studer (Anna), Carol Vaness (Elvira), Suzanne Mentzer (Zerlina),
Frank Lopardo (Ottavio), William Shimmel (Giovanni), Samuel Ramey (Leporello),
Natale de Carolis (Masetto), Jan-Hendrik Rootering (Commendatore), Wiener
Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Riccardo Muti
36 - Adrianne Pieczonka (Anna), Anna Caterina Antonnacci (Elvira),
Angelika Kirchschlager (Zerlina), Michael Schade (Ottavio), Carlos Álvarez
(Giovanni), Ildebrando d' Arcangelo (Leporello), Lorenzo Regazzo (Masetto),
Franz-Josef Selig (Commendatore), Wiener Staatsopernchor und orchester,
Riccardo Muti
37 - Amanda Halgrimson (Anna), Lynne Dawson (Elvira), Nancy Argenta
(Zerlina), John Mark Ainsley (Ottavio), Andreas Schmidt (Giovanni),
Gregory Yurisic (Leporello), Gerald Finlay (Masetto), Alastair Miles
(Commendatore), London Classical Players, Roger Norrington
38 - Arleen Augér (Anna), Della Jones (Elvira), Barbara Bonney
(Zerlina), Nico van der Meer (Ottavio), Håkan Hagegård (Giovanni),
Gilles Cachemaille (Leporello), Bryn Terfel (Masetto), Kristinn Sigmundsson
(Commendatore), Drottningholm Court Theatre Chorus and Orchestra, Arnold
Östman
39 - Helena Döse (Anna), Birgit Nordin (Elvira), Anita Soldh (Zerlina),
Gösta Winbergh (Ottavio), Håkan Hagegård (Giovanni),
Erik Saeden (Leporello), Tord Wallström (Masetto), Bengt Rundgren
(Commendatore), Drottningholm Court Theatre Chorus and Orchestra, Arnold
Östman
40 - María Bayo (Anna), Sonia Ganassi (Elvira), María
José Moreno (Zerlina), Josep Bros (Ottavio), Carlos Álvarez
(Giovanni), Lorenzo Regazzo (Leporello), José Antonio López
(Masetto), Alfred Reiter (Commendatore), Coro y Orquesta del Teatro
Real, Madrid, Victor Pablo Pérez
41 - Teresa Stich-Randall (Anna), Suzanne Dannco (Elvira), Anna Moffo
(Zerlina), Nicolai Gedda (Ottavio), Antonio Campo (Giovanni), Marcello
Cortis (Leporello), André Vessières (Masetto), Raffaele
Arié (Commendatore), Choeur du Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, Orchestre
de la Societé des Concerts du Conservatoire, Hans Rosbaud
42 - Dominique Labelle (Anna), Lorraine Hunt (Elvira), Ai Lan Zhu (Zerlina),
Carroll Freeman (Ottavio), Eugene Perry (Giovanni), Herbert Perry (Leporello),
Elmore James (Masetto), James Patterson (Commendatore), Arnold-Schönberg-Chor,
Wiener Symphoniker, Craig Smith
43 - Leyla Gencer (Anna), Sena Jurinac (Elvira), Mirella Freni (Zerlina),
Richard Lewis (Ottavio), Cesare Siepi (Giovanni), Geraint Evans (Leporello),
Robert Savoie (Masetto), David Ward (Commendatore), Chorus and Orchestra
of the Royal Opera House, Georg Solti
44 - Margaret Price (Anna), Sylvia Sass (Elvira), Lucia Popp (Zerlina),
Stuart Burrows (Ottavio), Bernd Weikl (Giovanni), Gabriel Bacquier (Leporello),
Alfred Sramek (Masetto), Kurt Moll (Commendatore), London Opera Chorus,
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Georg Solti
45 - Renée Fleming (Anna), Ann Murray (Elvira), Monica Groop
(Zerlina), Herbert Lippert (Ottavio), Bryn Terfel (Giovanni), Michele
Pertusi (Leporello), Roberto Scaltriti (Masetto), Mario Luperi (Commendatore),
London PO, Georg Solti
46 - Rose Bampton (Anna), Jarmila Novotna (Elvira), Bidú Sayão
(Zerlina), Charles Kullman (Ottavio), Ezio Pinza (Giovanni), Alexander
Kipnis (Leporello), Mark Harrell (Masetto), Norman Cordon (Commendatore),
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Bruno Walter
47 - Eva Mei (Anna), Malin Hartelius (Elvira), Martina Janková
(Zerlina), Piotr Beczala (Ottavio), Simon Keenlyside (Giovanni), Anton
Scharinger (Leporello), Reinhard Mayr (Masetto), Alfred Muff (Commendatore),
Chor des Opernhauses Zürich, Orchester der Oper Zürich, Franz
Welser-Möst
When we come to Don Giovanni, we’re speaking of the Mozart opera
that suffered most of Romantic influences. The idea was that it is proto-Beethovenian
opera and that everything should be played to grand purposes. Some historical
recording collectors like to quote the famous Bruno Walter Metropolitan
Opera performance, generally described as "demonic" because
of its almost unbearably intense orchestral playing and a legendary
cast: Rose Bampton’s heroic and capable Anna, Bidú Sayão’s
flirtatious Zerlina and Ezio Pinza’s complete charmer Giovanni.
Unfortunately, Jarmila Novotna is in wiry voice as Elvira and Alexander
Kipnis has a weird idea about pronunciation of Italian language (but
what a voice!). There are many aspects here that are outdated, but it
is undeniably a tour de force, available in good sound, at least in
Naxos.
Hans Rosbaud’s performance live from the Festival in Aix en Provence
in 1955 deserves some mention. Although the orchestral playing is not
competitive, the conductor has well chosen urgent tempi and his phrasing
and articulation are in keeping with classical style. The level of clarity,
especially related to woodwind, is praiseworthy. I particularly like
his true andante in Don Giovanni’s serenade. He has a very decent
cast. Teresa Stich-Randall has a pleasing voice, dramatic commitment
and astonishingly clear and accurate coloratura. However, she is sometimes
below the note, has the annoying habit of separating notes instead of
singing legato and could have better Italian. Suzanne Danco is an intense
Elvira and is in fresh voice. Anna Moffo is a most seductive Zerlina;
Nicolai Gedda’s style sounds a bit outdated, but he is in fresh
voice; Antonio Campo is a rich voiced Giovanni, but Marcello Cortis
is a bit rough as Leporello and Raffaelle Arié lacks the deep
low notes for the Commendatore, although he is animated. The recorded
sound is mono and is nice for a live performance those days.
Josef Krips's recording, on the other hand, is a fully Romantic view
of Don Giovanni. Although the Vienna Philharmonic is not made to sound
heavy and there are interesting insightful ideas here and there (especially
in the act 1 finale), it is still a rather dusty view of this opera.
I suppose that the main source of interest here is its cast, which is
quite satisfying. Suzanne Danco, although her voice is a bit on the
low side for Donna Anna, is a skilled singer with a pleasant velvety
voice and a good grasp of Mozartian style. Even if Lisa della Casa’s
crystal-clear voice is pleasing enough, she is defeated by the slightest
passagework. Hilde Güden is twittery as Zerlina, but Anton Dermota
is stylish all the way - he was not in his most flexible voice for Il
mio tesoro, though. Cesare Siepi, of course, is a commanding Don
Giovanni, one of the lushest voices ever to appear in this role. His
partnership with Fernando Corena’s Leporello is lively, although
the latter also indulges in some "funny" effects. Kurt Böhme
is in poor voice for the Commendatore. The recorded sound is rather
flat .
Many critics consider that we owe to Carlo Maria Giulini the first
attempt to make Don Giovanni sound as a classical work, with its comic
elements sharing the place of honour with the dramatic ones. Although
it is elegant to say that this performance is still the best, it is
surpassed in many senses by many others today. It is undeniable, though,
that Giulini generally has good tempi and some modern ideas about phrasing
and some classical portraits are preserved here - Joan Sutherland’s
Anna (her most interesting recorded performance ), Elisabeth Schwarzkopf’s
tigress of Elvira and Eberhard Wächter’s damned-from-the-beginning
Giovanni. The rest is sorely inadequate/kitsch. If you are curious,
you should also sample his RAI performance, in which his tempi are even
more interesting. It is a pity that the recorded sound is very problematic
- unacceptably congested, making singers’ voices sound hard. This
is particularly problematic for Gundula Janowitz, who ends on sounding
raw in Or sai chi l’onore. However, she still has her beautiful
phrasing and pianissimi and offers decent coloratura in Non mi dir.
Nicolai Ghiaurov is an impressive Giovanni and is aptly constrasted
to Sesto Bruscantini’s imaginative Leporello. Sena Jurinac was
past her best as Elvira, but Olivera Miljakovic’s Zerlina is the
chief disappointment here. Unfortunately, Alfredo Kraus too has poor
notion of Mozartian style. To make things worse, the orchestra is rather
unpolished and laboured.
Herbert von Karajan's 1960 recording made live at the Vienna State
Opera shows the conductor in passionate mood - zipping tempi and rich
orchestral sound. The recorded sound is vivid, rather clear for an unofficial
release, and catches the excitement of a legendary night at the opera.
Leontyne Price, in fresh voice, is a glorious Donna Anna. The very richness
of her voice prevents fioriture to be sung really a tempo, but her velvety
tone sumptuously fills her phrases throughout the long range and takes
readily to mezza voce and trills. Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's Donna Elvira
is a bit overinflected. However, the voice is healthy shape, provided
you can put up with unsupported low register and aproximative divisions.
This is Graziella Sciutti's best Zerlina. Although the charm is a bit
old-fashioned, at last she is really singing out this time and the result
is pleasing enough. Cesare Valletti's vocalism is also old-fashioned
and it takes some times to adjust to it. Nevertheless, he is a reliable
singer and has a more substantial voice than usual for the role. Eberhard
Wächter is at his firmest and most powerful and sings the role
with untamed energy. His Leporello, Walter Berry, also operates on high
voltage - they are a wonderful master/servant team. Nicola Zaccaria
is a warm-toned Commendatore.
Released in the Royal Opera House's Heritage Series, Georg Solti's
1962 live performance was actually recorded back then by an enthusiast
in his radio. It had emerged as a pirate recording until it was finally
refurbished and officially released in 2007. Considering its source,
the new release has very acceptable sound. Of course, ensembles tend
to be congested and there is some tape fading in specific moments. The
performance itself could be described as the opposition between the
conductor's urge for forward movement and the orchestra's inability
to follow his commands. As a result, ensemble tends to be messy and
there is mismatching in plenty. This will be a side comment to the collector,
who will not resist the interest of the starry cast. Leyla Gencer may
seem an exotic name for a Mozart opera, but the legendary Turkish soprano
is in her best behaviour and offers a feminine and stylish Donna Anna.
Her floating mezza voce and clear divisions are a reward in itself.
Sena Jurinac is a passionate rich-toned Elvira. Her Mi tradì
has its rough edges, though. The young Mirella Freni is an irresistible
creamy-toned and sparkling Zerlina. It is a pity that Richard Lewis
was not in good voice that evening- his Ottavio sounds a bit arthritic
and awkward. Cesare Siepi's Don Giovanni is more smoothly sung in his
official recordings, but he offers here an animated and dramatic performance.
Geraint Evans is accordingly an ebullient Leporello. The part is a bit
low for him, but his voice was caught here in very good shape. Robert
Savoie is an engaged Masetto and, despite a voice too light for the
part, David Ward is a powerful Commendatore.
You could have found Otto Klemperer's cast live at the Vienna State
Opera singing Verdi's Don Carlo, but EMI decided to give a chance to
Mozart's Don Giovanni. Although these CDs have the warning "overheavy"
written all over, the performance may work its charm on you if you give
it 10 minutes. The conductor achieves here more than what is generally
called clarity: it is true that his tempi are indisputably slow, but
- contrary to what historically informed practices have told us - good
old Klemperer seems to use the more considerate pace to give life to
every note written in the score, not only in the sense that you can
clearly distinguish every individual phrase in the musical texture,
but also that they are granted meaning. The orchestral sound is alternatively
moulded into lightness and freshness or into sheer power and drive -
and rarely an orchestral effect goes unnoticed. Just sample the opening
scene, where Leporello's tiptoeing, Anna's histerics and Don Giovanni
and the Commendatore's fierce duel are all represented by the orchestral
forces. Claire Watson's blond soprano belongs to old school tradition,
but her elegance and roundness of tone have not lost the appeal, even
if the overall impression is a bit cold. Only her very slow Non
mi dir is a bit overcautious. Christa Ludwig is controversial casting
in this opera. Her velvety warm tone is not foreign to Donna Elvira's
music and she has no problem to float the occasionaly necessary top
note, but even adjustments could not help her with Mi tradì,
in which the singer is noticeably uncomfortable. This is Mirella Freni's
best recorded Zerlina - she is at her freshest and her natural delivery
of the Italian text is irresistible. Unfortunately, Don Ottavio never
was Nicolai Gedda's best role. He is ill at ease and not entirely stylish
as he could be. Nicolai Ghiaurov's chocolate-y bass is taylor-made for
Don Giovanni, but his approach to the role is too buffo-ish, making
his defiant descent to hell rather nonsensical. On the other hand, properly
cast as Leporello, Walter Berry offers a delightful and ebullient performance.
Franz Crass is in splendid shape as the Commendatore.
Live from Salzburg in 1970, Karajan offers a performance midway between
his energetic approach of the previous recording and the heavyweight
quality of his recording made in the same venue in the 80's. Although
this one has its moments of ponderousness, especially in less rhythmic
passages such as recitatives, the Austrian conductor's tempi stil retain
the necessary forward movement and clarity. Some passages are indeed
admirable, such as the charming La ci darem la mano, in which the orchestral
itself sounds teazy and flirtatious, and the chamber music-like Batti,
batti. The Vienna Philharmonic is in splendid shape - its zipping articulation
giving zest to a overheavy appareance of the Commendatore's ghost. It
must be pointed out that there is an element of underrehearsing here,
with some mismatches, singers missing their entries or text and an omnipresent
souffleur, but this does not spoil the fun at all. The cast has lots
in common with Giulini's recording in Italy, but the singers appearing
in both recordings are invariably better recorded and most inspired
here. Gundula Janowitz is in heavenly voice as Donna Anna, but deals
with both her arias more from technique than nature. Or sai chi l'onore
is above her natural Fach, but she sings it with cleanliness and assurance,
while Karajan succeeds in keeping a convincing slow tempo for Non
mi dir, making it possible for her to acquit herself reasonably
well in the stretta. All in all, it is a noble and exquisite piece of
singing. Teresa Zylis Gara's soprano is rounder and richer here than
in Böhm's recording. However, she is even more anonymous here as
a performer. Her cautious approach to top notes is also a drawback,
no matter how appealingly pearly her tone is. This is probably Olivera
Miljakovic's best recorded performanche. She still displays some tackiness,
but her tone is at its creamiest and she finds the right touch of seduction.
Although has all the necessary resources for Don Otavvio, he has his
uningratiating moments. That said, his breath and dynamic control in
his arias are exemplary. Nicolai Ghiaurov has never been so animated
as Don Giovanni as in this performance. He shows a lightness and sense
of humour not entirely available both in Giulini's and Klemperer's recording.
His discipline is poor, though, and it seems that the mandolin player
and he were not best friends. Geraint Evans has poor Italian, is overfunny,
and the tone tends to be curdled. His comic effects in recitative sounds
as he is voicing over an animation of a goblin in a cartoon or something
like that. Rolando Panerai is the funniest Masetto ever and Victor von
Halem is a truly impressive Commendatore - powerful and dark over the
whole range.
Colin Davis's never forgets the fact that Don Giovanni is a dramma
giocoso, offering a nice balance between the dramtic and comis
aspects. In its understated way, it is a most satisfying recording,
especially when tempi are flowing and natural, with clear woodwind.
Although the articulation of the strings players in the Covent Garden’s
orchestra is precise, the sound is not terribly beautiful. Martina Arroyo
is not a name one would associate with Mozart, but her dark voiced Anna
is sung with true feeling for Mozartian style. Kiri Te Kanawa is trying
to show a temperament she does not usually have. However, she was not
in her best shape here: her singing is small-scaled and uninteresting.
Mirella Freni offers creamy tone and is really spirited. It is a pity
she indulges in some out-of-fashion habits, such as pecking at notes
and singing under the pitch for funny effects. Stuart Burrows’s
singing is capable, even if not that ingratiating or appealing. Ingvar
Wixell, however, is a capable Giovanni. He is in very firm voice and
builds his interpretation rather around damnation than around seduction.
Even if Wladimiro Ganzarolli is idiomatic and animated, his Leporello
is everything but pleasant to the ears. Luigi Roni displays a dark and
heavy yet not firm enough voice as the Commendatore. Recitatives are
very theatrical - Freni and Ganzarolli taking advantage because of singing
in their mother language.
Karl Böhm’s Don Giovanni live from Salzburg is also on the
slow side for modern ears and it cannot boast the intelligent theatrical
atmosphere built by Klemperer in his otherwise heavier studio recording,
paradoxically as it sounds. That said, the Vienna Philharmonic phrases
this music to the manner born and Böhm's transparent and poised
conducting still have its charm. The recorded sound gives a good notion
of the stage performance and there is a good cast. One who knows Anna
Tomowa-Sintow from the Karajan recording will find a completely different
singer here. Her voice is almost free of the harshness in the later
set and really more flexible. Teresa Zylis-Gara establishes a pattern
for the "lyric" approach to Donna Elvira. Although there are
a couple of untidy moments, she is in most exquisite voice and sings
with affection throughout. Edith Mathis is similarly a less exuberant
Zerlina - she is stylish as always, of course. I am less pleased with
Peter Schreier’s Ottavio. Although he is quite alert, the tone
is hard and his Italian is poor. Sherrill Milnes is a charismatic Don
Giovanni and is in great voice, but Walter Berry calls all attentions
as Leporello. John Macurdy is a decent Commendatore.
Lorin Maazel’s recording is also compelling. Here there is a
real sense of urgency and the tempi are appropriate with the dramatic
situations, maybe because it is the soundtrack for Joseph Losey’s
film. The film is quite beautiful and benefits from transposing the
setting to Venice, but there are some outdated 70’s-elements all
the way. The orchestral playing is good, but the resonant recoustics
are not very helpful. Edda Moser has all the elements of a great Anna,
but it seems they are not under complete control. This time Kiri Te
Kanawa is a fully satisfying Elvira, in the manner of Zylis-Gara. Teresa
Berganza is the exception to the "mezzos forbidden" rule in
the role of Zerlina. She is extremely charming and bright-toned. Kenneth
Riegel is hard voiced as Ottavio and not completely inside this Mozartian
atmosphere. Ruggero Raimondi is a magnetic Don Giovanni - in very good
voice. He has a fully developed sense of his character as one can see
in the film. José van Dam, against my expectations, is an excellent
Leporello. At first, I found him too "noble" for the role,
but he makes a virtue of his beauty of tone and is fully commited. Malcolm
King is a nice Masetto and Macurdy, in studio, is an efficient Commendatore.
Georg Solti's 1978 recording starts with a dramatic account of the
overture only to settle into a rather heavy performance sorely lacking
forward movement in the more lyric moments and rather generalized in
the most complex passages. The orchestral sound is often too thick for
Mozart's filigree writing and Decca's recorded sound could also be more
natural and clear. Margaret Price is an urgent Donna Anna, noble in
her creamy tone and floated pianissimo and also capable of real dramatic
impact, such as in the opening scene, when she expresses her character's
desperation as no other soprano in the discography. She tackles a rather
fast stretta for her second aria and the result involves some aspiration.
Sylvia Sass is not a familiar name in a Mozartian discography, but that
did not prevent from offering a compelling performance. Her metallic
yet warm tone is an interesting match for Donna Elvira and she finds
many an interesting turn of phrase to present a complex and alluring
Elvira. It is not immaculate (the tone can get shrill sometimes), but
often illuminating. Lucia Popp is an appealing bright rich-toned Zerlina,
here given an opportunity to sing her razor duet with Leporello. Although
Stuart Burrow's tone is not as youthful as in Karajan's recording, it
is still a role entirely fit to his voice and temper. Again, one can
always marvel at his amazing breath control. Bernd Weikl is an animated
Don Giovanni, rough-toned now and then, a character made to sound more
imposing than seductive. Gabriel Bacquier is a seasoned Leporello and
uses his buffo tricks with flair, but also some exaggeration: off pitch
effects included. Kurt Moll is an intense pitch-toned Commendatore.
Also from the 70's, there are Classics for Pleasure's highlights from
Scotland. Despite its many drawbacks, the performance still holds some
interest because of the outstanding sense of clarity - rarely did the
dissonances in the Commendatore's death been so easily noticed as here.
Also the Scottish Chamber Orchestra strings tackle Mozart divisions
with amazing sense of articulation of phrasing, not to mention that
the upfront woodwind adds real spirit to the performance as a whole.
Just listen the Champagne Aria to hear how the orchestra is cheering
and having a great time. It is true that Alexander Gibson's tempi are
not always fluent as we use to see today, but his sense of elegance
and structural understanding are compensation enough. Rachel Mathes's
penetrating soprano can sound on the wiry side when dealing with mezza
voce and her performance is a bit old-fashioned. It seems she has reasonable
flexibility, but without Non mi dir it is difficult to say the last
word about her. Sheila Armstrong's appealing voice is too light for
Elvira. On the other hand, Ann Murray is a charming creamy-toned Zerlina.
Robert Tear is miscast as Ottavio - the voice is too tense and the style
too operetta-like for Mozart. His runs on the breath for Il mio tesoro
are stil admirable, but this is basically an ad hoc performance. John
Shirley-Quirk's baritone is far from ingratiating, but he does know
how to mellow for his serenade. Stafford Dean's bass can sound throaty
and he is somewhat free about his notes. The recorded sound could have
a bit more space, but allows for the complete clarity as mentioned above.
Bernard Haitink's recording abounds in beautiful and clear orchestral
sound. There is not one note in the score one cannot easily find in
the textures produced by the London Philharmonic, in one of its best
recorded Mozart performances. Although the overall result is certainly
charming, it may also sound calculated and lacking variety. In the end,
it all sounds like polite entertainment offered by a highly skilled
group of artists. Carol Vaness's rich soprano has no problem to comply
with the difficult writing reserved to Donna Anna, but her approach
is rather generalized. This is particularly problematic when Maria Ewing,
in excellent voice, offers such an intensely dramatic Elvira. Not only
is her Italian particularly convincing, but also she invest her lines
with rare passion. Elizabeth Gale's fruity Zerlina is a charmer. Keith
Lewis is a pleasant Octavio, not particularly animated or vocally exciting.
Richard Van Allan is an interesting Leporello, the rough patches in
the voice making for a rather rustic character, but Dmitri Kavrakos
is a bit ungainly as the Commendatore. However, it is Thomas Allen who
dominates the performance, with his thorough sense of Mozartian style,
firmness and beauty of tone and dramatic commitment - he also offers
the scariest shouting in the discography when falling into the flames
of hell.
Rafael Kubelik’s recording is quite hard to frame. Although
it is on paper a traditional performance, its atmosphere of elegance
and transcedent beauty makes it sui generis. It is quite a Straussian
Don Giovanni. It would be an alternative view of the work, if it offered
something more theatrical. The orchestra has transparent enough sound
and the recording is quite clear. Julia Varady is an accomplished Anna,
although I could not get what are her ideas about the role. On the other
hand, Arleen Augér is in animated mood for Elvira. The only thing
between her and complete success being the lightness of her voice in
the more outpoken moments. By 1985, Edith Mathis’s Zerlina has
grown quite austere, but it is still appealing Mozartian singing. Although
Thomas Moser’s tone is very beautiful, his Ottavio is not completely
at ease - vocally and dramatically. Alan Titus offers an attractively
vocalized Don Giovanni and has the necessary appeal to call attention
to himself in such a distinguished cast. Moreover, the contrast to Rolando
Panerai’s rustic Leporello is telling. Rootering is soft-centered
for the Commendatore.
Karajan's studio recording is one of the most problematic in the discography.
The thunderous orchestra is unclear and the artifficial recording makes
things even more tangled. Also, slow uninflected tempi make the whole
experience more unfocused. Anna Tomowa-Sintow is an unacceptable Donna
Anna, singing with metallic tone marred by a fierce vibrato that makes
the slightest passagework imprecise. Agnes Baltsa is also in a role
unfit for her voice and offers an un-Mozartian but impassioned Donna
Elvira, with some very powerful top notes and forceful coloratura. Kathleen
Battle is a light charming Zerlina, singing affectively and making the
best of dramatic situations. Gösta Winbergh is a noble Ottavio,
singing with good taste and sense of style. Samuel Ramey certainly offers
a splendid voice, flexible and rich over a large range if lacking variety.
Ferruccio Furlanetto is a vivacious and full toned Leporello, wonderfully
idiomatic. Paata Burchuladze’s gigantic Commendatore is certainly
impressive. Do not expect clear articulation and diction, though.
When Karajan premièred his Don Giovanni in Salzburg, Agnes Baltsa
had already left the production, being replaced by Julia Varady, who
is bright toned and powerful enough, although her diction leaves a lot
to be desired. Michael Hampe’s production is elegant in its cold
colours and provides some original scenic ideas - Ferruccio Furlanetto
and Samuel Ramey, outstanding in their stage performances. Kathleen
Battle and Alexander Malta also work very well as Zerlina and Masetto,
while the Ottavio, Anna and Elvira center around looking dignified and
outraged. Swapping the Berliner for the Wiener Philharmoniker makes
for clearer articulation. Finally, Sony offers what DG could not: decent
recorded sound.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt seems to trust the expressive power of accents
and phrasing rather than speeds. Some of his tempi are actually slow
- but, whenever that happens, endearing details appear most of the time.
I particularly appreciate the perfect balance obtained here - although
the conductor is determined to prove that Mozart is everything but cute,
he is able to do that within the limits of Classical style. His cast
is irregular if dramatically concerned. Edita Gruberová’s
is an Anna different from all the others - a rather straightforward
lady: she loves her fiancé, is outraged by Giovanni and is more
ashamed than revengeful. Her voice fits admirably Mozart’s writing
and no other soprano is so at ease with what she has to sing. For the
first time in the discography, Non mi dir sounds like any other
aria. Roberta Alexander is an impassionate Elvira and her voice is beautiful,
but her technique fails now and then, especially in Mi Tradì.
Barbara Bonney is heavenly as Zerlina, more than she would be for Arnold
Östman. Hans-Peter Blochwitz was not in his best voice: it is a
bit hard and short in breath here. His Ottavio does not suggest the
usual whimpery guy. Thomas Hampson’s Don Giovanni is admirable,
rather in the Wächter style - there is nothing cute about his character.
Robert Holl is a light and very effective Commendatore, but Polgár’s
voice is a bit on the white side as Leporello. I would also prefer if
there was not that clear gap between tracks. Sometimes, things should
go direct from recitative to aria, but that never happens.
Riccardo Muti's Mozart opera recordings are always on my list of good
performances, but he succumbs to the old problem with "traditional"
conductors - that Don Giovanni is a proto-romantic work, a pre-Beethovenian
attempt in Musikdrama. That result is that, whenever Muti thinks that
some particular moment is a serious one, the result is really heavy
handed. The overture is an example - the opening bars are overinflected,
overkilled and last forever. When we get to the most animated section,
then we have the usual Muti, with thoroughly articulated phrasing, animated
atmosphere and well-judged tempi. This discrepancy is going to appear
in the whole recording and the final impression is that the expressive
range of this performance is narrower than it should be. And Don Giovanni
really works better without all that Beethovenian make-up - when its
natural and subtle chiaroscuro of dramma giocoso simply sounds more
interesting than all the weight and power people still try to see in
this piece. There is no need to say that the Vienna Philharmonic's playing
is wonderfully as usual - but I wished that the recording had a more
immediate and natural atmosphere, exactly as one would find in the Vienna
State Opera. The cast is generally interesting, although these singers
really do not work as a team. Their voices and styles are sometimes
too different for ensemble - but the main problem is that one feels
that they were assembled for a studio recording and little efforts were
made to create dramatic cohesion. Donna Anna is probably the best suited
of Mozartian roles for Cheryl Studer. She is an admirable artist, but
one cannot help noticing that she is constantly scaling down in this
repertoire, producing somewhat flaccid phrasing and under the note attack.
She is nonetheless is a praiseworthy Anna, with her Viennese vocal production,
engaged phrasing, powerful top notes and flexibility. However, she should
have tried not to be the archetypal furious Anna, and adopt instead
a more lyric approach, such as Arleen Augér's or Luba Orgonasová's
- this would have suited her voice better in my humble opinion. Carol
Vaness had been singing the role of Anna for a while with relative success,
but here is showing that she has an Elvira in her too. I think that
this "transition" could not be better advised, since I have
always found her Anna too close to Verdi's Leonoras... Her voice is
in beautiful shape here - warm, creamy and she is more willing to sing
softly. I would have appreciated more verbal pointing, without which
Elvira sounds a bit generic and uninteresting. The idea of casting Zerlina
with a mezzo soprano always sounded problematic to me, unless she is
a bright-voiced stylish and sexy-toned singer such as Berganza. That
is not the case here - Suzanne Mentzer sounds lugubrious next to the
other female singers and it is very hard to find why Giovanni would
be interested in such an unappealing Zerlina. Whenever a bright soprano
would be shimmering in the ensembles, we get effortful production from
Suzanne Mentzer. The casting of Frank Lopardo as Ottavio proved to be
disappointing too. His voice was never beautiful, but his outstanding
coloratura skills generally compensate. Here, not even his flexibility
can outshine his unstylish phrasing and absence of ideas about this
role (which naturally tends to blandness). However, nobody would deny
that the most surprising piece of casting here is William Shimmell.
The performance as a whole lacks finish, especially compared to those
offered by some other members of the cast. Samuel Ramey could be said
to outclass all his colleagues due to his good taste, notion of style
and virtuoso qualities - but he does not. One really feels that Giovanni,
and not Leporello, is his role. Despite his best intentions, he sounds
too grand and commanding for the servant's role
There is not one exemplary video of Don Giovanni - and Muti’s
from La Scala is no exception. Again, the approach is heavy-handed.
To make things worse, the orchestral playing lacks zest and the recorded
sound is too favourable to singers. In theory, he has a good cast, although
most unfortunately Thomas Allen, the nice Giovanni, looses his voice
in the middle of Act 1. If we remember that Claudio Desderi in a vocally
unexceptional if animated Leporello, this is particularly harmful. To
increase problems, Suzanne Mentzer is quite unappealing (vocally-speaking
- she looks very well otherwise) as Zerlina and her Masetto is far from
good. The performance's saving graces are Edita Gruberová’s
virtuosistic Anna, Francisco Araiza’s strong Ottavio and Ann Murray’s
passionate Elvira. Their trio is the most beautiful I have ever heard.
The staging is interesting, but with the exception of Allen and Murray,
this cast is not strong in the acting skills department.
Daniel Barenboim’s recording could be treated as an aberration.
It is difficult to understand why Erato decided to support the idea
of recording a new "Furtwängler" Don Giovanni in 1990.
Worse than that: there is not either that old recording's mythic quality
or its cast. It is simply boring and unappealing. Lella Cuberli's tone
lacks poise and elegance, Waltraud Meier is miscast as Elvira and Joan
Rodgers is uninteresting as Zerlina. Uwe Heilmann is a pleasant Ottavio
if completely out of the context here. Ferruccio Furlanetto indulges
in some rough singing as if he was performing it live and not in the
studio. John Tomlinson is heavy beyond salvation as Leporello, even
if his experience in Handel prevents him from beying completely unstylish.
Michele Pertusi is an interesting Masetto and Matti Salminen is, as
always, a competent Commendatore.
Thomas Allen's Don Juan would make a second visit to the British recording
studios in Neville Marriner's series of Da Ponte operas. As in the other
releases from the same forces, the orchestral playing and recorded sound
are excellent and the conductor's general grasp of Mozartian style is
beyond criticism. However, I tend to differ from most reviewers on considering
this Marriner's best Mozartian opera recording. Here the proceedings
are notably more theatrical and animated. The chiaroscuro which marks
this score is sensitively drawn scene after scene and even within each
scene. The dramatic commitment of every member in the cast plays an
important part in it, especially when recitatives are done in such an
organic and theatrical way. Listening to Sharon Sweet's Donna Anna,
one cannot cease to regret that such a promising singer would eventually
go astray in such a woeful manner. Here she is at her youthful best
- offering warm big creamy sounds from bottom to top. For such a large-voiced
singer, her Non mi dir is reasonably fluent and her ease with
mezza voce and clear diction are also strong assets. Karita Mattila
is similarly a large-scale Elvira, singing her Italian words with fiery
temper and velvety tone. In her big aria, she has one or two untidy
moments, but her full-toned approach is certainly impressive. Marie
McLaughlin uses her suntanned soprano to create a Sophia Loren-like
sexy, strong and earthy Zerlina. Francisco Araiza did sound smoother
in other Mozart recordings, but the occasional roughness does build
into his macho approach to Don Ottavio. Experienced from his Rossini
performances, Simone Alaimo has complete know-how in the buffo repertoire
of tricks. Now and then one would expect more earnest vocalization,
but this is easily overcome considering this singer's intelligent sense
of humour. His interplaying with Thomas Allen is also most efficient
- the British singer as idiomatic as his Italian colleague. Robert Lloyd
is an intense dark Commendatore. A safe buy.
Arnold Östman’s performance is full of insight and understanding
of Mozartian phraseology - it is quite unique sometimes, but the orchestra
is unfortunately too light to produce the right effect. Even if almost
none of these singers are truly exemplary, they make a particularly
stylish cast that took the risk of to be faithful to the classical concept
of characterization, even if sometimes it is not for contemporary taste.
The most notable example is Della Jones’s Elvira, who is thoroughly
mezzo carattere, sounding a bit too comical for today’s concept
of the role. Arleen Augér is a light noble Anna, Håkan
Hagegård an aggressive Giovanni who knows to scale down to velvety
mezza voce when seducting his "victims" and Gilles Cachemaille
is a venal Leporello. Finally, Kristinn Sigmundsson and Nico van der
Meer are acceptable as the Commendatore and Ottavio. In any case, the
CDs are entirely preferrable to the video, which is the less interesting
in the Drottningholm series. The recorded sound, at least in LD, lacks
focus and the image is not sharp enough. The orchestral playing is even
less compact than on CD and the cast is less distinguished. Helena Döse
is foreign to Mozartian style and Birgid Nordin has little to offer
as Elvira. Also, Hagegård is less focused than in the studio recording,
too often employing ugly vocalization. Only Gösta Winbergh seems
to be an improvement from Nico van der Meer’s undernourished Ottavio.
The regulars in Drottnigholm are reliable as always if uncompetitive.
Alternative by definition is Peter Sellars' film of Don Giovanni based
on his stagings at the Pepsico Festival in New York. This is by far
the most interesting among Sellars DVDs of the Da Ponte operas, featuring
interesting sceneries and the best cast in the series. Also, probably
because this is less comical an opera than Cosi and Nozze, the rate
of ludicrously coreographied scenes is comparatively reduced. Craig
Smith's conducting is kapellmeisterlich and frankly dull both in the
overture and the closing scene, but the excellent playing from the Vienna
Symphonic added by a full yet clear recorded sound help to keep interest
going. The edition here chosen tends to adopt some alternatives from
the Viennese edition, such as the inclusion of the razor duet for Zerlina
and Leporello and the finale ultimo without Anna and Ottavio's duet.
I could not discover, though, where the conductor found the different
phrasing for the recitative to Mi tradì. Dominique Labelle
is a light-toned Donna Anna who deals adeptly with florid writing and
knows how to keep tonal quality in the most dramatic passages. Some
high-lying phrases sound a bit wiry, though. Lorraine Hunt is an intense
Donna Elvira who knows how to use the occasional strain for dramatic
purposes. She adapts one phrase to fit her range, however, in Restati,
barbaro. Ai Lan Zhu's Zerlina is artless and creamy toned, but lacks
some sensuousness. Carroll Freeman is strained as Don Ottavio and has
problems with pitch. Since the singers taking the roles of Don Giovanni
and Leporello are identical twins, it is curious to notice the similarity
of their voices. However, Herbert Perry's tone is more focused and his
phrasing smoother than his brother Eugene's - and that fits the fact
that Giovanni is supposed to be the let-it-all-out one. Elmore James
is successful to produce a "stolid" voice for a stolid guy,
but James Patterson sounds a bit woolly as the Commendatore.
Michael Hampe’s production would make it into video again, now
in Köln, James Conlon conducting. The smaller stage is certainly
helpful, but the absence of audience and the extra lighting spoil the
charm and the fun. If the orchestra had been less dimly recorded, it
would certainly be one of the less problematic Don Giovannis on video
around. The conductor gives a vivid account of the score, with prominent
woodwind - only loosing his way when rhythms are less obvious. In these
moments, things do get pointless. Ensemble should be more polished too.
Carolyn James has a good voice for Donna Anna - big, high and full.
She has limitations to produce mezza voce, resulting unfocused tone,
and her coloratura is far less than sensational. Carol Vaness is the
most impressive member of the cast, offering rich warm tone and a vivid
temperament. Andrea Rost’s bright soprano sometimes becomes too
metallic and her tonal palette is limited, but she consistently produces
a clean line. Kjell Magnus Sandve’s throaty tenor is foreign to
Mozartian style. Don Giovanni does not seem a good role for Thomas Allen
live in the theatre. In the Muti set, he gets hoarse in the first act.
Here, only in second act his problem with low notes begin to appear
and mar an interesting performance. Ferruccio Furlanetto remains an
excellent Leporello. Last but not least, Matthias Hölle was in
great shape here, fully satisfying as the Commendatore.
It is particularly admirable that, in his second recording Georg Solti
has developed a more consequent sense of drama and musical structure.
His tempi are more fluent and incisive than in his previous recording
and his understanding of Mozartian style is more accurate. One could
think he had listened to Östman's recording before the rehearsals
of this performance… Both act finali are particularly gripping
in their rhythmic alertness and sound impact. The orchestral effects
in the closing scene are particularly impressive... Alas, although his
cast is starry as in the previous recording, it is altogether less distinguished
too. Renée Fleming was already in her jazzy days when she recorded
her Donna Anna. So be prepared to sliding, scooping and other mannerisms.
Sometimes her high mezza voce effects sound wiry and calculated. It
must be acknowledged that she offers a fine stretta for Non mi dir,
sung a tempo, despite some minor blurring. Ann Murray brings a flashing
personality and knowledge of Mozartian style. It is a pity her forceful
Elvira involves an overvibrant and often stressed top register. Monica
Groop mezzo is pleasant in the ear and her top notes are comfortable
and appealing, but she is a bit austere as Zerlina. Herbert Lippert
is also unexceptional as Ottavio. Of course Bryn Terfel's tone is more
than attractive enough for Don Giovanni - a rich powerful bass-baritone.
However, the Welsh singer's mannerisms, especially whimsical shifting
from abrupt forte to semi-falsetto piano, are really bothersome. As
Leporello, Michele Pertusi is admirably Italianate. The tone is pleasant
and dark if a bit bottled and unflowing, especially in the high register.
Finally, Mario Luperi Commendatore is a bit rough-toned but powerful
commendatore
John Eliot Gardiner's Don Giovanni is so animated and intelligent as
a performance that it ends on being irresistible, even for those who
usually dislike Gardiner. The orchestra is at its best and the closing
scene is one of the most exciting ever recorded. The recorded sound
is outstanding for a live performance and the audience is unbelievably
silent. The cast is particularly interesting, since the characters sound
so different from what we are used to. Luba Orgonasová’s
Anna is very aristocratic and sung in rich tone. Although her coloratura
is not as easy as Gruberová’s, she shares with her the
ability of singing everything a tempo, no matter how fast it is. Charlotte
Margiono is a lyric smoky-voiced Elvira, more tender than usual. Cristoph
Prégardien’s Ottavio is delightful. It has a serene stern
quality that makes us believe when he says that Anna can see a father
in him. Rodney Gilfry is the complete charmer. His Giovanni is so congenial
that one cannot help liking him and regretting his going to hell (unless
you believe hell is actually fun...). He is a more "modern"
Giovanni than we are used to. He sounds more "fun" than "danger"
and, when he should be dangerous, it sounds more like flirtatious bluffing.
It is a superb portrait and his serenade is the best I have ever heard.
Also, Andrea Silvestrelli’s Commendatore is simply FRIGHTENING.
He’s the darkest bass I have ever heard in this part. Also, Ildebrando
d'Arcangello and Eirian James offer reliable performances as Leporello
and Zerlina.
We cannot forget Roger Norrington’s recording, a most accomplished
performance in which everything simply sounds right all the time. His
period-instrument orchestra is unusually full-toned and there is sense
of theatre in its playing, sometimes more than in the the pleasant cast
here gathered. In its unpretentious way, it is one of the best recordings
of this work. I am always amazed at how good it is when I get to listen
to it. Amanda Halgrimson is an immaculate Anna, Nancy Argenta is again
a lovely Zerlina, John Mark Ainsley is a light flexible Ottavio, but
it is the partnership of the virile Giovanni of Andreas Schmidt and
the animated Leporello of the rich-voiced Gregory Yurisic the vital
element of this performance. Alastair Miles is a strong Commendatore,
but Lynne Dawson is on the light side for Elvira.
Claudio Abbado's is a performance in which the musical possibilities
of Mozart’s score are fully explored. The vertical and horizontal
clarity are outstanding and the orchestral playing is excellent. Of
course, the recorded sound is dry, which allows analytic perspectives.
The cast is very good. Carmela Remigio is an accomplished Anna and only
a sour edge in her forte notes takes from her beautiful performance,
with lovely coloratura and pianissimi. Soile Isokoski is a lyric and
sensitive Elvira, the voice reminiscent of Schwarzkopf’s in tone
- although the approach is radically diffeerent. Patrizia Pace was not
in good voice - the tone resembles a boy-soprano (including poor pitch),
but the very brightness adds a good effect to ensembles. Uwe Heilmann
was past his best and offers some ugly phrases. Simon Keenlyside is
an interesting Giovanni, with excellent use of the text and idiomatic
Italian. Bryn Terfel is an exaggerated Leporello, but I guess it is
better too much than none, and the tone itself is pleasing. And his
disguising his voice when dressed as his master is nicely done - only
Bruscantini in the RAI Giulini performance does it as nicely as Terfel
does here. Ildebrando d'Arcangelo is a positive Masetto and Matti Salminen
is a reliable Commendatore as always.
One can find the same musical understanding and clarity in Charles
Mackerras’s performance, although the theatrical sense is more
developed. There is admirable sense of team work and a dramatic unity
generally associated to live performances. The woodwind are perfectly
recorded and add an extra dimension to harmonic perception. Christine
Brewer’s voice is atypical for Anna - it is a big lyric soprano,
a bit on the smoky. She has good legato, coloratura and mezza voce nonetheless.
Felicity Lott is on the light side for Elvira, but her dramatic intelligence
and musical sophistication redeem the voice. Zerlina is Nuccia Focile’s
best try in Mozartian repertoire. It is a bit more positive than usual
and her native Italian has something to do with it. Boje Skovhus is
a most intelligent Don Giovanni, with a wide vocal pallette. His performance
is so intelligent that we forgive his unidiomatic Italian. Alessandro
Corbelli is a most animated Leporello and his interpretative flair makes
for an uninteresting voice. Umberto Chiummo is a most competent Commendatore
and Masetto. His portrayal of each role is so specific that we barely
notice it is the same singer. Unfortunately, Jerry Hadley is unstylish
and ill-at-ease as Ottavio.
Jean-Claude Malgoire’s conducting has its similarities with Östman’s,
but the approach is rougher-edged and more intimate. In its alertness,
it offers indeed a quite fresh perspective of the score. The cast is
more theatrical than in Drottningholm as well. Danielle Borst is a lyric,
tender Anna, Véronique Gens a fully commited and warm-toned Elvira,
Sophie-Marin Degor a tough yet sweet-toned Zerlina, Simon Edwards a
most accomplished Ottavio and Nicolas Rivencq is a light charming Giovanni,
who makes most of his recitatives. Unfortunately, Claessens and van
der Kamp are too dry and white-toned for comfort. The recorded sound
is immediate but CD2 has a different sound perspective.
If one has in mind Sigiswald Kuijken’s charming Così,
one is bound to be really disappointing by his bureaucratic recording
of Don Giovanni. There is an unacceptable lack of atmosphere, although
it was recorded live. Tempi tend to be fast, but, devoid of dramatic
purpose, they sound only indifferent. The cast is consistently uninteresting,
with the exception of Nancy Argenta’s charming Zerlina. Christina
Högman’s Elvira is not that bad, but without Mi Tradì
(this is original version) she has less space to show what she can do.
Michael Halász’s recording on Naxos is a puzzling affair.
Pretend there has been nothing between Krips recording and the year
2000 and you’ll get close to what happens here - but do not forget
that there is no Suzanne Danco or Cesare Siepi here... According to
Hungary’s legendary reputation, the strings offer beautiful rich
sound and, when they are not doing labourous passagework (as in the
overture), they often amaze you with the beautiful writing Mozart reserved
them. Woodwind playing is not in this level (nor brass) but they are
reasonably easily heard. The problem is that, maybe if the recording
were more natural, there would be more clarity. Tempi are not necessarily
slower than what we are used to find today. The closing passages of
both finali are quite fast, for example, but there is little creativity
going on here - the only expressive resource found in the orchestra
seems to be boosting on volume. Rhythms are a bit on a straightjacket
and ornamentation does not belong to this universe. Adrianne Pieczonka’s
big lyric soprano is miscast for Donna Anna. She is uncomfortable with
the tessitura, the coloratura and the pianissimi. Regina Schörg
is closer to everyone’s idea of a Mozartian soprano, offering
a Viennese bell-like sound capable of some expansion in the lower reaches,
elegant phrasing and some concern about the text. However, her technique
is too irregular. In one moment she may be impressive, only to make
something awkward in the next one. In any case, the role of Elvira is
a bit on the heavy side for her and she sounds edgy in the most outspoken
moments. Ildikó Raimondi is above her colleagues standard, even
if I found her soprano not young-sounding enough for Zerlina. Nevertheless,
hers is a warm voice able of some seduction and completely at ease with
her part. Her best moments are her arias. I do not know what to say
of Torsten Kerl’s Ottavio. It sounds as if Senta’s boyfriend
found another girl who does not care much about him either. Even if
he does some difficult things here (the fioriture in Il mio tesoro in
one breath and the repeat in Dalla sua pace in mezza voce, for example),
his René Kollo-isms simply are too bizarre for Mozart. The interest
is that he is the Ottavio you can hear more often than any other - sometimes
more than you would wish. For example, when he simply outsings Pieczonka
in Che giuramento, o Dei! Boje Skovhus improved a lot his Don
Giovanni from the Mackerras’s set - now he speaks plausible Italian
and has a more heroic voice (even if less spontaneous in the forte passages).
As before, his Lieder singers talents are widely used in his recitatives.
He responds eagerly to his Italian Leporello, Renato Girolami, who offersa
decent performance even if lacking a bit tone in the upper reaches.
Boaz Daniel is a pleasant Masetto, but Janusz Monarcha is too woolly
and throaty as the Commendatore.
As much as with Così Fan Tutte, Arte Nova has the edge on Naxos
for a budget recording of Don Giovanni. In any case, Bertrand de Billy's
conducting does not need to fear the company of the best recordings
in the discography. It is intense, fast, dramatic and also clear and
intelligent. Just sample the breathless overture and the anxious opening
scene to get the picture. The ORF orchestra is appropriately able to
produce theatrical gestures while keeping musical values, although those
used to period instrument orchestras may find the sound picture too
percussive. Nevertheless, such an enterprise requires diabolically impressive
singers. This is not the case here - efficiency would rather be the
word I would apply to this cast. Promoted to the role of Anna, Regina
Schörg offers impressively accurate coloratura in Non mi dir,
but the voice lacks colour and the most exposed passages reveal a kind
of nervousness which is not entirely to my taste. On the other hand,
Heidi Brunner is a most pleasant Elvira. Although she is usually billed
as a mezzo, her Viennese sound grant her an unusually clean high register.
Birgid Steinberger is gracious and vivacious as Zerlina, but, when things
get difficult, her voice may sound raw. As for Jeffrey Francis, this
is a more positive and darker-hued Ottavio than usual, but - different
from most tenors in this restrict group - he does retain the necessary
amount of poise in order to keep things going properly. As master and
servant, we have two rather deep basses whose voices at moment may sound
similar. Although Kwanchoul Yun has the nobler rounder tone, he is not
the subtlest Giovanni around. That does noot mean that his Don is made
to sound manic or hell-driven - it just comes through in the same mezzo-forte-and-above
shape. That said, the voice has its charm and, contrary to some reviewers,
I like his full-toned-against-all-odds Champagne aria. Maurizio Muraro
is less attractive vocally speaking. His idiomatic Italian finally does
help him to produce the right effect. Reinhard Hagen does not need to
fear competition - his bass is impressively powerful in the role of
the Commendatore. Finally, one must note that the edition here used
is the Prague one, with the Viennese additions offered in the end of
the third disc.
Reviewers have called Daniel Harding's performance "very fast"
full stop. Although his tempi tend to be fast (not always - Mi tradì
and Vedrai, carino, for example are quite slow in comparison with recent
recordings), this is secondary to the fact that very few conductors
can boast to achieve the understanding of Mozart phrasing and structure
Harding has displayed here. Not only is the level of clarity absolute,
but in very few performances of Mozart operas one could found so much
sense in every little note written by Mozart. Listen to Vedrai, carino
- never those rhythms have been so precise and yet so natural. His control
of transitions in the finale of act I is masterly - and I can never
cease to amaze that he had only 23 when he recorded this - live. And
if you take in consideration that the Mahler Chamber Orchestra (only
brass and drums are "original" instruments) is a model of
precision and intelligence, one has to recognize that this is a special
performance. It is only a pity that the recording lacks some naturality
- I suspect too many microphones. It is particularly lacking space in
tutti. Voices are faithfully recorded though. Although this is not the
cast of my dreams, it is a very good one, working with true "ensemble
feeling". I have particular fondness for Carmela Remigio’s
Anna - especially because she is Italian. The naturality of her tone
and ease with technical minutiae is delightful and the voice is even
more rounded than with Abbado. She copes admirably with the very fast
Or sai chi l’onore (the only moment where I felt that
the pace was really too fast). Véronique Gens seems to be trying
to prove that she is worth while being recorded twice as Elvira. One
has the impression she is trying zillions of possibilities, without
quite focusing what she wants to do. In Ah, chi mi dice mai
she verges on affectation, but gets more natural during the opera. Her
Mi tradì is particularly smooth. At any rate, I still
prefer her more solid performance for Malgoire. At first, I thought
Lisa Larsson to be disappointing - the voice lacks tone and spreads
too much- but later she ended on convincing me due to her exceptional
fluency in Italian and creativity. Her Zerlina is definitely not cute
- it is earthy, sensuous and naughty. I like that. Mark Padmore also
lacks body and relies too much on head voice (when he tries to sing
out, the result is a bit tense), but he is elegant. Peter Mattei has
a winsome baritone and natural charisma. His recitatives are excellent
and he phrases with utmost accuracy and imagination. He survives beautifully
the zipping tempo for the Champagne aria, but I think his mezza voce
in the serenade was too dim. On the other hand, Gilles Cachemaille’s
voice is already burnt. It is a serious blemish in the set, because,
when Leporello is so indifferent, things run in a less exciting way.
The Masetto lacks focus as well and the Commendatore is light voiced
for his role.
Watching the video from Aix-en-Provence, recorded three years after
the performance available on CD, one can see the important contribution
of Peter Brook to the sense of theatricality and ensemble work in this
performance. The almost absence of sceneries is not necessarily an advantage.
On video, it might look a bit boring after a while, but the masterly
stage direction, attentive to Da Ponte's text and Mozart's music brings
forth so many interesting shadings to a well known piece that one should
give a try, just for the change. Especially when the cast has so many
good actors. Compared to the CDs, Harding suffers from less clear recorded
sound. It is more natural, but the sound image is not very precise and
the noise of the wind on the microphone is a bit annoying. There are
also moments when some of the frantic drive of the previous performance
is replaced by a more careful appoach, more considerate to singers.
Whether this is an advantage or not - it is a matter of taste. What
is beyond discussion is that the cast changes are all for the better.
Alexandra Deshorties is a remarkable Anna. Her creamy velvety soprano
with reserves of force is homogeneous and easy throughout the whole
range. Her floated pianissimi and dexterity in passagework - not to
mention her alertness to the changes of mood in recitative - are praiseworthy.
Also, her agile stage presence and feline looks help to build up an
excellent performance. As for Mireille Delunsch, her fragile Elvira,
conveyed through her absolute purity of tone, requires some adjustment.
Her portrayal of a tormented woman ready to abandon her self-respect
and pride for the man she loves may sound underpowered and uneventful
at first. But in the end the unusual approach delivers its goods, more
so with the special help of her outstanding acting. As in 1999, Lisa
Larsson's vivid Italian and dramatic imagination make for a somewhat
uneven vocal production. Mark Padmore too sounds more comfortable in
the CD performance. Nathan Berg is vocally a more imposing Masetto than
Till Fechner, but his Italian needs a lot of improvement. Gilles Cachemaille
and Gudjon Oskarsson have the same problems of their previous recording,
but Peter Mattei seems to have improved his Don Giovanni, proving to
be more comfortable to sing softly when necessary, while keeping the
brightness and firmness he already had before.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's Zürich performance on video has downright
ugly production and Jürgen Flimm's stage direction seems to follow
a rhythm completely indifferent to Mozart's (and sometimes da Ponte's)
timing. The conductor's approach to the score is as eccentric as in
the Teldec CDs, but some elements have developed, generally for better.
I don't know if I like the less animated versions of Leporello's arias
and the unsubtle mask trio, but the faster and more intense Che giurammento,
o dei and the darker, more dramatic and less fussy closing scene are
definitely improvement. In the previous recording, the Concertgebouw
offered lusher strings, but the new performance has more character with
its wonderfully prominent woodwind, exemplary balance between singers
and orchestra and rougher accents. More than that: differently from
the stage director's, most part of the conductor's points do make sense
theatrically speaking - and the video is particularly helpful to demonstrate
that. The exquisite-toned Isabel Rey is a light lyric Anna, who takes
readily to coloratura and throws some stunning pianissimi now and then.
Cecilia Bartoli's performance is entirely in line with the mezzo carattere
style: she is half comic half furious most of the time. The problem
is that, whenever she is furious, her voice is not exactly ingratiating
and acquires a rattling sound. Sometimes, her interpretative points
impare any idea of legato, as in Ah, chi mi dice mai. Her most
controversial moment certainly is Mi tradì, which is
made here as a lyric meditative aria, and Bartoli displays a showcase
of tone colouring and inflections, never singing the same line in the
same way. Liliana Nikiteanu is a true find as a Zerlina, with her light
sexy mezzo soprano that never gets edgy. She deserved a more noticeable
Masetto than Oliver Widmer. Roberto Saccà has good ideas and
notion of style, but his voice is neither pleasing nor ductile enough
for Ottavio. Rodney Gilfry certainly has presence as Don Giovanni, but
he is less well-behaved than for Gardiner and sometimes acts too much
with the voice. Here he offers a less friendly concept of Don Giovanni,
a man who is always going to extremes in order to flirt with death itself.
Lászlo Polgár's voice still sounds unsuited to Leporello
- it is too noble in tone and too unspecifically articulated (he is
clearly at a loss with the patter in Mille torbidi pensieri).
His acting is also puzzling - his whole attitude is quite sophisticated,
sardonic and ultimately blasé. Matti Salminen is a powerful Commendatore,
as in the Abbado set.
The video from Glyndenbourne might be a good alternative for Harnoncourt's
in Zürich. Although the production is controversial - settings
and props are reducted to basics (a wood platform and curtains) - it
looks elegant enough. More than that: director Deborah Warner certainly
knows how to create truly theatrical interaction between the members
of the cast, who respond beautifully all of them to her interesting
ideas. Conductor Yakov Kreizberg goes for a white-heat performance -
ballistic tempi, zipping articulation, absolute clarity and strong accents
to highlight dramatic situations. He is often too inflexible, leaving
his cast in difficult situations, especially in the act I finale. Some
singers, understandably, get a bit behind the beat now and then, such
as in the impossibly fast Champagne Aria. The orchestral playing is
superb, but the recorded sound is variable, excessively favourable for
the orchestra and in moments such as Non sperar se non m'uccidi
it is difficult to hear the singers at all. Hillevi Martinpelto's exquisite
light-toned Anna is entirely successful. She sings with grace, poise
and absolute notion of Mozartian style, offering a memorable Non
mi dir. Adrianne Pieczonka is an incisive firm-toned Elvira, a
bit short on the lower end of her voice, but still dependable and pleasant.
Juliane Banse's shimmery floating voice is the perfect sound for her
sweet charming Zerlina. John Mark Ainsley has his strained moments,
but is capable of true finesse and has amazingly clear divisions. Gilles
Cachemaille lacks tone for Don Giovanni and is a bit erratic in his
phrasing, but is able to mellow and produce honeyed tone when necessary.
The direction keeps him overbusy and sometimes this stands between him
and faultless vocalisation. Steven Page is a rock-solid Leporello, amazingly
idiomatic and animated. Roberto Scaltriti is similarly a positive Masetto,
and Gudjon Oskarsson is in far better voice than in Harding's CDs -
a forceful performance.
Riccardo Muti's new DVD from Vienna outclasses not only his two previous
recordings, but also most recent recordings of this opera, especially
on video. The Vienna State Opera Orchestra is in resplendent shape and
responds with richness of sound to the conductor's vivid rhythmic and
theatrical conducting. I still would like the supper scene to be more
agitated than here, but the power and precision of the orchestra are
admirable nonetheless. The cast is also very strong. Adrianne Pieczonka
is here a more accomplished Donna Anna, singing with creamy round tone
all the way. Only in the stretta of Non mi dir, one feels she
is not at ease - but compared to most big-house Annas, one might say
she is impressive even there. Although Anna Caterina Antonacci does
not seem to be in her best voice, she is consistently musicianly and
ends on beating a long line of rivals by offering shapely phrasing throughout
while keeping the dramatic tension. There is no doubt her idiomatic
Italian is of great help, especially in recitatives. I am rarely convinced
by mezzo Zerlinas, but Angelika Kirchschlager really won me over with
her spirited spunky performance, the naturalness of her Italian and
the fearlessness of her top register. Although Michael Schade voice
can sound tense and not exactly charming when sung loud, he has impressive
control of dynamics and breath management. Both arias are thoroughly
sung. As Don Giovanni, Carlos Álvarez cannot help but calling
all attentions with his extra rich bass-baritone. I feel tempted to
write his singing is amazingly natural - but the depth of his tone is
simply supernatural. Ildebrando d'Arcangelo, as much as Pieczonka, has
improved from his official recorded performance. His voice is now richer
and the characterization is far improved. Lorenzo Regazzo is a Masetto
one does not overlook (and that is an accomplishment) and Franz-Josef
Selig, in spite of some throaty and unsteady moments, has the vocal
nature for the part of the Commendatore. Unfortunately, the production
is ugly and some of the stage directing is quite silly. Thank God the
singers taking the "comic" parts managed to do something interesting
out of it. I wonder why the Vienna State Opera has preferred this aesthetic
nonevent to the exquisite Zeffirelli production.
Most reviewers are going to feel tempted to compare Levine's DVD with
Muti's and I'll be no exception: both feature traditional staging in
important opera houses with prestigious conductors whose reputations
as Mozartians have been settled in Salzburg and later in their home
theatres. Although Muti still features the most accurate understanding
of Mozartian phrasing and structural sense, Levine is nonetheless an
expert in this repertoire and displays admirable understand of tempo
and style. His orchestra is in impressive shape also, offering clean
articulation and polish. However, the recorded sound is somewhat artificial,
playing down the orchestral sound picture, highlighting details (especially
woodwind) in an unnatural way and placing voices in too detached a manner
in relation to the orchestra, marring concertante writing, which is
the shining feature of Mozart operas. The glamorous cast here gathered
is highly theatrical and responds vividly to Zeffirelli's masterly actors'
direction. Nonetheless, it must be pointed out that this production
involves some carelessness about following the libretto. For example,
Elvira is supposed to mistake Leporello for Don Giovanni but here the
lighting is such that she would have to be blind not to realize her
mistake. Although there are many examples of her irritating jazzy mannerisms
and her tone tends to lack purity, Renée Fleming is a presentable
Donna Anna. She has strong and original ideas about her role (some of
them standing between her and legato, to say the truth), sings a powerful
Or sai chi l'onore and is entirely at ease in an expressive account
of Non mi dir. All in all, this performance is an improvement over her
former recording with Solti. Solveig Kringelborn light-toned reedy soprano
tends to get metallic and fluttery in the most exposed moments, but
her thoroughly mezzo carattere approach is most welcome, while she still
manages to produce the impact modern audiences expect from this role.
Unfortunately, Hei-Kyung Hong's performance doesn't match her sexy graceful
figure. The voice is acidulous and her sense of pitch is suspect. Paul
Groves similarly lets down as Ottavio, his high register lacking brightness
and colour - and his divisions in Il mio tesoro leave something to be
desired. Being the chubbier Don Giovanni on video, Bryn Terfel really
has to work harder to make his point. As a result, he presents a far
more varied and persuasive performance than for Solti, offering a spirited
rather violent approach to his role, beautifully conveyed through intense
verbal pointing, often avoiding the kind of exaggeration this singer
tends to indulge in. Ferruccio Furlanetto is a colossal Leporello, a
reference performance, strongly communicative, although the tone is
less fresh than in Karajan's Salzburg performances. John Relyea is a
congenial firm-toned Masetto, but Sergei Koptchak - even if more positive
than in his La Scala performances - is still a shallow-toned Commendatore.
Don't use drugs - that could be the point of Calixto Bieito's production
of Don Giovanni for the Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona. One might wonder
if this motto could not be applied to adventurous theatre directors
when they are about to stage operas... I don't want to seem narrow-minded,
though. The premises of Bieito's staging are interesting - the atmosphere
of damnation and black humour in Lorenzo da Ponte's libretto could fit
the gutter where semi-criminal and intoxicated characters trail their
lives. In act I, there are many interesting things to retain, especially
in what relates to the character of Donna Anna. Her situation with Don
Giovanni always sounds suspicious - and portraying her as a manipulative
trollop who accuses her lover of murder out of jealousy is an original
and potentially interesting idea, especially when the singer taking
this part enacts that so efficiently, particularly so in the recitative
before Or sai chi l'onore. The junkie Donna Elvira could also
be an explanation why she behaves so incoherently and the fact that
everyone gets high with drugs and alcohol in Don Giovanni's party could
be a cause why these characters behave so awkwardly when their host
is accused of molesting Zerlina. However, the recipe gets overcooked
in act II. The fact that every character is shown drugged up is used
as a dramatic panacea to explain everything and in the end it seems
that the director simply got careless. It is important to stress that
- even if the point-of-view is debatable - the director ensured that
his cast follows his ideas with utmost conviction. If only for the successful
direction of actors, this DVD is worth while watching at least once.
Bertrand de Billy's agile and stylish conducting fits the vertiginous
direction and the Liceu's orchestra is generally agile and transparent.
Only the recorded sound is too favourable to singers, what impares clarity.
Regina Schörg's Donna Anna sounds untidier live and even vinegary
in tone. She is the singer more immersed in Bieito's concept and nobility
of tone does not fit into her blustery approach. Marisa Martins is a
bit ungainly and unlovely as Zerlina. She abuses from off-pitch effects,
disfiguring thus her Batti, batti. Marcel Reijans is similarly ill-at-ease
as Don Ottavio and the absence of Dalla sua pace is not regrettable.
Wojtek Drabowicz has no problem in finding the demonic note in his Don
Giovanni, but his baritone is not particulary appealing. Only Véronique
Gens and Kwanchul Youn offer some interest. She is an experienced Mozartian
and is in good voice. It is a pity she was not allowed to sing Mi
tradì. Youn cannot compete with Gens in subtlety - his voice
tends to be monochromatic and whenever the tessitura goes higher (as
in the Catalogue aria) his voice tends to loose colour - but his bass
is certainly pleasant to the ears.
While the DVDs from Barcelona offer the dictionary definition of Regietheater,
Lluis Pasqual's production for the Teatro Real in Madrid safely opts
for the simple transposition of the action to the 1940's (in Spain,
of course, where the story takes place, one must not forget). The results
could not be more praiseworthy. Sets and costumes are exquisite and
the stage direction is intelligent and refreshingly respective of the
libretto, but the most illuminating aspect in this performance is the
added sense made by the context of a violent dictatorship in what regards
the apparent impunity for the crimes of a villain such as Don Giovanni,
here shown as ruthless aristocrat who does not hesitate to take profit
of his social status to inflict his misdeeds on decent people who have
no champion to defend them but religion. Although the house band lacks
the polish of orchestras more experienced in Mozart, conductor Victor
Pablo Pérez is not fazed by the demands from this difficult score
and offers an exciting performance that also excels in structural clarity
(aided by exemplary recorded sound too). His alertness on catching the
shifts of mood and pace in both finali is particularly impressive. To
make things better, there is also a reliable cast here. The bell-toned
María Bayo is certainly overparted as Donna Anna, but that does
not prevent her from offering a truly pleasant performance. Her top
notes retain a lovely golden quality throughout and her phrasing is
utterly stylish and musicianly. She should have only asked the conductor
for a more comfortable tempo for the stretta of Non mi dir
in order to avoid the nervousness that almost disfigured that difficult
passage. Casting Donna Elvira with a mezzo-soprano is always risky business
and Sonia Ganassi is no exception to this rule. Although she acquits
herself rather adeptly here, her upper register has too often a grey-toned
quality and Mi tradì required adaptations. On the other
hand, María José Moreno's silvery soprano is taylor-made
for Zerlina and she sings this role with unfailing charm and good taste.
The nasal quality in Josep Bros's tenor never suggests the graciousness
Mozart phrasing requires, but he offers a most accomplished performance
of this tricky role. Carlos Álvarez's rich-toned baritone never
fails to impress. His freedom with notes can be a problem, though -
especially in ensembles. As for Lorenzo Regazzo, he is all-right in
excellent voice and is equally at home both in the low and high ends
of his range. That said, his sugar-rush approach is the aural equivalent
of hamming (to say the truth, his stage performance is also plagued
by overacting). In the first five minutes, it seems like enthusiasm,
after that it is just annoying. Finally, Alfred Reiter is a forceful
Commendatore.
Daniel Harding's second Don Giovanni on video (recorded in the context
of the Salzburg Mozart 250th Anniversary Festival) shows an entirely
different approach from the conductor. The violence, the theatricality
and the purposeful phrasing seems to have dissolved into well-behaved
stylishness. There is no reproach on saying this - listening to the
world's leading Mozartian large orchestra travel through this score
in sensible tempi is always a charming experience. Only one wonders
why commiting to DVD a performance entirely unexceptional, when there
might be someone somewhere with something different to tell about this
work. Although Donna Anna is a bit on the heavy side for Christine Schäfer,
this resourceful singer drives her bright soprano around the traps in
the difficult writing of her part with relative success. She is a stylish
singer and produces soaring round top notes without any effort - both
her arias are beautifully and sensitively sung. If Melanie Diener's
basic attitude and sound - a large creamy lyric soprano - are entirely
fit to the role of Donna Elvira, it seems she was not at her best voice
when this was recorded and she finds some of her high notes a bit difficult
to reach. As a result, Mi tradì has its untidy and flat
moments. She is the only singer a bit more adventurous with embellishment
in the cast. It is true that Isabel Bayrakdarian squeezes her high register
too often for comfort, but her soprano is pleasant enough and she inhabits
Da Ponte's words with extraordinary intelligence. Piotr Beczala's healthy
tenor is a bit out of place in this repertoire - his phrasing is rarely
caressing, let alone varied. At this stage of his career, Thomas Hampson's
baritone has become rather juiceless and short both in top and bottom.
He employs lots of acting with the voice to compensate the vocal shortcomings,
but his attitude and experience finally deliver the goods. As for Ildebrando
d'Arcangelo, his solid basso cantante voice now ocasionally acquires
a rather cavernous sound that makes his Leporello even less winsome
that it naturally tends to be. If you want to see him in his signature
role, Muti's video from Vienna is preferable. Luca Pisaroni is an excellent
Masetto, but Robert Lloyd's Commendatore is a bit tremulous. As in his
Clemenza di Tito, Martin Kusej's stage direction is most efficient until
it starts to stray from the lines delivered by characters. As a result,
people often converse with the walls, Donna Elvira says she is coming
down when she is at the same level Don Giovanni and Leporello are and
other bizarreries. In the end, Kusej reduces the supernatural elements
in the plot to a bunch of women in underware and replaces its darkness
to clean complex stage contraptions and trendiness. There is nothing
menacing, violent or even sexy in this high-tech Seville.
In the booklet accompanying his CDs, René Jacobs proposes to
restore Don Giovanni to the right stylistic approach, lost as a result
of the Romantic performance tradition later associated to this opera.
The idea is always refreshing, but the aura of novelty intended by the
conductor is unjustified: Östman's, Gardiner's, MacKerras's performances
have achieved that with far less bravado some years ago. What seems
obvious is Jacobs's ambition to share a great deal of ideas about the
work. As in the previous issues in his Mozart opera series, there is
an omnipresent and maybe overcreative fortepiano not only in recitatives
but also in the numbers with full orchestra, there is some eccentric
phrasing going on and whimsical playing with tempo (especially sudden
ritardando and accelerando effects). Some of the decoration in vocal
lines sounds misplaced to my ears and some cute ideas (Zerlina's repeated
laughs or Leporello's singing the text of the excerpts of Una Cosa Rara
and Fra due litiganti…) probably sound better on paper. That said,
I cannot deny this is the most attractive among Jacobs's recordings
of the Da Ponte trilogy. He does catch the demonic side of this work
- the really intense and powerful closing scene being the obvious example
- but, as in his other recordings, the sensuousness of Mozart's writing
eludes him entirely. And this might be a turn-off for many, especially
in this of all works. To make things worse, I am afraid that the lack
of allure also affects the cast. When the Don Giovanni is outsung by
the Masetto, something must be wrong. And it is. Although Johannes Weisser
is an intelligent and imaginative singer, his performance is vocally
immature. His tenor-like baritone is tampered with all the way in order
to achieve tonal variety not immediately available to him. The results
are often artificial and unappealing and rarely has La ci darem
la mano sounded so unattractive as in this performance. To his
credit, he sings a beautiful but rather unsexy serenade and copycats
Leporello's voice as few recorded Giovannis (actually this is probably
his best piece of singing in these CDs). I am afraid he is not alone
to blame for the debacle of La ci darem.... Sunhae Im is twittery
and devoid of womanliness to an extent unknown in the discography. The
conductor's fast tempi for her arias ultimately help her to be the less
charming Zerlina recorded. Actually, the Donna Anna, Olga Pasichnyk,
with her light creamy soprano, would have been far more appealing in
that part. Cast in the prima donna role, she does a very clean job:
her high notes are easy, her coloratura is nimble and her mezza voce
is lovely. However, she is rarely commanding as the writing of her lines
require. Alexandrina Pendatschanska is usually formidable - and Donna
Elvira seems to be a role fit for her voice and temper. Nevertheless,
she seems here determined to prove that she can be a period-style Mozart
specialist and permanently scales down to almost straight-toned vocal
production not entirely prone to legato. Trying to insert some attitude
into that straightjacked singing makes her Elvira finally rather pointless.
Alessandro Guerzoni's Commendatore similarly displays far more attitude
and text-crispiness than most basses, but he sounds overparted and short
in both extremes of her voice. Fortunately, the recording features an
exemplary Ottavio in Kenneth Tarver, who sings his divisions on the
breath in Il mio tesoro, and a most reliable and spirited Leporello
in Lorenzo Regazzo.
Although the string playing features reduced vibrato and valveless
brass is employed in the Don Giovanni recorded in the Opernhaus Zürich
and released on video by EMI, this is not one of those traditional performances
with a historically informed twist. It is actually difficult to say
what kind of Don Giovanni this is - it can be theatrical and intense
as the overture suggest or also a shallow performance seriously lacking
forward movement as shown both in Leporello's Catalogue aria, Donna
Anna's Or sai chi l'onore and many other key moments. Although
the non-approach is not a drawback in itself, by the end you are looking
at your watch to see how much time is left to the end of the DVD. If
I should point out a bonus in this performance, it is the clean and
transparent orchestral playing. It is therefore a pity that the Tonmeister
opted for a stage-prone balance; too often the adept orchestral playing
sounds recessed compared to the soloists' voices. Some might find that
the idea was to focus on the singing, but the distinguished cast gathered
here is sadly not in its best shape. The usually reliable Eva Mei, for
example, is here gusty and metallic. Even her coloratura is not fluent
as it uses to be and her hallmark high pianissimi are basically non-operating
as recorded then. As her interpretation is generalized, I am afraid
there is not much to cherish in her Donna Anna. This is not a mistake
made by Simon Keenlyside in his role. Although his is a most intelligent
impersonation, the voice itself is either strained in its higher reaches
or poorly projected in its lower end. The final impression suggests
some panache, but roughness is the keynote. Anton Scharinger's Leporello
has to work on a diet of grey tone and accented Italian. I must say
I like the fact that Piotr Beczala's Ottavio is the decent reliable
if unexciting guy rather than the usual whimpery fellow, but his tenor
is simply too thick for Mozart. On the other hand, even if Malin Hartelius's
soprano is too unsubstantial and unvaried for Donna Elvira, her expert
word-pointing, deep understanding of the text and dramatic commitment
put me on her side. With the help of the conductor, she sings a smooth,
lyric and heartfelt Mi tradì. Most singers in the other
difficult soprano roles complain that Zerlina tends to steal the show
- and this is exactly what happens here. Martina Janková's quicksilvery
soprano is a treat to the ears and she knows how to caress a Mozartian
phrase. Alfred Muff seems to be a forceful Commendatore, but it is difficult
to say anything considering he is amplified off-stage in his final apparition.
At first, Sven-Eric Bechtholf's production set in the 1960's promises
an Antonioni-like depth with its mise-en-abîme sceneries, decadent
grand hotel atmosphere and careful stage direction, but silly symbolism
starts to take over and in the end there is too much empty gestures,
a confusing crowd of coreographied extras and carelessness about some
important details in the plot (the episodes involving Don Giovanni and
Leporello using each other's clothes are particularly misguided). To
crown the shortcomings, you will see here the worst visit of the stone
guest ever commited to stage.
Obs.- MacKerras, Norrington, Gardiner and Östman offer the complete
Vienna and Prague versions. Malgoire is closer to the Vienna version,
but it has cuts anyway - the opera ends before Ah, dov’è
il perfido.
IN CONCLUSION - If you’re a traditionalist beyond cure, the Haitink
or the C.Davis are definitely the versions to have. The safest "musical"
choice is the Norrington recording, the safest "theatrical"
is Gardiner’s. But, inspired by Don Juan, if you like to take
risks - how about either the Harnoncourt or the Harding?
top
~Così
Fan’ Tutte
1 - Lella Cuberli (Fiordiligi), Cecilia Bartoli (Dorabella), Joan Rodgers
(Despina), Kurt Streit (Ferrando), Ferruccio Furlanetto (Guglielmo),
John Tomlinson (Alfonso), RIAS Kammerchor, Berliner Philharmoniker,
Daniel Barenboim
2 - Dorothea Röschmann (Fiordiligi), Katharina Kammerloher (Dorabella),
Daniela Bruera (Despina), Werner Güra (Ferrando), Hanno Müller-Brachmann
(Guglielmo), Roman Trekel (Alfonso), Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin,
Staatskapelle Berlin, Daniel Barenboim
3 - Regina Schörg (Fiordiligi), Heidi Brunner (Dorabella), Birgid
Steinberger (Despina), Jeffrey Francis (Ferrando), Martin Gantner (Guglielmo),
Kwangchul Youn (Alfonso), Wiener Konzertchor and members of the Wiener
Singakademie, Radio Symphonieorchester Wien, Bertrand de Billy
4 - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (Fiordiligi), Christa Ludwig (Dorabella),
Hanny Steffek (Despina), Alfredo Kraus (Ferrando), Giuseppe Taddei (Guglielmo),
Walter Berry (Alfonso), Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus, Karl Böhm
5 - Gundula Janowitz (Fiordiligi), Brigitte Fassbaender (Dorabella),
Reri Grist (Despina), Peter Schreier (Ferrando), Hermann Prey (Guglielmo),
Rolando Panerai (Alfonso), Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker,
Karl Böhm
6 - Montserrat Caballé (Fiordiligi), Janet Baker (Dorabella),
Ileana Cotrubas (Despina), Nicolai Gedda (Ferrando), Wladimiro Ganzarolli
(Guglielmo), Richard van Allan (Alfonso), Chorus and Orchestra of the
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Colin Davis
7 - Miah Persson (Fiordiligi), Anke Vondung (Dorabella), Ainhoa Garmendia
(Despina), Topi Lehtipuu (Ferrando), Luca Pisaroni (Guglielmo), Nicolas
Rivenq (Ferrando), Glyndenbourne Chorus, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment,
Iván Fischer
8 - Amanda Roocroft (Fiordiligi), Rosa Mannion (Dorabella), Eirian
James (Despina), Rainer Trost (Ferrando), Rodney Gilfry (Guglielmo),
Carlos Feller (Alfonso), The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists,
John Elliot Gardiner
9 - Carol Vaness (Fiordiligi), Delores Ziegler (Dorabella), Lilian
Watson (Despina), John Aler (Ferrando), Dale Duesing (Guglielmo), Claudio
Desderi (Guglielmo), Claudio Desderi (Alfonso), Glyndenbourne Festival
Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
10 - Erin Wall (Fiordiligi), Elina Garanca (Dorabella), Barbara Bonney
(Despina), Shawn Mathey (Ferrando), Stéphane Degout (Guglielmo),
Ruggero Raimondi (Alfonso), Arnold Schönberg Chor, Mahler Chamber
Orchestra, Daniel Harding
11 - Edita Gruberová (Fiordiligi), Delores Ziegler (Dorabella),
Teresa Stratas (Despina), Luís Lima (Ferrando), Ferruccio Furlanetto
(Guglielmo), Paolo Montarsolo (Alfonso), Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor,
Wiener Philharmoniker, Nikolaus Harnoncourt
12 - Charlotte Margiono (Fiordiligi), Delores Ziegler (Dorabella),
Anna Steiger (Despina), Deon van der Walt (Ferrando), Gilles Cachemaille
(Guglielmo), Thomas Hampson (Alfonso), Nederlands Operakoor, Concertgebouw
Orkest, Nikolaus Harnoncourt
13 - Cecilia Bartoli (Fiordiligi), Liliana Nikiteanu (Dorabella), Agnes
Baltsa (Despina), Roberto Saccà (Ferrando), Oliver Widmer (Guglielmo),
Carlos Chausson (Alfonso), Opernhaus Zürichs Orchester und Chor,
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
14 - Véronique Gens (Fiordiligi), Bernarda Fink (Dorbaella),
Graciela Oddone (Despina), Werner Güra (Ferrando), Marcel Boone
(Guglielmo), Pietro Spagnoli (Alfonso), Collegium Vocale Gent, Concerto
Köln, René Jacobs
15 - Irmgard Seefried (Fiordiligi), Nan Merriman (Dorabella), Erika
Köth (Despina), Ernst Häfliger (Ferrando), Hermann Prey (Guglielmo),
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Alfonso), RIAS Kammerchor, Berliner Philharmoniker,
Eugen Jochum
16 - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (Fiordiligi), Nan Merriman (Dorabella),
Lisa Otto (Despina), Léopold Simoneau (Ferrando), Rolando Panerai
(Guglielmo), Sesto Bruscantini (Alfonso), Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra,
Herbert von Karajan
17 - Anna Caterina Antonacci (Fiordiligi), Monica Bacelli (Dorabella),
Laura Cherici (Despina), Richard Decker (Ferrando), Albert Dohmen (Guglielmo),
Sesto Bruscantini (Alfonso), Coro Lirico Marchigiano, Orchestra Filarmonica
Marchigiana, Gustav Kuhn
18- Soile Isokoski (Fiordiligi), Monica Groop (Dorabella), Nancy Argenta
(Despina), Markus Schäffer (Ferrando), Per Vollerstad (Guglielmo),
Hubert Claessens (Alfonso), La Petite Bande, Sigiswald Kuijken
19 - Leontyne Price (Fiordiligi), Tatiana Troyanos (Dorabella), Judith
Raskin (Despina), George Shirley (Ferrando), Sherrill Milnes (Guglielmo),
Ezio Flagello (Alfonso), Ambrosian Opera Chorus, New Philharmonia Orchestra,
Erich Leinsdorf
20 - Kiri Te Kanawa (Fiordiligi), Ann Murray (Dorabella), Marie MacLaughlin
(Despina), Hans-Peter Blochwitz (Ferrando), Thomas Hampson (Guglielmo),
Ferruccio Furlanetto (Alfonso), Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker,
James Levine
21 - Sophie Fournier (Fiordiligi), Laura Polverelli (Dorabella), Sophie
Marin-Degor (Despina), Simon Edwards (Ferrando), Nicolas Rivenq (Dorabella),
Patrick Donelly (Alfonso), La Grande Ecurie et la Chambre du Roy, Jean-Claude
Malgoire
22 - Karita Mattila (Fiordiligi), Anne Sofie von Otter (Dorabella),
Elzbieta Szmytka (Despina), Francisco Araiza (Ferrando), Thomas Allen
(Guglielmo), José van Dam (Alfonso), Academy of Saint Martin
in the Fields, Neville Marriner
23 - Felicity Lott (Fiordiligi), Marie McLaughlin (Dorabella), Nuccia
Focile (Despina), Jerry Hadley (Ferrando), Alessandro Corbelli (Guglielmo),
Gilles Cachemaille (Alfonso), Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus,
Charles Mackerras
24 - Margaret Marshall (Fiordiligi), Agnes Baltsa (Dorabella), Kathleen
Battle (Despina), Francisco Araiza (Ferrando), James Morris (Guglielmo),
José van Dam (Alfonso), Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker,
Riccardo Muti
25 - Daniella Dessì (Fiordiligi), Delores Ziegler (Dorabella),
Adelina Scarabelli (Despina), Josef Kundlak (Ferrando), Alessandro Corbelli
(Guglielmo), Claudio Desderi (Alfonso), Orchestra e Coro del Teatro
alla Scala, Milano, Riccardo Muti
26 - Rachel Yakar (Fiordiligi), Alicia Nafé (Dorabella), Georgine
Resick (Despina), Gösta Winbergh (Ferrando), Tom Krause (Guglielmo),
Carlos Feller (Alfonso), Drottningholm Court Theatre Chorus and Orchestra,
Arnold Östman
27 - Hillevi Martinpelto (Fiordiligi), Alison Hagley (Dorabella), Ann
Murray (Despina), Kurt Streit (Ferrando), Gerald Finlay (Guglielmo),
Thomas Allen (Alfonso), Orchestra of the Age of Enlightment, Simon Rattle
28 - Margaret Price (Fiordiligi), Brigitte Fassbaender (Dorabella),
Reri Grist (Despina), Peter Schreier (Ferrando), Wolfgang Brendel (Guglielmo),
Theo Adam (Alfonso), Chor und Orchester der Bayerischen Staatsoper,
Wolfgang Sawallisch
29 - Pilar Lorengar (Fiordiligi), Teresa Berganza (Dorabella), Jane
Berbié (Despina), Ryland Davies (Ferrando), Tom Krause (Guglielmo),
Gabriel Bacquier (Alfonso), Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent
Garden, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Georg Solti
30 - Renée Fleming (Fiordiligi), Anne Sofie von Otter (Dorabella),
Adelina Scarabelli (Despina), Frank Lopardo (Ferrando), Olaf Bär
(Guglielmo), Michele Pertusi (Alfonso), London Voices, Chamber Orchestra
of Europe, Georg Solti
31 - Joanna Borowska (Fiordiligi), Rohangiz Yachmi (Dorabella), Priti
Coles (Despina), John Dickie (Ferrando), Andrea Martin (Guglielmo),
Piter Mikulas (Alfonso), Capella Istropolitana, Johannes Wildner
We start our list with the famous Karajan recording from 1954, in mono
sound. In those days, Herbert von Karajan’s tempi were plausible
for Mozart, but the Philharmonia lacked the fluency of the Vienna Philharmonic
in this repertoire. So the kind of natural articulation in fast tempi
found in his Zauberflöte and Nozze di Figaro does not appear here.
Moreover, there is producer Walter Legge’s perverse influence
overall and this accounts for the lack of naturality going on here.
Although Elisabeth Schwarzkopf was an acknowledged Mozartian, the role
of Fiordiligi surpasses all her technical possibilities. We know almost
every soprano has problems with this role, but their trying to deal
with them generally make us to overlook some details, but the fact is
that Schwarzkopf does not try really hard and that could be called cheating.
At any rate, I also think her temperament is ill-suited to the role.
With such an obviously affected and unspontaneous Fiordiligi, no Guglielmo
would swear she is a truthful fiancée. Nan Merriman and Lisa
Otto are decent but forgettable Dorabella and Despina. Léopold
Simoneau is a sweet-sounding Ferrando - he does not sing Ah, lo veggio,
though. Rolando Panerai and Sesto Bruscantini are reliable Guglielmo
and Alfonso, although they indulge in unlikeable funny effects now and
then.
Under most curious circumstances, EMI decided to remake this recording
on stereo. Karajan was not available anymore, so they produced Dr. Karl
Böhm, who had previously released recordings of the work, most
notably the Decca 55 with Lisa della Casa (although the live from Vienna
with Schwarzkopf is still his most pleasant account). It is a rare occasion
not only to hear him recording an opera for EMI, but also an exceptional
collaboration with the Philharmonia Orchestra. On listening to this
recording, one could guess he felt the odd man out there. Most members
of the cast were also new to Böhm, at least in this opera. The
result is incredibly impersonal and uninteresting. One hardly recognizes
the famous Austrian conductor here - it is bureaucratic and rather heavy.
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf is a bit more concerned in trying to deal with
the intricacies of Fiordiligi here, but now the voice is under less
perfect control and she compensates with over-overinflection. If someone
wants to sample her Fiordiligi, the Vienna State Opera performance with
Böhm is still the one to listen to. Christa Ludwig is the saving
grace of the performance - she is in velvety voice and seems to be the
only one here concerned with Mozartian style. Hanny Steffek had not
been told Così Fan Tutte was not composed by Johann Strauß
and Alfredo Kraus was probably convinced that the opera was written
by Donizetti. Under these circumstances, it is a blessing that Ah,
lo veggio was cut. It is also a pity that Giuseppe Taddei’s
Falstaffian Guglielmo was not cut out of the opera entirely - it is
sung in very poor taste. Maybe because he was not very well acquainted
with the role of Don Alfonso, Walter Berry spared us of those exaggerations.
It is quite inoffensive in this context.
Twelves years later, Karl Böhm re-recorded the opera, now under
familiar circumstances - more than that: in his 80th birthday celebration
in Salzburg. This was a veteran production in the festival - one with
very few cast changes during the years - only Dorabella and Alfonso
had different singers. This long-time collaboration was most positive
to Böhm - it is his best Così. Moreover, it has an admirable
sense of comedy and one may almost "see" the stage action
in some moments, so integrated the gestures are in this musical performance.
Of course, in many moments, the tempi are still heavy (especially in
the overture), but one can feel that the heaviness is used with the
dramatic purpose of "mocking" - as parodies of opera seria
situations. Even if the results are not always satisying, the point
is effectively taken. The recorded sound is excellent and the Vienna
Philharmonic articulates beautifully. In what refers to the cast, the
long experience with the production is not always helpful - some of
their "gestures" lost the naturality over the years, but no-one
could deny it is a distinguished team assembled here. I think that Gundula
Janowitz really liked her Mozart. Although she was utterly stylish in
this repertoire, the role of Fiordiligi requires a soprano more agile
than hers. However, differently from Schwarzkopf, Janowitz really took
seriously the challenge and, even if one can feel how difficult the
strette of her arias are, she convinces us with her determination to
do it right. Also, her purity of tone, crystalline pianissimi and nobility
of phrasing are always welcome. I am not so convinced about Brigitte
Fassbaender’s blustery Dorabella. I find her a bit broad in her
sense of humour and lacking finish in this repertoire. Her second aria
was cut. If you are ready to endure Reri Grist’s metallic and
nasal Despina, she is not that bad - her trills in In uomini, for example,
are really accomplished. Peter Schreier’s tenor is at his driest
and too often he resorts to comic effects, which, in his case, sound
as if Ferrando desguised as a Nibelung instead of Turk. He only sings
one aria - Un’aura amorosa. However, although I understand
he would be awkward in Fra gli amplessi, the internal cuts
(also in the finale ultimo) in the duet are regrettable because of Janowitz,
who would have sung it beautifully. Hermann Prey is, above all, an adorable
singer - especially in Mozartian repertoire and it is endearing to sample
his congenial Guglielmo once again. Panerai was not in his best voice
and is too free about pitch, but his spontaneity is an asset for Alfonso.
Finally, I wish that Böhm’s film of this opera with Janowitz,
Ludwig and Alva will be soon and finally released.
Roughly half the cast of Böhm's anniversary performance could
be found live in Munich in 1978. I would say in better circumstances,
since Sawallisch proves to have a good ear for Mozartian rhythms. Although
his conducting still involves plummy orchestral sound and the "heavenly
Mozart" approach, the sense of forward movement, clarity and intelligence
of phrasing are indeed admirable. Moreover, the recorded sound (at least
on Golden Melodram) is very good. For Margaret Price's fans, this is
an opportunity to listen to her Fiordiligi in a less arthritic event
than Klemperer's EMI recording. Her at once full- and pure-toned singing
fits perfectly her role, and her stylishness and theatrical alertness
are as always most welcome. Although there is some aspiration in her
runs and her Per pietà lacks intimacy, one would hardly
find such an accomplished rendition of this difficult role live as this
one. As for Brigitte Fassbaender and Reri Grist, the same observations
related to their Böhm performance apply here. On the other hand,
Peter Schreier is more inclined to sing this time. He even has some
endearing moments in Un'aura amorosa. However, when things
get too emotional, he sounds like Jerry Lewis. Although this is a favourite
singer, his Ferrando is definitely far from appealing. More so next
to the honeyed Guglielmo of Wolfgang Brendel. His second aria is probably
the highlight in this recording. As for Theo Adam, although he is more
ready to sing Don Alfonso's lines than most rivals, he is desperatley
unidiomatic. Fassbaender, Schreier and Grist are not the only import
from Salzburg - the edition reducing the parts of Dorabella and Ferrando
to one aria each, plus the internal cuts in Fra gli amplessi
and the finale ultimo, among other things - is also used here.
Eugen Jochum's studio recording for Deutsche Grammophon is an inspired
affair: the phrasing is spontaneously intelligent, the Berlin Philharmonic
is in splendid shape producing light, clear and articulated sounds,
the atmosphere suggests that these singers were having a great time,
the crystalline clarity with which complex ensembles are recorded is
so admirable, the endearing moments when you discover new details such
as the sweet cello phrases in Di scrivermi ogni giorno (that
was the first moment when I realized these CDs are indeed special) are
so many - all that makes you regret all the more that, with the exception
of the baritones, a cast worthy of the conductor and the orchestra could
not be found. Of course Irmgard Seefried is a stylish singer with a
lovely personality, but even in her prime the role of Fiordiligi was
outside her possibilities. It is true that she handles the low tessitura
better than many other sopranos, but that's it - high-lying passages
are tense, top notes often abruptly ended, breathy pianissimi abound,
trills are entirely absent, passagework generally hinted at, the tone
itself is somewhat dry and devoid of sensuousness and cuteness appear
now and then. Although she generally blends in discretely in ensembles
- believe me - hers is the Come scoglio from hell. After a
sample of Seefried, the first note of Nan Merriman's voice immediately
shows she is the playful sister. Her mezzo soprano has the right color
for Dorabella, a role she knows from inside out, but she pecks too often
at high notes for comfort. Erika Köth's has more than a splash
of those old-style doll sopranos in her and her Italian is definitely
transalpine. However, she scores many points on producing the Viennese
version of a Mediterranean attitude and convinces you of her Neapolitanity
out of sheer animation. Ernst Häfliger's pronunciation of Italian
language also leaves a lot to be desired and his tenor is rather juiceless.
One is prepared for the worse when he is about to sing Un'aura amorosa
and Tradito, schernito, but he acquits himself commendably
in both these arias with his clean gentle phrasing. The saving graces
in these cast are, of course, Hermann Prey, probably the best Guglielmo
in any set, and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, in excellent voice and entirely
adept at employing all his interpretative tricks to produce a particularly
cynical and scheming Don Alfonso. The edition involves the cut of Al
fato da legge and Ah, lo vegg'io.
Erich Leinsdorf's is a puzzling recording - when it is good, it is
excellent; when it is bad, it is infuriating. To start with, producer
Richard Mohr has ensured perfect recorded sound - intimate, crystalline
and natural. Rarely has the New Philharmonia played Mozart as stylishly
as it does here. In the most playful moments, such as Guglielmo's Donne
mie or Dorabella's L'amore è un ladroncello, the
spirited orchestral playing is exemplary. Problems involve the conductor's
assumption that lyric passages require a more "serious" approach.
When this happens, there come unflowing tempi and mechanical phrasing,
disfiguring numbers such as Fiordiligi and Ferrando's Fra gli amplessi.
The situation is more serious in the finali, where the shifts in atmosphere
often catch the conductor unprepared. The exotic colours of Leontyne
Price's soprano are indeed a strong asset. The richness of tone and
the immediate individuality and appeal of her singing are so seductive
that one is inclined to overhear the occasional pitch imprecision and
- what is most serious - a rebellious low register. On the other hand,
even if Tatiana Troyanos does not seem to be having lots of fun, her
singing is so disarmingly lovely that one is obliged to recognise her
as one of the great Dorabellas in the discography. In her duets with
Fiordiligi, her tone blends exquisitely with Price's - and her duet
with Guglielmo is probably one of the sexiest in recordings. It is a
pity that someone like Anna Moffo had not been invited to complete this
distinguished cast. Judith Raskin's tone is a bit acidulous and her
whole attitude sounds a bit old-fashioned to modern listeners. As for
George Shirley, the brightness, roundness, ease and ductility of his
voice are rare qualities in a tenor in this repertoire. He benefits
from one of the rare moments when Leinsdorf's slow tempi are a positive
surprise, the aria Ah, lo veggio, here more tender and appealing
than formidable. He lacks a softer touch for moments like Un'aura
amorosa, though. Sherrill Milnes's generous vocal nature helps
him to create the right impetuous and extravagant aural image for the
role of Guglielmo, while Ezio Flagello's chocolate-y bass-baritone may
make Don Alfonso sound less fun than usual. Not only is this a complete
edition, but all singers venture into decoration.
Colin Davis series, although surpassed today, was very interesting
by the time it was being released, because, for the first time, listeners
were getting in touch with Mozart music without any hint of Romanticism.
His Così stands out among his other Mozart recordings, because
of its surpassing level of clarity and theatrical sense. Considering
the names invited for the cast, it is particularly endearing that he
was able to make a team out of these singers, who produce wonderful
ensembles and recitatives. The most accomplished member of the cast
is Ileana Cotrubas, my favourite Despina - characterful, but always
beautiful to the ears. One can understand the success of Montserrat
Caballé’s Fiordiligi when one reads how carefully she prepared
herself to the task. As a matter of fact, she was terribly afraid of
being unstylish - but she did not have to worry that much, for her Fiordiligi
is a superb piece of singing and interpretation. Let’s start with
the minus - the strette of Come Scoglio and Per Pietà:
she lacks the homogeneity of registers in the first and the trills in
the later. The rest is wonderful throughout. She is in creamy voice
and captures as few other sopranos the fact that Fiordiligi is quite
exaggerated, snob and refoulée. I am positive that the fact of
being Mediterranean was quite helpful to Caballé... Hers is a
remarkable Fiordiligi and the famous legato, pianissimi and flexibility
are all to the advantage of her performance. She is particularly sensitive
to the collaboration with Nicolai Gedda and their duet is unforgettable.
It is indeed a pity he was not in his freshest voice, even if one must
acknowledge his remarkable sensitivity and flexibility. Janet Baker
has a weird voice for Dorabella, but establishes a nice competition
with Caballé (their duets have this "look, my pianissimo
is better than yours" atmosphere...). Ganzarolli is below standard,
but the much criticized Richard Van Allan sounds witty and charming
to my ears.
Haitink's performance, based on live performances at Glyndenbroune,
is essentially an affair of polish and elegance. The rich orchestral
sound, the rather slow a tempo approach, the clearly articulate
phrasing, the search of a gentle immaculate building makes me think
of a musicbox ballerina: it certainly has a certain outdated charm and
poise, but cannot avoid a mechanical unfeeling quality. The stage feel
seems to have survived almost entirely in the recitatives, done in idiomatic
Italian and with feeling for words, albeit the pace is rather calculated
even then. Those who have a nostalgia for the old way of playing Mozart
will certainly enjoy this performance; those used to more animated and
theatrical Mozart will delight in the scrumptious crystal clear delicacy
(aided by transparent recording) of numbers such as Soave sia il
vento, but may eventually meet with a certain sensation of sameness
and dramatic shallowness. The cast achieves marvelous team work and
is entirely consistent with the smoothness of Haitink's approach. In
fresh voice, Carol Vaness is a deluxe Fiordiligi, leading her sumptuous
appealing soprano with refinement and virtuoso quality. Delores Ziegler's
bright fruity mezzo-soprano is musicianly and charming. Sometimes their
voices sound quite similar, but that only reinforces the point that
Fiordiligi and Dorabella are sisters. Lilian Watson is a vivacious quicksilvery
Despina. John Aler's golden-toned flexible Ferrando is a constant source
of pleasure. Dale Duesing is also a pleasing Guglielmo, if not necessarily
rich-toned. Claudio Desderi is a superior Alfonso who sings his line
as admirably as he deals with his recitatives. The text is complete,
what allows us to listen to Aler's beautiful account of Ah, lo vegg'io.
Levine’s Vienna performance is a weird affair. My "in a
nutshell" comment would be "not bad", but I think that
this deserves to be explained, considering the forces involved in this
recording. First of all, the recorded sound is very weird - singers
and orchestra seem to be in different acoustics and singers have a clear
advantage all the time. Also, although strings are sensationally recorded
(in the sense of clarity), woodwind are too backward. However, the vertical
clarity in ensembles, probably due to the unnatural recording, is simply
miraculous. Recitatives are a bit eccentric - I thought that the fortepiano
continuo sounds more Donizetti than Mozart - and they often don’t
connect with the numbers. Levine was not in very good hand when he recorded
it - sometimes it is too heavy - and clearly allows the singers to do
whatever they want. The tempi are natural and flowing, but sometimes
you feel that the bond which unavoidably leeds note "a" to
note "b" is not always there. I can’t decide what I
should say of Kiri Te Kanawa’s Fiordiligi. Interpretatively, it
is quite tame and she is careless in some key moments - for example,
she is completely out of balance in Soave sia il vento (while
Ferruccio Furlanetto and Ann Murray are perfectly blended in mezza voce).
However, she is in creamy voice and deals beautifully with Come
Scoglio and Fra gli amplessi. In Per pietà,
until the stretta, she is a bit unconcerned. Once there, her coloratura
and trills are quite appealing. Ann Murray’s tone spreads whenever
she sings from mezzo forte on, but she’s 100% inside her role.
Her Il core vi dono is sublime. On the other hand, Marie MacLaughlin
is an excellent Despina - in pretty voice and really funny without resorting
to tricks. Hans-Peter Blochwitz has sketchy Italian and is too modest
for the scale of this performance. However, he is a creative and sensitive
artist and does beautiful things now and then. His lightness and elegance
in Ah, lo veggio is even admirable. Thomas Hampson and Ferruccio
Furlanetto are in unfocused voice and exaggerated sometimes.
Next step in our list is Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s film, which is
a disappointing entry in our discography. Besides the fact that Ponelle’s
film has tons of misconception, the performance per se lacks conviction
and has some unforgivable cuts. Nevertheless, it has some charming ideas
- the "poison" scene particularly nice with both sisters played
endearingly "precious". The shining feature of the film is
Edita Gruberová’s marvellous Fiordiligi, one of the best.
Delores Ziegler and Ferruccio Furlanetto are nice partners, but Teresa
Stratas and Paolo Montarsolo are bizarre and nobody knows what Luís
Lima is doing here. Because of him, the same cuts in the part of Ferrando
in the Böhm/Salzburg are made here (with the exception of Tradito,
schernito).
Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s studio performance with the Concertgebouw
is also a weird affair - in some ways, it is more unconvincing than
the Vienna performance. First of all, it is rather unsmiling and and
some numbers are really slow. Most of Harnoncourt’s interpretative
points are artifficially "inserted" rather than naturally
performed - naturally, lots of interesting details ccome to the fore,
as if it was Così through a magnifying glass. However, a good
deal of this is just whim, such as the ritt. and acc. in Una donna
a quindici anni. Also, the tempi tend to be unflowing and, on stopping
by each of Harnoncourt’s "finds", overall structural
sense is lost most of the time. The recorded sound also lacks some intimacy.
Charlotte Margiono’s smoky soprano deals rather well with the
difficulties of Fiordiligi, especially in Per Pietà,
where Harnoncourt’s treatmenf of the recitative is dramatically
handled. Delores Ziegler is, as always, a most successful Dorabella,
but Anna Steiger is on the metallic sind. On the other hand, Deon van
der Walt is a light and stylish Ferrando - a beautiful performance.
Gilles Cachemaille is a capable Guglielmo, but Thomas Hampson, in spite
of his affectation, offers a youthful Alfonso.
The circumstances of live performances were really helpful to Harnoncourt.
In his latest recording, live from the Zürich Opera, his a priori
approach seems to be more relaxed. It still lacks some forward movement
and some ideas are too artifficial for comfort, such as the slowing
down for Fiordiligi’s arpeggi in the middle of Dove sono?
or the entirely disfigured Donne mie a tanti. However, framed
by a sensational recording and excellent orchestral playing, things
acquire utmost interest, especially in ensembles, where the level of
clarity is amazing, helped by prominent woodwind. Di scrivermi ogni
giorno, made extra slow, is, for example, extremely moving, gaining
increasing harmonic tension and lovely mezza voce from the sisters.
Nevertheless, I must record here my indignation with the cut made on
the first section of Fra gli amplessi - exactly where Harnoncourt’s
reading was particularly innovative, with bold and creative shifting
of tempo. The finale ultimo is also inexplicably cut - this is a moment
of utmost structural interest and of immense beauty. This is simply
unforgivable. Cecilia Bartoli succeeds in the role of Fiordiligi (she
had previously sung Dorabella and Despina) in an unexpected way. Whenever
the role requires lyricism and delicacy, her Fiordiligi is delightful,
with some floating warm tones able to melt a heart of stone. The high
tessitura rarely causes her strain, although the voice doesn’t
blossom in the top notes as usual with full-fledged sopranos. The moment
where Bartoli lets down is surprisingly the stretta of Come Scoglio,
where her now mechanical and unmusical coloratura seems a bit out of
control. Elsewhere, she sings her runs legato, as in her sensitive account
of Per Pietà. From the interpretative point of view,
her Fiordiligi is of great interest - a passionate nature kept in place
by conventions, unleashing beautifully in her duet with Ferrando. There
is no need to mention that her recitatives are excellent. Her Dorabella,
Liliana Nikiteanu, has a warm velvety voice that floats beautifully
where necessary. The result is extremely sexy. She looks seductive enough
too - though her blond curls (let’s hope it was a wig) look camp.
Agnes Baltsa’s Despina is excellent in recitatives, where her
voice sound natural and bright. In the numbers, the tone is a bit unfocused,
especially in the middle register. She is happier to sing full voice,
where she sounds firm enough. With such characteristic (mezzo) sopranos,
the male cast should have been more positive - although all performances
are very decent, they lack the last sparkle of creativity. Roberto Saccà’s
voice is healthy all the way as Ferrando, sung with Italianate vibrancy
and ease, but kept within the limits of Mozartian style by his Viennese
training. If his voice were more immediately beautiful, his absence
of shading would be less noticed. As it is, his Un’aura amorosa
sounds insensitive. He doesn’t sing Ah, lo veggio. Oliver
Widmer’s baritone is too discrete to cause any impression, but
Carlos Chausson’s Alfonso has personality and a velvety light
voice. The staging is really disappointing. The action takes place in
a school (probably the "school for lovers" of the title) and
the sisters are used as experiments in a weird setting that looks like
a ruin or something like that. It’s hard to tell - especially
when costumes and most props are XIXth century. The direction involves
some artifficially laugh-seeking situations (the stupidest of all involving
Ferrando and Guglielmo eating "imaginary food" in Un’aura
amorosa - it’s obvious, silly and unspontaneoous). With the
exception of Widmer, all the singers have charisma, although not always
the physique de rôle (especially Bartoli and Saccà - they
look unglamourous, to say the least).
Riccardo Muti’s performances in Salzburg could have been a nice
idea, if the cast was more homogeneous and the recorded sound more immediate
and less noisy. The obvious detail is that Agnes Baltsa and James Morris
are too big voiced for this cast - even if they sing nicely. Their duet,
where they are alone at last, is really sexy. However, they should have
recorded the performances with Ann Murray, which fits more in the general
frame. Margaret Marshall is a hard-working but competent Fiordiligi,
Kathleen Battle is her charming self as Despina and Francisco Araiza
is again a model of Mozart singing. I find José Van Dam too phlegmatic
for Alfonso. Muti’s second try, however, is almost complete success.
In better sound, his superb rhythmic and structural sense benefit from
natural perspective and adept playing of La Scala’s orchestra.
Daniella Dessì is fabulous as Fiordiligi, a performance of the
highest level. Delores Ziegler and Adelina Scarabelli are faultless
and stylish in their roles and Josef Kundlak, although he’s not
really creative, has a reliable tenor, while Alessandro Corbelli has
an indifferent baritone, but has ideas on the other hand. Claudio Desderi
is the main problem here - he has almost no voice at all to deal with.
Michael Hampe’s staging is traditional, insisting on pale colours
and unfussed acting. Although nothing exceptional happens, it is quite
likable and elegant. Also, the singers have proper physique for their
roles, especially the lovely Dessì, who makes a charming couple
with Kundlak.
Recorded in crystal-clear sound, Neville Marriner's performance display
absolute transparence and immediacy. The first impression is positive
in its polish and graciousness, but after a while the prettiness seems
to be all about it. Although there is nothing heavy in the playing from
the orchestra from Saint Martin in the Fields, the lack of dramatic
point and zest in the conducting makes one feel that things could use
with a bit more animation. Luckily there is a glamourous cast to save
the day, even if the Fiordiligi seems affected by the general blandness.
Maybe the fact of being uncomfortable while recording in the studio
with tracked-in partners (as she has complained in an interview) has
something to do with her absentmindness, for this is probably Karita
Mattila's less exciting performance. Of course her voice is the irresistible
lush flexible soprano we are used to admire and she deals with the intricacies
of her part with relative ease, but the whole affair sounds too uneventful
nonetheless. On the other hand, Anne Sofie von Otter is an entirely
successful Dorabella. Her mezzo soprano is at its prime and her unexaggerated
but spirited performance is altogether exemplary. The same cannot be
said of Elzbieta Szmytka, whose lack of familiarity with Italian language
results in a generic performance, even if her voice has the right kind
of sparkle for this role. Francisco Araiza is again a model Ferrando,
here more positively recorded than for Muti. Thomas Allen is also a
young-sounding commanding Guglielmo and José van Dam is here
a witty Alfonso, far more spontaneous and varied than in Salzburg.
Recorded live in Macerata in 1991, Gustav Kuhn's Così cannot
help sounding more attractive these days than at the time it was released,
because the young cast then gathered features names that would be widely
known later, especially the performance's prima donna. Back then, Anna
Caterina Antonacci was still in her early soprano career (she would
soon convert into a mezzo and some ten years later back to soprano).
Although she did not feature the command of her recent Mozart performances,
the truth is also that her younger self had a far lovelier voice than
she has today. I should clarify my opinion: the part is a bit high for
her and sometimes she needs an extra breath or to abandon the text to
accomodate that (particularly in the end of Per pietà),
but in spite of all that I find her performance irresistible. Here her
voice is bright and warm, rich and focused, firm and flexible - there
is a pleasantly bitter aftertaste to the sweetness, a fierce temper
made smooth by discipline - the very sound of this voice tells you everything
you need to know about Fiordiligi. To make things better, she sings
with unfailing sense of style, manages the shifting into low register
as few other singers in this role and has a natural talent for accurate
legato-ish coloratura. Next to her, Monica Bacelli's matte mezzo-soprano
goes almost unnoticed, but she too is a stylish and technically accomplished
Mozartian. Although Laura Cherici's bright soprano is taylor-made for
Despina, one cannot help feeling that there is something missing here
- her native Italian is clear, but there is little spirit behind her
idiomatic pronunciation. Predictably, she is ill-at-ease in the disguise
episodes as the doctor and the notary. Richard Decker is a reliable
Ferrando, even if his tenor thins out at the top and disappears in ensemble.
That does not prevent him from making a fair stab in Ah, lo veggio.
I have to confess that I find it amazing that an undernourished Mozartian
would venture into singing roles such as Lohengrin and Tristan (also
in an undernourished way, of course). The same comment does not apply
to the performance's Guglielmo, Albert Dohmen, better know for his later
Wagnerian roles. Here his forceful bass-baritone is fresh-toned and
pliant. There are moments when he forces his tone for effect (such as
in Donne mie), though. Sesto Bruscantini's casting as Don Alfonso at
that stage of his life was more emblematic than functional, more like
a symbol of the Festival's attempt to prove that Italy could claim a
place in the field of Mozartian opera production. An experienced singer,
he knows how to make the best of parlando effects and to save his energy
for the rare moments when he does have to sing out. Although Gustav
Kuhn does not have any new idea that would justify the purchase of another
Così, this Austrian conductor must be praised for his clarity
of purpose. I cannot avoid using the word "organized" to describe
his conducting - the proceedings are always clean, clear, well-articulated
and natural. The orchestral playing is not terribly beautiful, but there
is not one not in the score you cannot hear. Also, the clarity of ensembles
is impressive. Of course, the Tonmeister has lots to do with it - the
orchestra and singers on stage are impressively clearly recorded. There
is some stage noise and applause (not in annoying levels) and singers
off-mike, but that rarely stands in the way in key moments.
Daniel Barenboim's Così with the Berlin Philharmonic is not
as helplessely heavy as his Don Giovanni. Sometimes, when the primary
concern with rich orchestral sounds is put aside, as in Alla bella
Despinetta, one can perceive a stylish performance far away, but
the proceedings generally lack forward movement and lightness. The Berlin
Philharmonic is clearly recorded with singers in natural perspective
- it is only a pity that the edition has not only the "Ferrando"
cuts, but also an unforgivable excision in the finale ultimo.
Lella Cuberli has all the elements of a great Fiordiligi - rich top
notes, a good low register, creamy pianissimi and flexibility - but
at moments she finds it a bit difficult to handle all that at the same
time, such as in the stretta of Come scoglio, here accomplished
rather out of panache than from technical security. The 23-year-old
Cecilia Bartoli offers an all-round perfect Dorabella, one of the very
best in the discography, and Joan Rodgers is a sprightly clear-toned
Despina. Kurt Streit's light stylish Ferrando does not blend well with
Ferruccio Furlanetto's rather heavy Guglielmo. John Tomlinson is hardly
lightweight himself, but he is more sensitive to the necessity of scaling
down in ensemble (notably so in Soave sia il vento).
Östman introduces Così to period instruments. The orchestra
he is using here is the Drottningholm only in name - most musicians
are English specialists - and maybe that is why it has the best orchestral
playing in the series. Also, it benefits from the best recorded sound.
The Swedish conductor is an absolute master in Mozartian phrasing and,
even when it sounds a bit eccentric, a second look will show that he
has a point. I only wish he could relax a bit more in moments such as
Ah, guarda, sorella. The cast is a good one. I like Rachel
Yakar’s bright and relaxed Fiordiligi, which is consistently pleasing
BUT for the explosive top notes now and then. Alicia Nafé is
an engaging Dorabella and Georgine Resick is an unexaggerated and charming
Despina. Gösta Winbergh is in good voice for Ferrando and the basses
are very nice too. There is a good theatrical sense here and Yakar and
Nafé deserve special compliment for the understanding of their
characters.
Charles Mackerras, as always, has fresh ideas about Mozart operas and
plays them beautifully. His orchestra is very nice and is warmly recorded.
His approach to tempi and phrasing is enlightening, but why can’t
he work with really good casts? Even if I’m beguiled by Felicity
Lott’s musicianship and insight, she is simply miscast as Fiordiligi.
Marie McLaughlin fares better as Dorabella, but is unsmiling. Nuccia
Focile is rough as Despina. Jerry Hadley is not entirely acquainted
with Mozartian style. Both Alessandro Corbelli and Gilles Cachemaille
are reliable as Gugliemo and Alfonso.
John Eliot Gardiner’s recording was made live in a run of live
performances. There is a good amount of stage noises and applauses,
but this is not obtrusive. Actually, the theatrical experience only
helps the distinguished cast gathered here - one of the strongest in
the discography. First of all, Amanda Roocroft and Rosa Mannion are
probably the best Fiordiligi/Dorabella team around - nobody rivals them
in the sustained pianissimi in their opening number. Although they are
both sopranos, the tones are nicely contrasted, but also blend beautifully.
Amanda Roocroft’s mezzo-ish voice in not immediately beautiful,
but takes splendidly to the virtuosistic demands. Her two arias are
sung with outstanding accuracy. Also, she’s very vivid in her
recitatives and offers an interpretation in the great manner. Rosa Mannion’s
Dorabella is sung in brighter tones, but deals very well with lower
notes. Also, she is charming and spirited. Eirian James mezzo is bright
and sexy enough for Despina. Rainer Trost’s light tenor cuts very
well in the more outspoken moments and he is stylish and sensitive all
the way, offering fully satisfying accounts of his arias (including
Ah, lo vegg'io - this is the complete edition), all of them
sung in firm and sweet tone. Rodney Gilfry is a high baritone Guglielmo
who phrases beautifully and has the necessary charisma. Carlos Feller
is a solid and animated Alfonso, here less fresh than for Östman.
Gardiner offers an animated and theatrical performance, full of intelligent
and imaginative pieces of phrasing. However, his orchestra tends to
be monochromatic, although much of the playing in period instruments
is very much alert. The video is taken from a different performance,
where Claudio Nicolai offers a rather woolly-sounding Alfonso. Also,
the video is really charming and funny - and the whole cast has physique
de rôle. Finally, those who have only the CDs need to know that,
because of the staging, Dorabella sings some of Fiordiligi’s lines
and that the notary is actually sung by a tenor dubbing Despina on stage.
Sigiswald Kuijken offers an animated performance recorded live in Budapest.
Although his tempi are consistently fast, this is always put in perspective
by the concern with clear and articulate phrasing. It is also remarkable
the way the orchestra mirrors the stage events in what regards both
tempo and accents. Another remarkable feature is the omnipresence of
the harpsichord, particularly in the most outspoken moments, where it
adds some zest to the Petite Bande's energetic playing. The cast is
fresh-voiced and responds vividly to recitatives. Soile Isokoski is
an utterly musicianly Fiordiligi who sails through her role with complete
nonchalance. Some may point out that her voice is not really substantial
or varied (sometimes she gives the impression of being in permanent
mezza voce), but the flute-like tone and technical fluency are admirable
nonetheless. Monica Groop is a clear toned Dorabella whose mezzo blends
beautifully with Isokoski's soprano, but she could be a bit more saucy.
It is true that Nancy Argenta's soprano lacks low resonance and is on
the tiny side, but the very brightness of her voice helps her out in
the ensembles - not to mention that her inspired and intelligent interpretation
is top class. It is also admirable the way how Markus Schäffer
adapted his Peter Schreier-like tenor to a more Italianate sound, what
makes him an ardent Ferrando, albeit not an entirely ingratiating one.
Per Vollerstad is a bit dry-voiced as Guglielmo and Huub Claessens is,
as usual, white-toned as Don Alfonso. The recorded sound is immediate
and natural, but - at least on my speakers - there may be some distortions
when sopranos sing high notes together.
Jean-Claude Malgoire offers a similar kind of intimate performance
and recorded sound, but his understanding of Mozartian tempi, phrasing
and structure are far superior to Kuijken's. The French conductor masters
the art of organizing each number of the score in a way that it will
be crystal clear, singable and beautifully played. How many conductors
could boast that? Also, the slightly rough-edged orchestral sound helps
to add some zest and, if you are not allergic to historically informed
performance, this might be a recording to figure in your collection.
The cast has no outstanding performance, but works beautifully as a
team. Sophie Fournier's blond soprano encompasses Fiordiligi's impossible
tessitura better than most and she is an engaged expressive singer.
Florid passages are not her forte, but she always offers something musical
and charming. On the other hand, Laura Polverelli's flexible sexy mezzo
is entirely at ease in the role of Dorabella, and together with the
congenial smooth-toned French baritone Nicolas Rivenq tends to steal
the show. Sophie Marin Degor fruity light soprano is a delight to the
ears, but she could be a bit more teazing. Her recitatives lack some
zest too. Simon Edwards has a pleasant round-toned tenor, but lets too
many opportunities go. His lackaday Un'aura amorosa is the
most dramatic example. Patrick Donelly is certainly spirited as Don
Alfonso, but he is a rather a singing actor who makes do high notes
and other difficulties. The edition here adopted has some excentricities,
such as the internal cut in the finale ultimo and the option for the
longer aria for Guglielmo in act I, while the duettino Al fato da
legge and Ferrando's Ah, lo vegg'io are simply wiped out
of the score.
Although the booklet informs us that Simon Rattle’s live recording
of Così fan tutte is linked to staged performances, the truth
is that some four years separate the staged performances in Glyndenbourne
from the concert in Birmingham's Symphony Hall captured by EMI's microphones.
The years have not erased the sense of theatre, though. Rattle's Così
is animated and intelligent. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
is in great shape, offering rich and transparent orchestral sound. The
individual members of the cast have strong competition to deal with,
but work beautifully as a team. More than that - their spontaneous and
musicianly way with the score is a dream come true. I like the fact
that Hillevi Martinpelto’s Fiordiligi is undemonstrative and hence
she sounds more believable than most her rivals. The only remaining
singer from Glyndebourne is Kurt Streit. His vocal production lacks
here some purity in high notes, but he is always a stylish and imaginative
singer. Gerland Finlay is a superlative firm-toned and elegant Guglielmo.
Fortunately, he is granted Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo in appendix
(making this more than a complete edition). Ann Murray is an earthy
Despina, her vibrant mezzo making for a more mature character than usual.
Thomas Allen lacks some space in the lower reachers, but that is a minor
flaw in a witty and charming performance. Unfortunately, Alison Hagley
forces her light soprano too often for comfort as Dorabella.
Georg Solti’s first Così would be the kind of recording
everybody would be thankful for if it were the only recorded performance
of an opera: it is a very decent affair and faithful to Mozart’s
and da Ponte’s intents. However, there is strong competition all
the way. First of all, in spite of an indifferent orchestra, Solti’s
reading operates within the limits of Mozartian style and is lively
enough. The recorded sound is rather lacking in atmosphere, but there
is nothing heavy and unsmiling going on here. Although only Teresa Berganza
is really memorable from the vocal point of view, everybody in the cast
is aware of the dramatic situations and there is a real sense of team
going on here, probably because this recording was connected to stage
performances in London. Once one overlooks the fact that Pilar Lorengar’s
vocal production - overvibrant in a rather out-of-fashion way - is unsuited
to Mozart, there is much to commend in her performance, particularly
the fact that she seems untroubled by the vocal demands of the role.
Her trills, coloratura and low register are up to all those tasks. Interpretatively,
she is very subtle and portrays an artless honest young Neapolitan lady
in a believable way. Berganza is also a subtle Dorabella, but her performance
is far more alluring than Lorengar’s. As Depina, Jane Berbié
does not count with a remarkable voice, but she is funny in a pleasant
natural way. Ryland Davies’s tenor is similarly unexceptional,
but the tone is agreeable and he is reliable, stylish and commited throughout
- there are no cuts here and his Ah, lo veggio is cleanly done.
Tom Krause is also an accomplished Guglielmo who never misses an interpretative
point. Gabriel Bacquier has all the personality required for Don Alfonso.
One of Georg Solti’s greatest qualities was his constant development
as a musician and his second recordings are almost always improvements
on the first ones. This is the case here. Not only did he learn to relax
more but also absorbed some good ideas about period practices. His conducting
is very energetic and purposeful and his orchestra is one of the best.
The cast was supposed to be the best possible, but I have my doubts.
The most glamourous voiced singer, Renée Fleming, is exactly
the center of my doubts. She is constantly giving the impression of
adapting herself into a Mozartian soprano, with varied levels of success.
Not amazingly, she works better when the demands on her are more extreme
and, even if I wouldn’t pick her arias as examples of how one
should sing Mozart, both of them are impressively sung. Lopardo’s
case is similar to Fleming’s, but his tone really lacks some beauty.
Anne Sofie von Otter and Olaf Bär were not clearly in their best
voices when they recorded it, although they are stylish. Scarabelli
is the most pleasing member of the cast and Pertusi knows how to produce
good recitatives. The recorded sound is excellent.
Although I certainly agree with René Jacobs’s opinion
on the importance of baroque Italian opera for the understanding of
Mozart Da Ponte operas, I think that an influence must not stand as
the prevailing style in a performance of his operas. Nice as Jacobs’s
insights are, they are so exaggeratedly underlined that I couldn’t
help having the impression that his performance is more a collection
of parts than a coherent whole - just compare it with Östman and
you’ll see how more natural his theories sound IN PRACTICE. First
of all, I dislike the balance of the orchestra - in which brass and
drums have such pride of place that most times one cannot clearly hear
the violins. It also creates some disconcerting harmonic effects. I
also disliked the fussing with tempo - Ah, guarda sorella starts
with no charm at all, heavy and slow and then we have the singers caught
by their necks for a supersonically fast Ah questo mio core mai
cangia desio. Also Sento o Dio is whimsically hurried
and slowed down in a way that really would make sense in Cavalli, but
simply ruins the rhythmic pulse of a Mozartian piece. The next number
- Di scrivermi - is made in an impossibly slow tempo. One has
some trouble to follow the musical ideas since one note takes so much
time to follow the previous one. Later, things get less excentric. Jacobs
also explains in the booklet about how legato was not as valued in Mozart’s
time as it is today - but I wonder if this is the reason why some chords
are simply jerked off the sound frame to mark a point that a more balanced
orchestra would have done more effectively. I think that maybe the problem
is that the point of view is rather germanic - it lacks some Mediterranean
tinta, the sensuous charm the work cries for. It is rather Delft than
Naples that we see here. Nevertheless, I don’t intend to fault
completely the performance, since I am an admirer of Jacobs’ and
believe that, amidst all his overimaginative ideas, many are very very
nice and I like to know that I have in my collection a performance of
Così Fan Tutte so deeply grounded in the baroque - since I agree
that one should look too Mozart rather from the baroque than from the
Romanticism. One also has to recognize that the level of clarity in
ensembles is impressive. Fortunately, the cast is compelling. Véronique
Gens is an appealing Fiordiligi, with warm tone, expressive phrasing
and absolutely no effort to accomplish Mozart’s most difficult
demands. I think she only lacks ideas about who is Fiordiligi. Werner
Güra has a most pleasing natural tenor and sings with consistent
good taste, imagination and ease - he only lacks a bit of brightness
in his top notes. Bernarda Fink and Marcel Boone are very accomplished
as Dorabella and Ferrando - she is particularly successful with mezzo
carattere, sounding alternately sensuous and funny. Graciela Oddone
has a charming voice, used with intelligence and verve - I think she
tries too hard to be funny as Despina, though. Pietro Spagnoli is an
accomplished Don Alfonso - younger and more positive than most. The
whole team produces marvellous recitative, imaginatively accompanied
by Nicolau de Figueiredo on the fortepiano.
Although Johannes Wildner’s recording on Naxos is offered in
budget price, I think you can always buy ice cream with a few bucks.
The orchestral playing is amateurish, the conducting is heavy, the phrasing
is tangled, the acoustics are too reverberant... it has very little
to do with Mozart. Joanna Borowska’s creamy soprano is functional
for Fiordiligi, but I think her passagework should be more precise.
Rohangiz Yachmi has a weird voice - it’s kind of veiled and acquires
a metallic edge on the top. Priti Coles is a decent Despina - nothing
more. John Dickie really has easy top notes and sings all Ferrando arias
(this is a complete edition), but his upper range can become nasal or
pinched. I was surprised to learn he is Murray Dickie’s son, who
had such a German-like style, something he didn’t teach his child,
who sometimes sing it as if it was Donizetti, rolling his r’s
exaggeratedly now and then. Andrea Martin is a solid Ferrando, but Peter
Mikulas is unsteady and has sketchy Italian.
The Naxos performance’s main rival is Arte Nova’s conducted
by Bertrand de Billy, also in budget price. The word "rival"
is actually complimentary to Wildner, since Billy’s is really
really better all the way. Things are harder to frame, however, when
one compares it to the distinguished recordings in the discography.
Although this is definitely a "safe" recording, I wouldn’t
probably recommend it as a first option, maybe because of its absence
of glamour (in the lack of a better word) and the trade-off is very
subtle if you think of adding an extra item in your collection. Basically,
the main asset is the organic relationship the conductor establishes
with tempo and dramatic situations. Some reviewers insist that it’s
too fast, but that’s a simplistic opinion. Those tempi are wonderfully
right for all the numbers, sometimes illuminatingly so, but not necessarily
right for the forces involved. Although it is refreshing that woodwind
has such prominence and are played with such sense of humour (the continuo
fortepiano as well), I think that, IN THESE TEMPI, articulation should
be clearer (especially strings). Also, the recorded sound lacks some
intimacy and maybe has something to do with the lack of clarity in faster
passages. The cast is entirely made of accomplished singers with nice
voices, but personality is not there all the time. Regina Schörg’s
voice lacks the last degree of individuality, especially in top notes,
but she has considerable resources - good low notes, decent coloratura,
some trills and a good notion of Mozartian style. She also is a bit
inexpressive, although she is elegant most of the time. Heidi Brunner
is my favourite member of the cast - her bright and warm voice goes
with flowing phrasing and charm. Birgid Steinberger is very vivid as
Despina, but the voice is far from charming. Jeffrey Francis is reliable
as usual as Ferrando, but the voice is less beautiful than it uses to
be. It lacks naturalness, especially in top notes and he is not very
subtle - sometimes it seems as if he was singing Rossini here. Martin
Gantner’s case is similar to the Despina’s - maybe if he
had more harmonics in his voice, he’d have caused a better impression.
Last but not least, Kwangchul Yun has an attractive voice and some verve.
The recitatives are done with animation, but the sound effects (including
"sea", "cheerful company", "birdsong"
etc) are kind of kitsch.
The DVD from the Berlin State Opera's main interest is Doris Dörrie's
production set in the 60's - Ferrando and Guglielmo disguised as hippies,
Despina as an Indian doctor (speaking mock Hindu instead of Latin).
Although one takes some time to get used to see Fiordiligi and Dorabella
singing their recitatives while brushing their teeth and hair in the
bathroom, the adaptation is successful and funny most of the time. The
stage direction is a bit overbusy and even if you take it in the positive
way - a kind of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - it may disturb
the singers in many key moments. Thank God the cast generally offers
good acting, but not always the physique de rôle. It is a pity
that Daniel Barenboim has not been contagiated by the light atmosphere,
offering heavy and ponderous conducting. The rather dimly recorded orchestra
does not help clarity, especially when singers, somewhat closely miked,
are in action. Dorothea Röschmann dominates the cast, as a capable
Fiordiligi, offering light creamy tone and tecnical fluency. Katharina
Kammerloher has a sexy enough mezzo for Dorabella, while Daniela Bruera
is a bright-toned and charming Despina. Werner Güra is far from
ingratiating as Ferrando. The tone is a bit nasal but may get unfocused
in his high register. Hanno Müller-Brachmann has an easy bass,
not entirely smooth, but healthy enough, while Roman Trekel's strong
baritone could be dealt with a bit gentlier sometimes, such as in Soave
sia il vento.
If you find the Berlin production overdone, then you should try the
video from Aix, where Richard Peduzzi's sets are reduced to the words
"Vietato Fumare" in the empty wall of a bare stage. Instead
of discussing the whole idea behind that, one can perfectly concentrate
on Patrice Chéreau's vivid and varied direction, benefiting from
a generally good-looking cast willing to act and beautifully dressed
in contrasting colours by Caroline de Vivaise. Moreover, Daniel Harding
proves to have matured since his Don Giovanni and seems less inclined
to give pride of place to effect over clarity, offering a transparent,
buoyant and intelligent account of this most complex among Mozart operas.
It is only a pity that the recorded sound is a bit dry. The edition
adopted involves the usual deletion of Ferrando's Ah, lo vegg'io
and a rather unusual cut in last part of the finale to act I. Although
Erin Wall's soprano is appealing enough and she floats beautiful mezza
voce when this is necessary, her account of the role of Fiordiligi is
expressively and technically quite sketchy. Under these circumstances,
it is not difficult to be overshadowed by Elina Garanca's velvety-toned
and sexy Dorabella, probably the major performance in this cast. Barbara
Bonney has developed a quite plausible earthy attitude for Despina,
but her once heavenly soprano just does not work for this role - her
vocal production is too soft-centered and the low register is simply
not functional. Moreover, her Italian had to be more spontaneous. Shawn
Mathey has the basic equipment for Ferrando all right, but has his clumsy
and/or nasal moments. Stéphane Degout is a pleasant if rather
vocally anonymous Guglielmo. Ruggero Raimondi knows all the tricks of
the role of Don Alfonso, but the juice of his voice had already dried
out when this video was recorded.
Nicholas Hytner's elegant production from Glyndenbourne is impressively
accurate in its direction of actors. The talented cast's stage performance
is thoroughly timed and faithfully descriptive of the vertiginous shifts
of moods in the libretto. Sample Guglielmo and Dorabella's duet to see
how believable Cosi Fan Tutte can be if the director only cares to read
Lorenzo da Ponte's text. When it comes to the musical aspects, Iván
Fischer should be praised to build his conducting around the dramatic
actions, not in the sense that his musical gestures depict the events
in the plot - they do not in comfortable, somewhat restrained tempi
and rather univoque phrasing. The conductor rather gives pride of place
to the theatrical timing and often staging is more expressive than music
making. This considerate approach maybe could have worked eyes wide
shut if rich orchestral sound filled in the blanks left by the absence
of truly meaningful phrasing, but the nimble and svelte playing of the
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment craves for more animation. Miah
Persson is the lightest Fiordiligi in the discography - her technique
is faultless and the replacements she offers for truly serviceable low
notes is often discrete and musicianly. Only she lacks some operational
space for tone colouring and the results may be too polite for the right
impression. It is not difficult for Anke Vondung to call attention for
her vivacious and engaging Dorabella in these circumstances. Her fresh,
velvety and sexy mezzo is pleasant all the way. Ainhoa Garmendia has
the right quicksilver soprano for Despina and, although there is nothing
earthy in her voice, she never neglects the necessary touch of plebeianness.
Topi Lehtipuu is a reliable Ferrando, but a little bit less nasality
would make all the difference in the world. Just compare him to, say,
Rainer Trost in Gardiner's recording to hear the missing variety and
loveliness of tone. Luca Pisaroni's Guglielmo offers more sophisticated
and technically accomplished singing - and he cannot help adding some
spice to his Italian words being Italian himself. Finally, Nicolas Rivenq's
slim baritone is maybe too chic for the cynical Don Alfonso. The edition
has the traditional cuts involving the part of Ferrando.
IN CONCLUSION: For a safe choice, go for Solti II or even for Gardiner.
For a complete musical/dramatic experience, go for Rattle. If you prefer
it in a more traditional way, there is either the Muti La Scala video,
with the lovely Daniella Dessì, or the C.Davis, where you have
a most sophisticated theatrical sense and absolute clarity.
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