Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Ruggero Raimondi, Margaret Price, Julia Varady, Stafford Dean
Lucia Popp, Herman Winkler, Enrico Fissore, Kurt Moll
Chor und Orchester der Bayerischen Staatsoper
dir: Wolfgang Sawallisch
Label: Golden Melodram 5.0026 (2000) Stereo ADD 3 CD
Live recording, München, 12.7.1973 ( excellent sound)
[flac&cue; cover, inlays, disc&booklet scans]
Don Giovanni is one of my favourite operas - in my opinion, the perfect balance between tragedy and comedy and an example of the absolute communion between music and theatre.
This live performance gathers a team of already-established singers with those about to achieve international stardom- Raimondi, M. Price, Varady, Popp, S.Dean, Moll who make a fine presentations of their respective roles, well directed by Sawallisch. The only weak point is perhaps Winkler’s Don Ottavio. The sound is fabulous.
Note: the aria "Dalla sua pace" is not performed here and the details for the tracks of the third cd is missing.
Review
"Here is the Sawallisch at his best: bright, intense, contrasted in the overture, which demonstrates the excellent form of the very good orchestra at his command, with which he illustrates the gallery of musical portraits (the Commendatore, Don Giovanni, Leporello, Zerlina...) that Mozart parades in six dizzying minutes absolutely brilliant.
Sawallisch attends to perfection the two aspects of the drama, the serious and the giocoso.
The tempi , although almost always quick, allow their singers to phrase and breathe; thus, the electrifying «Fin ch’an dal vino», that Raimondi ornaments, drives the public mad. And if the first act finale has admirable precision and vigour, Sawallisch's work achieves equal levels of excellence in the aria of the Catalogue aria, the Mask Trio or in «Vedrai carino». Part of the success of this memorable performance was apparently due to the regist Günther Rennert, who was able to create a dramatic atmosphere in which the music could expand and vibrate.
The trio of ladies is sensational, not only for the great quality of the voices, their artistic range and their perfect line of singing; moreover, each soprano has a well-differentiated timbre, which is essential for the characterization of their role and for the listener to be able to identify each one. Thus, the very controlled emission, the penetrating and well projected timbre and the incisive phrasing of Margaret Price allow her to outline a noble and haughty Anna, but under whose measure burns a passion no less intense than that of Elvira. For her, the warm voice of young Varady overflows into a gullible, spontaneous and passionate character that contrasts with Anna’s calculated restraint. The Zerlina of Lucia Popp is a pure delight: she sings magnificently, with a fresh, delicious voice, and her Italian diction is perfect. She effortlessly surpasses the problems of the uncomfortable tessitura.
Among the men, the least good is Hermann Winkler, who omits «Dalla sua pace» -I suspect that we lose nothing- he sings with poor Italian diction and barely redeems himself with an acceptable «Il mio tesoro». Very good the Masetto of Enrico Fissore, who might made a more plausible Leporello than Stafford Dean, who is weighed down by his mediocre Italian diction. One imagines that it is his performance, developed and well directed by Rennert, which attracts the sympathy of the public. Powerful and sure is Moll as the Commendatore and, altogether brilliant and seductive Raimondi's Don Giovanni, with many excellent phrases, especially when he naturally projects his bass-baritone voice - rather lyrical, yet easy and powerful. His Italian diction is, needless to say, is exemplary- certainly, one of the great Don Giovannis from 1970 to today.
Very good sound, but poor presentation: the track listing for the third CD is missing and there is no libretto, but musical quality is outstanding." - Roberto Andrade - DIVERDI- November 2000.
Ruggero Raimondi, Margaret Price, Julia Varady, Stafford Dean
Lucia Popp, Herman Winkler, Enrico Fissore, Kurt Moll
Chor und Orchester der Bayerischen Staatsoper
dir: Wolfgang Sawallisch
Label: Golden Melodram 5.0026 (2000) Stereo ADD 3 CD
Live recording, München, 12.7.1973 ( excellent sound)
[flac&cue; cover, inlays, disc&booklet scans]
Don Giovanni is one of my favourite operas - in my opinion, the perfect balance between tragedy and comedy and an example of the absolute communion between music and theatre.
This live performance gathers a team of already-established singers with those about to achieve international stardom- Raimondi, M. Price, Varady, Popp, S.Dean, Moll who make a fine presentations of their respective roles, well directed by Sawallisch. The only weak point is perhaps Winkler’s Don Ottavio. The sound is fabulous.
Note: the aria "Dalla sua pace" is not performed here and the details for the tracks of the third cd is missing.
Review
"Here is the Sawallisch at his best: bright, intense, contrasted in the overture, which demonstrates the excellent form of the very good orchestra at his command, with which he illustrates the gallery of musical portraits (the Commendatore, Don Giovanni, Leporello, Zerlina...) that Mozart parades in six dizzying minutes absolutely brilliant.
Sawallisch attends to perfection the two aspects of the drama, the serious and the giocoso.
The tempi , although almost always quick, allow their singers to phrase and breathe; thus, the electrifying «Fin ch’an dal vino», that Raimondi ornaments, drives the public mad. And if the first act finale has admirable precision and vigour, Sawallisch's work achieves equal levels of excellence in the aria of the Catalogue aria, the Mask Trio or in «Vedrai carino». Part of the success of this memorable performance was apparently due to the regist Günther Rennert, who was able to create a dramatic atmosphere in which the music could expand and vibrate.
The trio of ladies is sensational, not only for the great quality of the voices, their artistic range and their perfect line of singing; moreover, each soprano has a well-differentiated timbre, which is essential for the characterization of their role and for the listener to be able to identify each one. Thus, the very controlled emission, the penetrating and well projected timbre and the incisive phrasing of Margaret Price allow her to outline a noble and haughty Anna, but under whose measure burns a passion no less intense than that of Elvira. For her, the warm voice of young Varady overflows into a gullible, spontaneous and passionate character that contrasts with Anna’s calculated restraint. The Zerlina of Lucia Popp is a pure delight: she sings magnificently, with a fresh, delicious voice, and her Italian diction is perfect. She effortlessly surpasses the problems of the uncomfortable tessitura.
Among the men, the least good is Hermann Winkler, who omits «Dalla sua pace» -I suspect that we lose nothing- he sings with poor Italian diction and barely redeems himself with an acceptable «Il mio tesoro». Very good the Masetto of Enrico Fissore, who might made a more plausible Leporello than Stafford Dean, who is weighed down by his mediocre Italian diction. One imagines that it is his performance, developed and well directed by Rennert, which attracts the sympathy of the public. Powerful and sure is Moll as the Commendatore and, altogether brilliant and seductive Raimondi's Don Giovanni, with many excellent phrases, especially when he naturally projects his bass-baritone voice - rather lyrical, yet easy and powerful. His Italian diction is, needless to say, is exemplary- certainly, one of the great Don Giovannis from 1970 to today.
Very good sound, but poor presentation: the track listing for the third CD is missing and there is no libretto, but musical quality is outstanding." - Roberto Andrade - DIVERDI- November 2000.