I must only shortly state that this must be the best recording ever made of this opera. It is the best, it is a musical wonder.
June 19, 2008 |  | The Best Supplemental Version |  |
I've lived with this recording for almost 40 years in its various LP (domestic and imported) and CD incarnations. Schwarzkopf remains a wonderful interpreter of Fiordiligi, not as fresh as she was a few years earlier under Karajan's direction, but less mannered than in that 1954 recording. She doesn't entirely conquer the demands of Come scoglio, but that's not unique. Most of the competition doesn't do much better. Christa Ludwig is my favorite Dorabella on record. Beautiful in tone and technique, she brings this flighty, flawed, but lovable character to vivid life. She and Schwarzkopf had sung the roles together over the past few years on stage and the partnership shows.
The rest of the cast isn't up to the level of the two sisters. Hanny Steffek as Despina sounds a little nervous with Italian - I recall she learned the role in the language for the recording having sung it in German in Munich for some time. She is a straightforward doctor in the first act finale - setting up a big disappointment with the nasty vocal distortions she employs in the second act as the notary. Then again, most singers employ the same sort of vocal slapstick. Alfredo Kraus is a very good Ferrando, not ideally ingratiating in tone but distinguished nonetheless. Taddei is a funny, Italianate Guglielmo, but the recording probably came a little late in the game as the youthful officer. Berry is a solid and well sung Alfonso.
Boehm's conducting is very fine, if a mite leisurely. The ensemble is extremely precise. Boehm (or producer Walter Legge) employs several cuts in the text. As typical of the times, the fist act "departure" duet for Ferrando and Guglielmo, one of Mozart's lesser inspirations, is cut as is Ferrando's second act "Ah, lo veggio". Also typically, recitatives are trimmed but the cuts don't do any violence to the plot line. More curious is the internal cutting in the finales. Legge wrote defensively about cutting the repetitive "schoolboy nonsense" of Italian opera librettos (the Callas Barbiere is also subjected to surgery in the finales) but Da Ponte's verses are hardly hackwork. Curious.
The GROC re-issue sounds very good for a 45 year old recording but the earlier CD issue is firmer in the bass. One thing that is beyond redemption is the distant sound of the chorus in "Bella vita militar" and the second act serenade. Walter Legge wrote enthusiastically about the fine balance achieved in these pieces in the London Kingsway Hall sessions. I think the chorus sounds like it is phoning in its bits from the midlands.
Flaws and all, this is my first choice for a supplement to Jacobs complete version on Harmonia Mundi. Other personal favorites are Jochum, recently reissued on DG; Solti's first recording (with Lorengar, Berganza, et al) on Decca mid-price; and Leinsdorf's RCA version (featuring a good American cast headed by Leontyne Price). If you aren't averse to mono sound, Schwarzkopf under Karagan (also on EMI) is worth investigating.
November 2, 2007Bought it because of the rave reviews I saw here. It is good but i am not sure it is so good. Jacobs on Harmonia sounds more dramatic, more natural and with a cast (overall) at least as good as this one. Not to mention better sound and a great orchestra. So before you buy this one check out reviews for Jacbos version.
August 4, 2007After reading the brilliant review of this recording by Mike Birman (Brooklyn, New York USA), I have to echo all of his reasoning for according it five stars. A benchmark recording!
July 3, 2007This is a great Cosi production. Karl Bohm is the best conductor for Mozart in his days. I think Alfredo Kraus sounds fabulous in this recording.
November 4, 2006More reviews at Amazon.com ...
(14 reviews)