Don Giovanni is a masterpiece that needs an all-around strong cast, there are no roles where "fillers" are good enough. Far too often there's performances where a couple of principal characters are strong and the rest is not living up to them (especially the role of Don Octavio is often sad to hear). And this is one where I'm enjoying them all in a row!!! I know now which CD set is on my wishlist! Thank you for posting this!
@@mckavitt13 certainly, every opera deserves an overall strong cast, but Don Giovanni was the one where the first time I saw it I could only enjoy a couple of the singers, the rest were pretty dismal, also that particular modernization of the setup was pretty horrible, and it really is the credit to the fantastic music that the first impression didn't scare me off, but rather drove me to try and find a version that would do justice to the source material. I see it's three years ago that I commented here. By now I've already acquired that CD set and have been enjoying it immensely.
@@ilzedia I was luckier. Stellar singing all round. Was knocked sideways! I was hooked to Mozart... to opera. Good it didn't scare you off. I so dislike productions (horrible silly modern ones, in particular) which boast 2 really good singers in major roles & mediocre ones in all the other roles, major or minor. The Met does that all too often, alas.
This has to be the best (or close to the best) cast possible at this time. I find the conducting to be rather mannered and I have difficulty with his reigning in these fantastic singers at climactic moments. But there is an integrity to the performance that works. I was especially surprised at Villazon - he was marvelous! I had no idea he could sing like this. Thanks very much for this valuable post.
I think toning down the climactic moments have its merits too. I've seen versions where ensembles were marred by one particularly passionate singer pulling ahead of the rest, and before hearing this slower version I hadn't noticed how beautifully written those climactic moments were (for example, the finale of act one) if often they're performed so brash and hysterical, and in videos there's so much going on that moment I was nearly missing the musical aspect.
Thank you for posting. I have several recordings of DonG, 2 on DVD, 2 on CD and several streams captured from radio broadcasts. I like this one almost as much as the Karajan version and much better than most of the others I've recorded. Most of the cast sing very well here and both DiDonato and Villazon are standouts, I also really enjoyed Sequin's take on the score.
Angel WHMobile While I agree with your "Mr. Bean" observation, I found it a bit mean spirited to post on a public forum. (Villazon suffers from depression already and I'm sure comments like yours can only contribute to it.) As for his performance, I thought he sounded very good and was much preferred to some of the very whiny tenors I've heard sing the role. Just my opinion.
Yannick Nezet-Seguin and the performers touch something beyond the notes on the page. I don't know how Mozart conducted this opera, but I think he would be pleased with Nezet-Seguin's version.
So, Damrau is singing Donna Anna, for a dramatic soprano, i.e., way too big for her, Didonato Donna Elvira, not for her voice at all, but for a lyric soprano, spinto at most, but ofc she CAN do it & her vocal acting is impressive. I love D’Arcangelo as the Don & Pisaroni is just the thing for Leporello. Villazon’s Don Ottavio isn’t as elegant as one might expect. Nor the Zerlina as full voiced as one might wish. And who, pray tell, is singing Masetto?
Both Donna Anna and Donna Elvira are generally considered dramatic coloratura roles, as far as I know. The former is often sung by a lyric soprano, too, while the latter tends to most often be sung by a lyric or spinto soprano or, often enough, a mezzo. I’ve actually rarely heard her sung by a (pretty hefty) dramatic coloratura. In general, Donna Elvira tends to be vocally heavier/darker than Donna Anna, which makes sense to me, looking at the music. So I don’t really know where you get the notion that they’re supposed to be so thoroughly different the other way around. But anyway, I’m sure it could work. Which is the point: there isn’t just one correct voice or or even combo of voices for these roles, at all. There are characters, like the Queen of the Night, who are limited to a a very specific vocality, but many others aren’t like that. You may prefer one voice over the other, but to state things in absolutes makes no sense. Especially since Mozart lived in a time where even the notion of mezzosoprano wasn’t really established, so to presume to know which modern-day fach he intended each character to fall into is nearly nonsensical.
This is probably the best cast you can find for this opera. It's phenomenal.
Mamma mia - are you stupid??
What a cast! Wish I could see them together live at the Opera.
jess... to see them... but not to lissen... Madonna mia
This is one of my favorite operas.
Don Giovanni is a masterpiece that needs an all-around strong cast, there are no roles where "fillers" are good enough. Far too often there's performances where a couple of principal characters are strong and the rest is not living up to them (especially the role of Don Octavio is often sad to hear). And this is one where I'm enjoying them all in a row!!! I know now which CD set is on my wishlist! Thank you for posting this!
ilzedia In fact, what you say about filler roles is true for every opera worth the name, but especially of Mozart’s masterpieces, I grant you.
So true!
@@mckavitt13 certainly, every opera deserves an overall strong cast, but Don Giovanni was the one where the first time I saw it I could only enjoy a couple of the singers, the rest were pretty dismal, also that particular modernization of the setup was pretty horrible, and it really is the credit to the fantastic music that the first impression didn't scare me off, but rather drove me to try and find a version that would do justice to the source material.
I see it's three years ago that I commented here. By now I've already acquired that CD set and have been enjoying it immensely.
@@ilzedia I was luckier. Stellar singing all round. Was knocked sideways! I was hooked to Mozart... to opera. Good it didn't scare you off. I so dislike productions (horrible silly modern ones, in particular) which boast 2 really good singers in major roles & mediocre ones in all the other roles, major or minor. The Met does that all too often, alas.
This has to be the best (or close to the best) cast possible at this time. I find the conducting to be rather mannered and I have difficulty with his reigning in these fantastic singers at climactic moments. But there is an integrity to the performance that works. I was especially surprised at Villazon - he was marvelous! I had no idea he could sing like this.
Thanks very much for this valuable post.
I think toning down the climactic moments have its merits too. I've seen versions where ensembles were marred by one particularly passionate singer pulling ahead of the rest, and before hearing this slower version I hadn't noticed how beautifully written those climactic moments were (for example, the finale of act one) if often they're performed so brash and hysterical, and in videos there's so much going on that moment I was nearly missing the musical aspect.
Thank you for posting. I have several recordings of DonG, 2 on DVD, 2 on CD and several streams captured from radio broadcasts. I like this one almost as much as the Karajan version and much better than most of the others I've recorded. Most of the cast sing very well here and both DiDonato and Villazon are standouts, I also really enjoyed Sequin's take on the score.
Reviewers are right, Villazon brings Ottavio to life, excellent! Thanks a lot for this upload!
A splendidly gutsy interpretation, excellent singing and playing. Love the forte-piano continuo - one can almost imagine Mozart conducting from it!
Wonderful Leporello!
Wonderful pretty much everybody! For me, especially wonderful Joyce.
Wonderful Diana Damrau!
Gracias por compartir... Excelente disco...
Excellent! Great sound!!! Mozart would approve.
What a Cast !! ( With exception of Mr.Bean - sorry Villazon ) :-) & what a orchestra !!! .....This will be my next XMas gift from myself to myself !!!
Angel WHMobile While I agree with your "Mr. Bean" observation, I found it a bit mean spirited to post on a public forum. (Villazon suffers from depression already and I'm sure comments like yours can only contribute to it.) As for his performance, I thought he sounded very good and was much preferred to some of the very whiny tenors I've heard sing the role. Just my opinion.
Listen Kraus in this role and then let me know....
AWESOME UPLOAD
From 16:40 to 18:36 is my favorite part wow!
Eli Shuford if it was without Villazon.yes.
very very amazing!!!
Yannick Nezet-Seguin and the performers touch something beyond the notes on the page. I don't know how Mozart conducted this opera, but I think he would be pleased with Nezet-Seguin's version.
Jennifer Riley He conducted it magnificently, we can be sure only of that.
So, Damrau is singing Donna Anna, for a dramatic soprano, i.e., way too big for her, Didonato Donna Elvira, not for her voice at all, but for a lyric soprano, spinto at most, but ofc she CAN do it & her vocal acting is impressive. I love D’Arcangelo as the Don & Pisaroni is just the thing for Leporello. Villazon’s Don Ottavio isn’t as elegant as one might expect. Nor the Zerlina as full voiced as one might wish. And who, pray tell, is singing Masetto?
German bass-baritone Konstantin Wolff
@@1donpizarro Danke sehr.
@UCwSXm1BfIyxWSfmJBrEacfA Not my understanding or experience. No problem.
Both Donna Anna and Donna Elvira are generally considered dramatic coloratura roles, as far as I know. The former is often sung by a lyric soprano, too, while the latter tends to most often be sung by a lyric or spinto soprano or, often enough, a mezzo. I’ve actually rarely heard her sung by a (pretty hefty) dramatic coloratura.
In general, Donna Elvira tends to be vocally heavier/darker than Donna Anna, which makes sense to me, looking at the music. So I don’t really know where you get the notion that they’re supposed to be so thoroughly different the other way around.
But anyway, I’m sure it could work. Which is the point: there isn’t just one correct voice or or even combo of voices for these roles, at all. There are characters, like the Queen of the Night, who are limited to a a very specific vocality, but many others aren’t like that. You may prefer one voice over the other, but to state things in absolutes makes no sense. Especially since Mozart lived in a time where even the notion of mezzosoprano wasn’t really established, so to presume to know which modern-day fach he intended each character to fall into is nearly nonsensical.
@@EIizabethGrace We agree on Mozart's time. I know Mozart. Performance is not in accord w your view on the Donnas A & E., however. No matter.