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Mozart: Così fan tutte (CD)
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle
Performers:
· Fiordiligi: Hillevi Martinpelto
· Dorabella: Alison Hagley
· Despina: Ann Murray
· Ferrando: Kurt Streit
· Guglielmo: Gerald Finley
· Don Alfonso: Thomas Allen
· Choir and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Recorded Live at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham, December 1995. Click here for details
Released 11 Nov 1996
Number of Discs: 3
Format: Box set
Label: EMI
ASIN: B000002RWW
Tracks: Click on track titles to hear samples:
Disc: 1
1. Sinf/Ov - Rattle/Enlightenment Orch
2. Act 1 Scene 1: No.1 Terzetto: La mia Dorabella capace non e - Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley/Thomas Allen
3. Act 1 Scene 1: Recitativo: Fuor' la spada! - Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley/Thomas Allen
4. Act 1 Scene 1: No.2 Terzetto: E la fede delle femmine - Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley/Thomas Allen
5. Act 1 Scene 1: Recitativo:L Scioccherie di poet! - Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley/Thomas Allen
6. Act 1 Scene 1: No.3 Terzetto: Una Bella serenata - Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley/Thomas Allen
7. Act 1 Scene 2: No.4 Duetto: Ah, guarda, sorella - Hillevi Martinpelto/Alison Hagley
8. Act 1 Scene 2: Recitativo: Mi par che stamattina - Hillevi Martinpelto/Alison Hagley/Thomas Allen
9. Act 1 Scene 2: No.5 Aria: Vorrei dir, e cor non ho - Thomas Allen
10. Act 1 Scene 2: Stelle! Per carita, signor Alfonso - Hillevi Martinpelto/Thomas Allen/Alison Hagley
11. Act 1 Scene 2: Sento, oddio, che questo piede - Rattle/Enlightenment Orch
12. Act 1 Scene 2: Recitativo: Non piangere, idol mio! - Gerald Finley/Kurt Streit/Thomas Allen/Hillevi Martinpelto/Alison Hagley
13. Act 1 Scene 2: No.7 Duettino: Al fato dan legge - Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley
14. Act 1 Scene 2: Recitativo: La commedia e graziosa - Thomas Allen/Kurt Streit/Hillevi Martinpelto/Alison Hagley
15. Act 1 Scene 2: No.8 Coro: Bella vita militar! - Enlightenment Chor
16. Act 1 Scene 2: Recitativo: Non v e piu tempo, amici - Rattle/Enlightenment Orch
17. Act 1 Scene 2: Recitave (No.8a Quintetto): Di scrivemi ogni giomo – Thomas Allen/Hillevi Martinpelto/Alison Hagley/Kurt Streit
18. Act 1 Scene 2: No.9 Corro: Bella vita militar! - Enlightenment Chor
19. Act 1 Scene 2: Recitativo: Dove son?...Son partiti - Rattle/Enlightenment Orch
20. Act 1 Scene 2: No.10 Terzettino: Soave sia il vento - Alison Hagley/Thomas Allen/Hillevi Martinpelto
21. Act 1 Scene 2: Recitativo: Non son cattivo comico - Thomas Allen
22. Act 1 Scene 2: Recitativo: Che vita maledetta - Ann Murray/Hillevi Martinpelto/Alison Hagley
23. Act 1 Scene 3: Recitativo: Ah, scostat! - Rattle/Enlightenment Orch
24. Act 1 Scene 3: No.11 Aria: Smanie implacabilli che m'agitate - Alison Hagley
25. Act 1 Scene 3: Recitativo: Signora Dorabella, Signora Flordiligi - Ann Murray/Alison Hagley/Hillevi Martinpelto
26. Act 1 Scene 3: No.12 Aria: In uomini, in soldati sperare fedelta - Ann Murray
27. Act 1 Scene 3: Recitativo: Che silenzio! Che aspetto di tristezza - Thomas Allen/Ann Murray
28. Act 1 Scene 3: No.13 Sestetto: Alla bella Despinetta - Rattle/Enlightenment Orch
29. Act 1 Scene 3: Recitativo:L Che silenzio! Che strepito! - Thomas Allen/Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley/Ann Murray/Hillevi Martinpelto/Alison Hagley
30. Act 1 Scene 3: No.14 Aria: Come scoglio immoto resta - Hillevi Martinpelto
31. Act 1 Scene 3: Recitativo: Ah, non partite! - Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley/Thomas Allen/Alison Murray/Hillevi Martinpelto
32. Act 1 Scene 3: No.15 Aria: Non siate ritrosi - Gerald Finley
33. Act 1 Scene 3: No.16 Terzetto: E voi ridete? - Rattle/Enlightenment Orch
34. Act 1 Scene 3: Recitativo: Si puo sapere un poco - Thomas Allen/Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley
35. Act 1 Scene 3: No.17 Aria: Un'aura amorosa delnostro tesoro - Kurt Streit
1. Act 1 Scene 3: Recitativo: Oh, la saria da ridere! - Thomas Allen/Ann Murray
2. Act 1 Scene 4: No.18 Finale: Ah, che tutta in un momento - Hillevi Martinpelto/Alison Hagley/Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley/Thomas Allen/Ann Murray
3. Act 2 Scene 1: Recitativo: Andate la, che siete due bizzarre ragazze! - Ann Murray/Hillevi Martinpelto/Alison Hagley
4. Act 2 Scene 1: No.19 Aria: Una donna a quindici anni - Ann Murray
5. Act 2 Scene 1: Recitativo: Soriela, cosa dici? - Rattle/Enlightenment Orch
6. Act 2 Scene 1: No.20 Duetto: Prendero quel brunettino - Alison Hagley/Hillevi Martipelto
7. Act 2 Scene 1: Recitativo: Ah, correte al giardino - Thomas Allen/Alison Hagley
8. Act 2 Scene 2: No.21 Duetto:L Secondate, aurette amiche - Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley/Coro
9. Act 2 Scene 1: Recitativo: Il tutto deponete sopra quei tavolini - Rattle/Enlightenment Orch
10. Act 2 Scene 1: No.22 Quartetto: La mano a me date; - Thomas Allen/Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley/Ann Murray
11. Act 2 Scene 1: Recitativo: Oh, che bella giornata! - Hillevi Martinpelto/Kurt Streit/Alison Hagley/Gerald Finley
12. Act 2 Scene 1: No.23 Duetto: Il core vi dono - Gerald Finley/Alison Hagley
13. Act 2 Scene 1: Recitativo: Barbara, perche fuggi - Kurt Streit/Hillevi Martinpelto
14. Act 2 Scene 1: No.24 Aria: Ah, lo veggio; quell'anima bella - Kurt Streit
15. Act 2 Scene 1: Recitaivo: Ei parte... senti...ah, no! - Rattle/Enlightenment Orch
16. Act 2 Scene 1: No.25 Rondo: Per pieta, ben mio, perdona - Hillevi Martinpelto
Disc: 3
1. Act 2 Scene 1: Recitativo: Amico, abbiamo vinto! - Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley
2. Act 2 Scene 1: No.26 Aria: Donne mie, la fate a tanti - Gerald Finley
3. Act 2 Scene 1: Recitativo: In qual fiero contrasto, in qual disordine - Kurt Streit
4. Act 2 Scene 1: No.27 Cavatina: Tradito, schernito dal perfido cor - Kurt Streit
5. Act 2 Scene 1: Recitativo: Bravo, questa e costanza - Thomas Allen/Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley
6. Act 2 Scene 3: Recitativo: Ora vedo che siete una donna di garbo - Ann Murray/Alison Hagley/Hillevi Martinpelto
7. Act 2 Scene 3: No.28 Aria: E amore un ladroncello - Alison Hagley
8. Act 2 Scene 3: Recitativo:L Come tutto congiura - Hillevi Martinpelto/Gerald Finley/Ann Murray/Thomas Allen
9. Act 2 Scene 3: No.29 Duetto: Fra gli amplessi in pochi istanti - Hillevi Martinpelto/Kurt Streit
10. Act 2 Scene 3: Recitativo: Ah, poveretto me, cosa ho veduto! - Rattle/Enlightenment Orch
11. Act 2 Scene 3: No.30 Andante: Tutti accusan le donne - Gerald Finley/Thomas Allen/Kurt Streit
12. Act 2 Scene 3: Recitativo: Vittoria padroncin! - Ann Murray/Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley/Thomas Allen
13. Act 4 Scene 4: No.31 Finale: Fate presto, o cari amici - Tutti
14. Act 4 Scene 4: No.15a Aria (originale): Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo - Gerald Finley
15. Act 4 Scene 4: No.16 Terzetto: E voi ridete? - Thomas Allen/Kurt Streit/Gerald Finley
What the critics say
The Telegraph, November 1996
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/1996/11/30/bmreck30.xml
Recorded live in Symphony Hall, Birmingham, this was one of several concert performances of Cosí conducted by Sir Simon Rattle a year ago with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. The joy of Rattle's interpretation is that, while taking due note of the opera's darker side, he remembers that there is a lot of fun, too. Tempi are brisk and vivacious at these times; when the emotional waters are muddied, the irony, poignancy and drama are given full weight. Both textually and histrionically, it is a comprehensive Cosí. Hillevi Martinpelto, a Glyndebourne Donna Anna, has the big voice plus the charm for Fiordiligi. Her Per pietà is meltingly lovely. Rattle prefers a soprano Dorabella, the irresistible Alison Hagley, to the usual mezzo. She misses none of the bubbling sexiness of the role but knows when to be serious. Her delivery of recitative is exemplary. Both sisters show signs of strain at the top. Ann Murray's comic Despina was better seen than heard.
Kurt Streit and Gerald Finley are ideally matched as Ferrando and Guglielmo. The tenor's Un'aura amorosa is a superlative example of Mozart-singing and Finley adds to his growing reputation with a fiery performance. As Don Alfonso, Thomas Allen is the personification of cynical manipulativeness. Anyone with prejudices against period instruments can forget them in this case.
La Scena Musicale - Vol. 4, No. 3, November 1998
http://www.scena.org/lsm/sm4-3/sm4-3CDs.html
This low-key, laid-back 1995 live in-concert recording, made in Symphony Hall, Birmingham, England, is based on a 1991 Glyndebourne Opera production. The cast of experienced Mozart singers is uniformly good, without being particularly exciting. Call it Così Lite : a refined academic demonstration rather than a hearty dramma giocoso. As the sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella, Hillevi Martinpelto and Alison Hagley are well-matched, with fresh, youthful voices. Martinpelto’s "Come scoglio" is a perfect but passionless vocal exercise. Hagley’s "Smanie implacabili" is pretty, polite - but hardly implacable. Kurt Streit (Ferrando) is a fine light tenor. As Guglielmo, Canadian baritone Gerald Finley’s rich, expressive vocal acting injects some needed depth into the drama. Ann Murray’s Despina is correct but not very characterful. Thomas Allen’s Don Alfonso, so subtle and exquisite live, loses half its charm on CD. The 20-member chorus is crisp and light. Rattle’s authentic instrument orchestra plays slowly, smoothly and lullingly. The audience is quiet (snoozing?), contributing discreet laughter and applause at suitable moments. Recorded sound is crystalline but distant. EMI’s usual superficial notes in French, German and English. Libretto in Italian, French, German, and English.
Klassik-CD des Monats
Attila Csampai, Rondo Magazine, January 1997
http://www.rondomagazin.de/klassik/cddesmonats/971.htm
Translation will follow
Mozarts subtile musikalische Ironie und der trockene, unsentimentale Humor der Engländer haben immer schon gut zusammengepaßt. Und speziell für seine doppelbödige letzte Opera buffa "Così fan tutte" scheint England ein guter Boden zu sein. Hatte Fritz Busch in Glyndebourne schon vor sechzig Jahren die lange Zeit mißverstandene Oper endgültig von den Sünden und Fehlurteilen des 19. Jahrhunderts gereinigt, so hat Simon Rattle vor vier Jahren an gleicher Stelle den zwischenzeitlich schon wieder verschütteten "aufklärerischen" Ansatz Buschs grandios wiederbelebt, mit einem der derzeit besten Originalklangensembles, dem Orchester der Aufklärungszeit (Orchestra of The Age of Enlightenment).
Die nun nachgereichte Schallplatten-Version dokumentiert zwar eine spätere konzertante Aufführung der Oper in der akustisch vorzüglichen Symphony Hall in Birmingham, aber ihr theatralischer Elan ist immer noch elektrisierend: Mit seinem untrüglichen Gespür für die Sinnlichkeit, Körpernähe und Vitalität dieser Musik entfaltet Rattle alle emotionalen Doppelbödigkeiten und seelischen Abgründe der tragischen Komödie ganz aus dem natürlichen Spielfluß, und das wunderbar mitfühlende Orchester setzt seine "swingenden" Zeitmaße mit phänomenaler Präzision, Elastizität und Eleganz um.
So drängend, so spannungsgeladen, so erotisch gefährlich und zugleich süffisant-ironisch habe ich diese Oper noch nie erlebt. Alle zuvor von klugen Köpfen geäußerten Hypothesen über die Abstraktheit der Konstruktion, über die angeblich mechanistische Dramaturgie, über die Geometrie einer spiegelsymmetrischen Anlage und dergleichen scheinen von diesem Rausch der Sinne und des pulsierenden Lebens wie weggeblasen.
Das unglaublich sicher agierende, hochprofessionelle Solisten-Ensemble hat entscheidenden Anteil an diesem "Sturm der Leidenschaften": Hillevi Martinpelto (Fiordiligi) und Alison Hagley (Dorabella) bilden in ihrer perfekten vokalen Abstimmung endlich ein glaubhaftes Geschwisterpaar, das in Kurt Streits heldischem Ferrando, in Gerald Finleys kernigem Guglielmo und in Thomas Allens souveränem Don Alfonso ein hochkultiviertes männliches Gegenspieler-Trio findet. Diesem gelingt es sogar, hinter der überschwenglichen Maskerade britisch-subtil auch die Lächerlichkeit und den bösen Zynismus des Seelenexperiments durchscheinen zu lassen. Nur Ann Murrays allzu launige Buffa-Parodie der kecken Zofe wirkt stimmlich gelegentlich etwas "reif". Am Referenz-Status der Aufnahme aber ändert es nichts, zumal auch die EMI-Tonmeister auf den Pfad der Vernunft zurückgekehrt sind und die fantastische Saal-Akustik in bestes Licht rücken.
BBC Music Magazine
Performance: Five out of five stars
Sound: Five out of five stars
The genesis of this recording can be traced back to Rattle’s performances with the OAE at Glyndebourne in 1991. Last year, two concert performances in London preceded this live recording at Symphony Hall and the result is a scintillating three hours of exceptional musical craftsmanship from all concerned. This is some of the finest orchestral playing in a Mozart opera that I have ever heard, with incisiveness, clarity and thrilling timbres from these players and their period instruments. Under Rattle, there are some unexpected but exciting tempi, with the OAE providing a consistently exhilarating body of string sound, plus inspired wind and brass obbligati and accompaniments which take the concept of musical frisson to a new dimension. Streit’s Ferrando is vibrant and passionate: ‘Ah lo veggio’ is superb. Finley is a feisty Guglielmo. Hagley’s Dorabella has oodles of charm and Martinpelto delivers meltingly beautiful sound and phrasing – utterly hypnotic in ‘Per pietà’ – as Fiordiligi. ‘Fra gli amplessi’ and the finales to both acts are the most outstandingly impressive passages. Murray lends a luscious mezzo depth to her spirited Despina, and Allen gives an unredeemably malicious, totally compelling characterisation of Alfonso. Throughout, every appoggiatura is in place and there are some delightful additional decorations. This is not just an exquisite Mozartian ensemble performance – this is pure magic.