What a joy it is to watch your presentations. Whether it's a Karajan recording or a Klemperer recording of a Mozart opera that you are recommending, for me it's always your inexhaustible love of music that comes through most vividly. That's contagious and life affirming. Thank you!!!
"Così fan tutte" with Karajan is not one of the best version: very well player, atmosphere, but this version lacks a lot in the truth of the characters. So beautiful performance with a poor theatrical life. For spicy Mozart with Karajan, listen to live recordings ( expecially Don Giovanni during the 60es! Unique!)th poor theatrical
Dear Mr Hurwitz. I share you enthusiasm for both Jacobs and Gardiner Mozart. Just hoped that Solti would come with, at your list, his "Le nozze di Figaro". It is my favorite opera, and and his interpretation has all vitality, spring and wit that I ever wished from this masterpiece. Thank you so much for everything that you have done so far. I know how much work you are putting to educate us. We are immensely grateful, and I only hope that you know that .
Solti's is a good Figaro , not the best but a good one. For Le nozze di Figaro l' suggest Walter, E Kleiber, Gui, Giulini, Mehta, the direction of Fricsay and some videos
Mozart’s contribution to the opera is equivalent to Beethoven’s contribution to the symphony. The operas of Rossini, Puccini, Wagner and Verdi that we all know and love wouldn’t have existed without Mozart’s since of drama and light heartedness and the period instrument Jacobs and Gardiner specifically capture those historical snapshots so well.
For my short list of Mozart Operas, I'll go the great singers. For "Don Giovanni" it is the incomparable Cesar Siepi with Lisa Della Casa with Dimitri Mitropoulos from Salzburg. (Along with the live La Forza and the live Girl of the Golden West, Mitropoulos is beyond amazing conducting opera.) "Zauberflote' -- Karl Boehm of DG. "Le Nozze di Figaro" -- Lisa Della Casa, Siepi, and Hilda Gueden conducted by Erich Kleiber on Decca. "Cosi fa Tutti" -- Karl Boehm on this one, of course. I especially love Della Casa and Christa Ludwig on the Decca recording. Love those classic Vienna recordings from the Golden Age.
The Mitropolous Don is ELECTRIC, the recording I go back to the most. A lot of overlap with other recordings (Furtwangler, Krips) but this live performance is pure , dark magic!
My list: Don Giovanni: Furtwängler, Giulini, Mitropoulos, Klemperer. Le nozze di Figaro: Kleiber, Giulini, Solti. Die Zauberflote: Beecham, Klemperer, Furtwangler, Bohm, Karajan (EMI). Cosi fan Tutte: Karajan, Bohm (EMI). Idomeneo: Harnoncourt. La Clemenza di Tito: Kertesz. Serail: Beecham, Krips, Solti, Bohm, Harnoncourt.
Saw, on RUclips, just a few days ago, a semi-staged Giovanni -- really liked it. Turns out to have been the very Gardiner performance our host just recommended.
I can't do without the Böhm, simply because Fritz Wunderlich sings Tamino. He makes every Mozart would-be hero convincing. No other tenor quite achieves that.
Yes, Wunderlich ist the best Tamino ever, the Mozart-Singer par excellence. However, I have my problems with Fischer-Dieskau, whom I actually hold in high esteem. He is "too intellectuell" for Papageno. I prefer Hermann Prey for that role. He was a very good friend of Wunderlich and they often sang together in "Zauberflöte". Unfortunately, they couldn't record "The Magic Flute" together at that time because they were under contract with different record companies.
Böhm truly did most of his best work in opera. Not only did he come onto the scene when recording technology had essentially peaked, but he was a fantastic accompanist able to work with the greatest singers in history-Wunderlich included.
My List: Idomeneo: Charles Mackerras with Ian Bostridge, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson and the Scottish Chamber orchestra Alternate choice: Colin Davis with Francesco Araiza in the title role. Abduction: Historical choice :1) Beecham (he cuts and shuffles scenes around but the performance has the inimitable Beecham sparkle, plus the greatest Osmin: Gottlob Frick, full of character, with that unique black bass rumble in prime condition.) Modern choice: Bohm (outstanding Konstanze by Arleen Auger; Reri Grist a fine Blondchen; Moll's Osmin may well be most beautifully sung on disc, though not as colorful as Frick). But - I'm not especially fond of Schreier's Belmonte - for this role you need Wunderlich (Jochum). Figaro: Solti, for sound quality and across-the-board vocal glamor. Don Giovanni:Giulini As a somewhat eccentric alternatative: Klemperer - Mozart hewn from granite, with Ghiaurov in suitably monumental voice. Magic Flute: Too many fine ones to name a "best" version, but to mention one that tends to be overlooked, I've always enjoyed the first Solti version. It's admittedly uneven, but I've always found it unfailingly entertaining , even if some of the soloists may be controversial: Christina Deutekom's Queen of the Night has its weird moments (what is that gargling sound she makes in some of the coloratura passages - but no one has a scarier top F). Also, it doesn't hurt to have the Vienna Phil. But Bohm is still essential for Wunderlich, Crass is one of the finest Sarastros, and the two Armed Men are unbeatable (King and Talvela). Cosi: Leinsdorf, with an all-American cast of great singers in their youthful prime: Price, Elias, Tucker, Milnes and Flagello. As a supplement, another all-American historical choice : Stiedry, with Steber, Thebom, and Tucker, sung in somewhat stilted but beautifully clear English. Tito :Davis - the best cast of all, with the great Dame Janet Baker as Vitellia. Re the Jacobs recording: Take heart, all ye pronunciation-challenged : Madame Alexandra Pendatchanska has taken pity on us, and has been performing under the name of Alex Penda.
I’d take your Idomeneo alternate over your top choice. Araiza is the best Mozart tenor of the last 35 years, well represented on recordings but woefully under appreciated. His Fuor Del Mar is absolutely fantastic. I agree wholeheartedly with Klemperer being an interesting alternative to Giulini, that final scene with Ghuiarov, Berry, AND Franz Crass is BALLER.
@michelle trushell I appreciated hearing your thoughts about the Davis recordings. The Philips reissues of the all the Mozart operas in several volumes from their complete Mozart edition were of consistently high quality, and a valuable part of his legacy. I have not heard the Davis Abduction, but I do have his Figaro, and will pull it out the next time I'm in the mood for that work. The casts for the Early Italian Operas in vol. 13 is like a who's who of great Mozart sopranos of the 70s, with Arlene Auger the finest, in my opinion, among a impressive assortment of singers. The vocal virtuosity demanded by the teenage Mozart in those works is mind- boggling.
I have been waiting a long time for this video! It is worth the wait, thanks David! And I have recently bought both your Mozart books, so this is just in time.
'Figaro' is my favorite opera. The Jacobs' 'Figaro' is my favorite of all the opera recordings I know. Exquisite performance of the most perfect work. Thus, love your choice!!!
This is a great episode! There has to be someone with your depth of knowledge to serve as guide to such a vast repertoire. Many thanks. I’ll be listening based on this list for many years.
Something about Gardiner's 'knack' for treating solo singers as a chamber vocal group in the ensemble tutti - i.e. the 'cadenza' at the end of the Giovanni sextett. This is quite unique, akin to whatever Toscanini did with singers in opera ensembles, and nobody does it. I think that's very convincing as sometimes Mozart 'forgets' it's about characters and he writes for a chamber ensemble (think of the C minor Mass trio - Quoniam). So the tutti parts of the finales (minus Cosi in which the ensemble doesn't work) and other ensemble numbers sound quite different because here the singers agree to let go of solo mannerisms and listen to each other as a group. That's one of the reasons the Gardiner Mozart opera set is a unique achievement - there are other reasons.
Dear Mr. Hurwitz, I came across your channel about a week ago and it has very quicky turned into something of an addiction. Many thanks for your wonderful reviews. They provide much- needed enjoyment in these very troubled times. All the very best, Tarak Ps: following your recommendation I have ordered a copy of the Mackerras Beethoven set (the RLPO version not being available I opted for the live set with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra instead).
For anybody who might be interested, there are a few very cheap used copies of a 11 disc Telarc box of Mackerras and the SCO titled "Mozart The Great Operas", which has the big 4 Mozart operas (Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi, The Magic Flute) - but they don't come with librettos and the link Telarc provides in the box is broken. David's comments on how much great music there is in long stretches of Idomeneo and The Abduction of the Seraglio prompted me to pick up used recordings of them with the same conductor and orchestra.
@@DavesClassicalGuide I have yet to find a reason to disagree with your assertions that Mackerras never made a bad recording. The recordings of Mozart and Brahms with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, of Dvorak and other Czech composers with the Czech Philharmonic, and Janacek operas with Vienna are all gold as far as I'm concerned. I don't know if he had any significant input in the engineering of his recordings, but virtually all of them sound superb no matter what label they're on.
I recently heard Don Giovanni in Fritz Busch's 1936 Glyndebourne recording, which is _ludicrously good_. I don't have words for how incredible the singers are, and even the sound quality is amazing for the time.
Here are my Mozart Opera recommendations: Idomeneo: Gardiner (I love the cast and the marvellous recitatives are so lively and dramatic.) Entführung: Christie (Christine Schäfer is the best modern Konstanze. The rest of the cast is good, the orchestra sounds very good.) Nozze di Figaro: Gardiner (Wonderful cast, Terfel is a great Figaro, and again: how dramatic is this?) Don Giovanni: Giulini (Classic recording, I like Waechter's youthful Don, the women are supreme, the orchestra playing is agile and sounds very italian.) Così fan tutte: Levine (Quite traditional performance, but the playing of the Vienna Philharmonic is extremely beautiful, the cast is quite good, Te Kanawa is much more interesting as Fiordiligi than in her earlier recording under Lombard.) Die Zauberflöte: Solti 2 (wonderful cast, almost everybody is a german native speaker. which helps understanding the text, Ziesak and Heilmann are a perfect royal couple. Solti conducts vivid and historically informed, sort of.) La Clemenza di Tito: Colin Davis (Burrows is amazing, a wonderful Mozart Tenor. And Janet Baker's both noble and vile Vitellia is supreme. Plus: Lucia Popp and Frederica von Stade are singing a most beautiful "Ah! perdona al primo affetto".)
I never paid much attention to Magic Flute, until I saw Bergman's film. Now, it's one of my favorite operas of all time. As for Don, my favorite is Colin Davis on Philips, which doesn't get mentioned much anymore. Needs a fresh release, I think.
I Love the Bergman film AND the Davis/Phillips Don Giovanni, with Ingvar Wixell. My favorite of all time; it has the perfect balance of drama, character, amazing timing, and classical clarity and articulation. Martina Arroyo is too heavy (vocally) for the rest of the cast, but I overlook that problem. LR
Thanks Dave. I really enjoyed this one even though I'm not a crazy opera fan :) My list: Idomeneo - Pritchard (Baltsa over Schreier as Idamante wins the tiebreaker vs Bohm) Abduction - Krips (Mainly because of Popp and Frick, if only Wunderlich from the Jochum set were Belmonte) Figaro - Solti (Dream cast) Don Giovanni - Giulini (This has to be the best recording of my favorite opera) Cosi - Karajan (Agree with you here, the best Mozart from Karajan) Zauberflöte - Klemperer (Great music but don't care much for the story so I can do without the dialogue) La Clemenza - Davis (Still great after all these years)
Despite that some arias are cut this Karajan COSI recording it has a special place in my heart. I am not a Schwarzkopf partisan but I enjoy her more here than in almost anything else I have heard from her. The main attraction for me here remains Leopold Simoneau who, IMO, remains the premier Mozart tenor of his time & in many ways he remains unsurpassed to this day. Panerai, Bruscantini, Otto, & Merriman are all superb as well & a completely definitive cast for me anyway. I have not heard all the commentary here but I will never forego the Böhm ZAUBERFLÖTE which also has a virtually perfect cast. Wunderlich & Simoneau are still my favorite Mozart tenors & Roberta Peters surpasses her self as the Queen. Perhaps the best recording of hers that I have heard. The frequent annoying whistle like chirpiness way above the staff are largely absent here. These notes have more substance than usual & therefore blend better with her always solid middle register. Papageno was an ideal role for Fischer-Dieskau & partially buries memories of his unsatisfying timbre in most of the Verdi roles he took on. Actually his best Verdi work, IMO, was conducting his wife Julia Varady who did fine service to this composer, vocally & interpetively.
Ah, but if you happen to be listening to Krips' version of Die Entführung aus dem Serail, DO NOT under any circumstances skip the dialogue after Durch Zärtlichkeit und Schmeicheln. I have no idea what Lucia Popp is saying, but it might be the sassiest 60 seconds in the history of opera 🫦
The Salzburg 2006 recording of the Figaro by Harnoncourt was the recording which changed my opinion about Mozart. I've read about it at a local musical blog. I started to search Mozart recordings after I've heard this sometime maybe in 2010. (I bought that on DVD and that is still my only one opera DVD.) I know people usually hate that performance (the overture is way too slow I admit). But I don't care because this is the performance which was so mind-changing for me. I have all the Jacobs recordings now and I agree with Mr. Hurwitz that these are great usually. The one exception for me is the Entführung. Magic Flute is also too long because of the all dialogues but I can skip these and I love the sound effects. :-) I started to listen to Mozart's operas with Jacobs (with the exception of the afermentioned Figaro) and these are still enough for me. I love these. As for the Entführung, my choice is also Solti. That recording is fantastic.
My personal choices for the early operas are the Leopold Hager series with the Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg, on Deutsche Grammophon. They're simply amazing, and were reissued on Philips for the Complete Mozart Edition.
Without libretti, the 12 CD boxed set from the Philips Mozart Edition of the early Italian operas remains available at an incredibly low price of only $19.99 from Amazon. You can’t go wrong for the price.
My Figaro go-to is Suitner and Staatskappelle Dresden. My god, it sizzles, and in German no less! Berry, Prey, Schreier, Rothenberger, Mathis -- are you kidding me! 50 years and counting, always come back to it.
Mitridate is beautiful and unique with some gorgeous vengeance arias, a wonderful solo aria with horn obbligato and a great duet. Accompgnati are really imaginative. The Rousset recording is indispensable. The best Idomeneo is still Gardiner IMO (with Harnoncourt a good second option), both more balanced and better recorded than Jacobs, with no annoying ritards and overt tempi changes, which mar for me most of his Mozart sets. Entfuhrung undoubtedly the Fricsay with Stader at her absolute best. Figaro Kleiber still reigns supreme as one of the most wonderful opera recordings ever (I can do with a different conte, though), I also like Gui (with Jurinac the greatest contessa ever), Ostmann, Gardiner. Don Giovanni - Busch is still peerless with absolutely fantastic sound for 1936 and possibly the best Mozart conductor of the 20th century. Gardiner a good second option with a faultless cast. Cosi - Karajan is wonderful if cut (not just numbers but inside numbers, the 1st quintet, the E Flat Major quartet of the 2nd finale and so on, destroying Mozart's famous formal balance). The Jochum could have been perfect minus Seefried (I love her but she's a horrible Fiordiligi) and for HIP Kujiken (with the best sisters ever, beautifully matched like a pair of clarinets) and Jacobs. Clemenza - Gardiner and Zauberfloete - still Fricsay, though I love the 2nd Solti from 1990 and the Kuijken sounds like a 'house' performance, with perfect tempi, beautifully matched.
Dave - greetings from the Penal Colonies where the Australian Knappertsbusch Association's central premise is that "subjectivity is king." This principle also extends to the likes of Gardiner and Jacobs, neither of whom feature in my own Roll of Honour. Your analysis of the success attained by Karajan in Cosi is a bullseye. To my ears, Colin Davis and Janet Baker rule the roost in La Clemenza di Tito (with no Theo Adam of Peter Schreier in sight). Best wishes, B PS - I dare your good self to wade into Haydn's operas or is life too short?
Mozart, having created a perfect balance of music and drama in Figaro and Don Giovanni, never achieved these heights again. Shows the critical importance of the libretto, even for the greatest composers.
Thanks very much for this. I looked at that book online and it covers the 7 Mozart operas I have counting a couple on order. Looks very interesting so I ordered a copy.
Dear Maestro Hurwitz, I would like to know what do you think about one of my favourite "Nozze di Figaro", namely the Fricsay / RSO Berlin production with Fischer-Dieskau, Stader, Capecchi and Seefried. I'm kind of Nozze addicted and over the years I've managed to hoard an embarrassing number of recordings of this masterpiece. But at the end of the day, only two of them are in my absolute best of the best list: the one you mentioned in the video and the Fricsay's. Yes, Jacobs can count on a superior recording, his non-Italian singers sing Italian way better than the Fricsay's counterparts (I suspect you could not care less, but being an Italian myself I'm bound to notice this kind of things while listening to opera) and the marvellous continuo in Jacobs' recording have no equivalent in Fricsay. But on the other hand, the Fricsay rendition has some kind of inner glow, a warmth, an humanity that are simply unmatched in any other version I'm aware of. Thank you once more for your tremendous channel and happy 500+1 post! :-)
As a child I imprinted on Krips's Abduction (Rothenberger, Popp, Gedda, Unger, Frick) and Klemperer's Giovanni (Ghiaurov, Watson, Ludwig, Freni, Berry, Gedda). They remain keepers.
I certainly share your enthusiasm for the Jacobs series, especially the Figaro. I'd also want Mackerras in the mix with his Clemenza di Tito (at least), and certainly one of the Telarc series - maybe the Don Giovanni which is terrific. As for Così, I've a stack of them and still can't make my mind up. Böhm's live DG I still like a lot (more than the Schwarzkopf/EMI one). One Così that tends to get overlooked (probably because the others in the series aren't up to much) is Haitink at Glyndebourne (EMI). Came as a very pleasant surprise. Zauberflöte: Solti in Vienna is mostly pretty good, but I listen to Fricsay more often - his Mozart operas are nearly all wonderful (Figaro being the odd exception).
Mitridate is a Masterpiece! Just listen to the sublime Sifare aria in the secont act (lungi da te). And Farnace is one of Mozart's greatest male characters (even if written for a castrato). Idomeneo came 10 years after Lucio Silla so Lucio was definitely not the last opera Seria before Tito. Iphigenia is not a character in Idomeneo.
Thank you for what you said at the end. You know, I always end up not listening to opera because I think I have to sit down with the libretto in front of me and follow the text. Which I did only once in my life-it was Tristan and Isolde and boy, was that a great experience, despite the occasionally endless dialogue. But recitatives? Hate them, they're so boring. So now you've encouraged me to just skip those and go directly to the music. Thank you for that!
Thanks Dave. I really enjoyed that, and didn't know you'd written a book on this so I should check out! You're so right about the clarinets and the relative value of the tranche of early operas before the later ones - but thats the problem with Mozart all around, the early things don't quite prepare you for whats coming! So, I won't say anything about the earlier ones except that the Jacobs recording uses a slightly re-vamped score of La Finta Giardiniera that was apparently done for a later performance in Prague (if I remember correctly, eg it has more clarinets, but there's probably more to it than that). Also that "Zaide" is something everyone who likes Mozart should have - sure its unfinished but it has a couple of amazing arias and a trio in it, and I quite like the experiment in melodrama. The Goodwin (?) recording on I think Harmonia Mundi is really nice. Oh and for the later ones.. Idomeneo - I've heard both the Jacobs and the Gardiner and I think the Gardiner is better, the overture is more majestic and it has a great cast. The Jacobs is really excellent though. You are right to emphasise just what a masterpiece it is :) Entfuhrung. Again, I've heard a lot but I really like Jacobs here. I haven't heard the Bohm that a lot of people swear by. Some great moments in this but I think its the weakest of his mature operas. Figaro - So many, and I have listened to the Jacobs which might be a bit offputting because of the elaborated continuo but is very good. I did a runthrough of Act one a couple of years ago against the Gardiner and thought the sound picture and singing on the latter were better, but they are both excellent. I feel I need to go back and listen to some older recordings. Don Giovanni - Totally in agreement that the Gardiner recording has electricity in it that you wont get elsewhere. Really quite an achievement. And Christoph Pregardien as Don Ottavio - heavens, just sublime. I'm wondering if this is the Jacobs recording where you feel it didn't go quite right... Cosi fan tutte - jury is out, I like the Jacobs one. I have the Karajan so will go back again. But its probably a matter of taste but theres a style of doing recitative and other matters in those mid 20th century recordings, with a lot of sotto voce that I ultimately find a bit wearing and precious. That may be just me though - the Bohm set gave me the same reaction. Zauberflote - well, I take your point but I can't agree its trash. There's a whole scene whereI think Mozart is doing a musically staged transition from the baroque to the Enlightenment for example (the two armed men forwards), which is extraordinarily inventive. And it sounds like I'm less bothered by the clashing style of the pantomime elements than you are. One of the fun things about it is watching the highfaluting going into contortions about how awful and marvellous it is at the same time. I'm much more bothered about the racism in it than the sexism, especially as Pamina seems to be elevated into the brotherhood at the end, but it was a systematically racist period and maybe we should ask why there aren't any black characters in most operas? If there had been black characters in Figaro or Cosi, I expect we'd have to complain about that too. But there aren't and thats symptomatic in a different way. Even Rosenkavalier has its horribly racist moments by today's standards, even the very ending that we are supposed to love so much... I'm not giving Mozart a pass, but there's a much wider issue here. As for recordings, I very much like Ostman's. Its light, small scale and has lovely singing. Agree the Abbado is very good but I dont think its up with the greats. The Jacobs has too much intervention in dialogues etc so it is wearing to get through (its pretty long), the Gardiner has great choral singing as you'd expect but is overall a bit serious. Clemenza - It does have its beauties. I'm glad you didn't recommend the Jacobs, as his burning of Rome doesn't come off terribly well (too rushed). If I want to listen, I go to the Gardiner but I'm open to persuasion, I know Mackerras did a good recording in recent times that I might investigate. And yes, although I have reservations about Gardiner as a persona, that Archiv box of all the operas is a fantastic buy. No librettos probably, but Mozart translations are probably far more easy to find on the internet than other things. Sorry that was long, but it befits the importance of your video and the topic!
La Clemenza with Kertesz..he plays the daylights out of it.. there is much good music, but much routine too.. Mozart survived and left opera seria a long time ago, and for him, it's like returning to an earlier classroom... He was a modern composer. But nevertheless Kertesz is glorious here.
Wonderful video. Many thanks! You mentioned that there's one of the Jacob's Mozart opera series that isn't so good. I'd be grateful to know which one. I love that series, especially the Figaro, Cosi and Idomeneo.
Well, two actually: Abduction and Flute, and for the same reason--too much dialogue, or messing about with same. It's totally distracting/interminable.
@@DavesClassicalGuide I haven't listened to those recordings in a while, but I seem to recall that Jacobs goes OTT with the keyboard improvisations. They're operas/singspiels, not harpsichord concertos, after all.
Just discovered your channel and I'm having a blast! My choices would be: Idomeneo: Harnoncourt Entführung: Böhm Nozze: Gardiner Don Giovanni: Muti Così: Böhm (Schwarzkopf-Kraus) Zauberflöte: Abbado Clemenza: Böhm
Thanks for this video Dave! I also like the 3-DVD Royal Opera House collection with Colin Davis in Magic Flute, Mackerras in Don Giovanni, and Pappano in Figaro. If I might suggest some ideas for future opera talks: 1) Dorati's Haydn opera series (which neither you nor Robert Levine have reviewed on Classicstoday). 2) A survey of Janacek opera recordings NOT by Mackerras (if there are enough that are worth considering).
Loved the video! Yannick Nezet-Seguin has now recorded at least 5 Mozart operas for DG mostly with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. I feel a box coming in the future. Any thoughts on how they stack up against the competition?
Dave, I love the 1955 stereo Erich Kleiber recording of "The Marriage of Figaro" BUT there is something odd about it. Hilde Rössl-Majdan sings the role of Marcellina in this recording, BUT for some reason Marcellina's big Act 4 solo aria is sung by Hilde Güden, the Susanna in this recording. Rössl-Majdan and Güden have completely different kinds of voices, and the contrast is jarring. Why would Kleiber or the producer allow such a thing? Do you know why Mme. Güden sang Mme. Rössl-Majdan's aria? If you don't know why, please ask Mr. Levine if he knows.
Dave, "The Marriage of Figaro" is my favorite Mozart opera - my favorite opera PERIOD, for that matter! The first recording of "Figaro" I bought was the 1955 Decca recording conducted by Erich Kleiber in early (but good) stereo. I love this recording BUT there is something odd about it. Hilde Rössl-Majdan sings the role of Marcellina in this recording, BUT for some reason Marcellina's big Act 3 solo aria is sung by Hilde Güden, the Susanna in this recording. Rössl-Majdan and Güden have completely different kinds of voices, and the contrast is jarring. Why would Kleiber or the producer allow such a thing? Do you know why Mme. Güden sang Mme. Rössl-Majdan's aria? If you don't know why, please ask Mr. Levine if he knows.
Dear David, What do you think about Opera recordings in general? I have never enjoyed an opera recording nearly as much as a solid live performances. I feel a fundamental difference between operas and instrumental music in terms of the quality of experience on recordings.
The reference to Karajan's mono-Cosí is interesting, I'll look into that, thank you. - My choice would be: Idomeneo - René Jacobs Entführung - Hogwood Nozze di Figaro - Harnoncourt/Concertgebouw (not to be confused with the mediocre stage recording from Salzburg) Don Giovanni + Cosí + Clemenza di Titus - René Jacobs Zauberflöte - Arnold Östman
As to Don Giovanni, I personally suggest an old version conducted by Max Rudolf with the greatest singers in every role of this opera: Giuseppe Taddei, Italo Tajo, Cesare Valletti, etc..
You're right about "singers' DNA," of course, but one thing in opera of this period (though it pertains more to the Baroque) is that for obvious reasons we'll never hear the sound of the castrati who were so important to the opera seria. If Burney is to be believed, Farinelli, Senesino and others of their ilk were among the greatest singers ever. And we'll never know their like (that is, unless we get some enterprising volunteer . . . . )
Among the early operas- I would add Mitridate ( with Rousset and a very fine cast): I love all your choices- but mine would be: Idomeneo- Gardiner, The Abduction- Bohm. Figaro- E Kleiber., Don Giovanni- Mitropoulos live Salzburg 56 recording: Cosi - Jacobs , Zauberflute- Christie, Tito- Gardiner
@@johnpickford4222 well f it. I dropped out of studying music a level, it's 85% history, and the other 15% is history reliant. I was depressed when i chose that subject. I just wanted to get some musical training and instead i just wrote a bunch of essays and copied Bach's counterpoint style a lot. Useless garbage subject.
I really enjoyed the Jacobs Don Giovanni, but the startling surprise was Abbado's Flute. I was resigned to Klemperer and Böhm forever, but Abbado blasted into first place.
It's nice to hear somebody else doesn't think much of "The Magic Flute" as an opera. I can't argue with the quality of the music, though--it's really great!
The best Nozze I know is the Erich Kleiber with Siepi, Gueden, della Casa. For Don Giovanni it is the Bruno Walter with Pinza. For Cosi it is Bohm on EMI with Alfredo Kraus. Zauberflote Bohm on DG. Clemenza the Kertesz with Berganza, but there is a complete concert on youtube with Krenn an Berganza from 1976. Then there is the Entfuhrung by Bohm with Kurt Moll. I still like the Philips boxes of the early and middle Italian opera's by Hager and the Idomeneo by Colin Davis and the Re pastore by Marriner, which is also on DVD, but I missed the aria's of it by Nicola Monti. I should like to give special mention to Graziella Sciutti in the DVD as Susanna of the Nozze from the Salzburger Festspiele with Gueden and Fischer Dieskau from 1963 with Maazel. There is also a Don Giovanni film on youtube with her as Zerlina and there a Cosi by Cantelli with her as Despina,. Then there was Rita Streich, which is a class in itself as Bastienne and Konigin der Nacht and in the Entfuhrung, so I am very happy with the 10 cd box Rita Streich Konigin der Koloratur. I have very little Mozart opera with authentic instruments, because opera is about voices. I probably should listen more to Jacobs.
I never pick an opera just because it's "HIP." The point of those performances is that they have superb voices trained in today's style of Mozart singing. They are worth hearing for that reason.
I'm not a fan of J. E. Gardiner in general, but I'll grudgingly admit his Mozart accompaniments are good - the piano concerts as well as the operas. Magic Flute - The story is truly a train wreck. For the singing, I'll take Beecham's from the late 1930s with Erna Berger in her prime. Among other things, the ensemble numbers on that recording are simply incomparable.
I think you are right on target about the Flute and Sarastro. That said, the only thing that makes it tolerable is Papageno, who was first performed by Mozart’s librettist Schikaneder. I notice in myself, and I think in others, palpable changes in mood as the Papageno scenes alternate with the others in Act 2.
Unusually (because I agree with you on period instruments in vocal music from this period), my list would look a lot more old school: Idomeneo - Gardiner Figaro - E Kleiber Don Giovanni - Giulini Cosi - Böhm Zauberflöte - Mackerras La Clemenza - Kertesz
From Idomeneo to Tito, I would choose: Gardiner in "Idomeneo", Bruno Weil in "Die Entführung", Jacobs in "Figaro", Ostman in "Cosi", Mackerras in "Zauberflöte", Harnoncourt in "Don Giovanni" and "Tito"
@@hhk01 She really gets after it, for sure. So does Edda Moser on the Sawallisch set, which I like a lot. His Sarastro is my favorite on disks, Kurt Moll. P.S. Do yourself a favor and dial this up on RUclips if you haven't yet heard it: Recorded live at Orchestra Hall, Chicago, 1977, CSO, Solti, Lucia Popp singing Strauss' Four Last Songs to perfection.
For Figaro and DG, Giulini. For Flute, Marriner. And the Bergman movie. I like Karajan's Cosi too, but Böhm would be great if not for the cuts. For Abduction, Fricsay or Krips. Solti's Figaro is pretty good, as is Erich Kleiber if not for the baritone.
My choice to Die Entfhrung aus dem serail is Kertesz live with Fritz Wunderlich. As to the rest of your choice, even though I rather stick to other recordings, I agree on their excellent value!
I couldn't agree more re: Die Zauberflöte. Apart from the music, it is a piece of offensive trash. Sarastro and his bunch of proto-fascist priests make me like Parsifal a bit better, because at least with Wagner, what are essentially the exact same bunch of people are presented as creepy and kind of the bad guys.
Like the dialogue parts in Flute, the recitative parts in the others are pretty boring as well after you've suffered through the first half dozen. Sing the damn aria and get on with it!
The New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble!! Don’t ya just hate these high falutin over-long titles? However a great review though does anyone else think that Idomeneo would be better if it had least at one memorable tune and one less aria that all tenors find impossible?
My list, for what it is worth.. Idomeneo Mackerras Seraglio Solti Figaro Mackerras Don G Muti (JEG on RUclips is smoking) Cosi Jacobs Flute Mackerras Tito Harnoncourt
What a joy it is to watch your presentations. Whether it's a Karajan recording or a Klemperer recording of a Mozart opera that you are recommending, for me it's always your inexhaustible love of music that comes through most vividly. That's contagious and life affirming. Thank you!!!
"Così fan tutte" with Karajan is not one of the best version: very well player, atmosphere, but this version lacks a lot in the truth of the characters. So beautiful performance with a poor theatrical life. For spicy Mozart with Karajan, listen to live recordings ( expecially Don Giovanni during the 60es! Unique!)th poor theatrical
Dear Mr Hurwitz. I share you enthusiasm for both Jacobs and Gardiner Mozart. Just hoped that Solti would come with, at your list, his "Le nozze di Figaro". It is my favorite opera, and and his interpretation has all vitality, spring and wit that I ever wished from this masterpiece. Thank you so much for everything that you have done so far. I know how much work you are putting to educate us. We are immensely grateful, and I only hope that you know that .
Solti's "Figaro" is wonderfully played, and the cast is one of the best ever assembled, IMHO.
@@ftumschk Yes, a tremendous recording even better than the best of the 50s and 60s and with far better sound.
Solti's is a good Figaro , not the best but a good one. For Le nozze di Figaro l' suggest Walter, E Kleiber, Gui, Giulini, Mehta, the direction of Fricsay and some videos
Mozart’s contribution to the opera is equivalent to Beethoven’s contribution to the symphony. The operas of Rossini, Puccini, Wagner and Verdi that we all know and love wouldn’t have existed without Mozart’s since of drama and light heartedness and the period instrument Jacobs and Gardiner specifically capture those historical snapshots so well.
Your comment on The Magic Flute says what I've been thinking for a long time. It's really strange that this dull libretto led to such heavenly music.
For my short list of Mozart Operas, I'll go the great singers. For "Don Giovanni" it is the incomparable Cesar Siepi with Lisa Della Casa with Dimitri Mitropoulos from Salzburg. (Along with the live La Forza and the live Girl of the Golden West, Mitropoulos is beyond amazing conducting opera.) "Zauberflote' -- Karl Boehm of DG. "Le Nozze di Figaro" -- Lisa Della Casa, Siepi, and Hilda Gueden conducted by Erich Kleiber on Decca. "Cosi fa Tutti" -- Karl Boehm on this one, of course. I especially love Della Casa and Christa Ludwig on the Decca recording. Love those classic Vienna recordings from the Golden Age.
The Mitropolous Don is ELECTRIC, the recording I go back to the most. A lot of overlap with other recordings (Furtwangler, Krips) but this live performance is pure , dark magic!
My list: Don Giovanni: Furtwängler, Giulini, Mitropoulos, Klemperer. Le nozze di Figaro: Kleiber, Giulini, Solti. Die Zauberflote: Beecham, Klemperer, Furtwangler, Bohm, Karajan (EMI). Cosi fan Tutte: Karajan, Bohm (EMI). Idomeneo: Harnoncourt. La Clemenza di Tito: Kertesz. Serail: Beecham, Krips, Solti, Bohm, Harnoncourt.
Saw, on RUclips, just a few days ago, a semi-staged Giovanni -- really liked it. Turns out to have been the very Gardiner performance our host just recommended.
I can't do without the Böhm, simply because Fritz Wunderlich sings Tamino. He makes every Mozart would-be hero convincing. No other tenor quite achieves that.
everything about the Bohm-Zauberflote-version is great. Even the freemason-scenes are very convincing. As is Sarastro. It's the classic.
and the sound is just rich and creamy.
Yes, Wunderlich ist the best Tamino ever, the Mozart-Singer par excellence. However, I have my problems with Fischer-Dieskau, whom I actually hold in high esteem. He is "too intellectuell" for Papageno. I prefer Hermann Prey for that role. He was a very good friend of Wunderlich and they often sang together in "Zauberflöte". Unfortunately, they couldn't record "The Magic Flute" together at that time because they were under contract with different record companies.
Böhm truly did most of his best work in opera. Not only did he come onto the scene when recording technology had essentially peaked, but he was a fantastic accompanist able to work with the greatest singers in history-Wunderlich included.
My List:
Idomeneo: Charles Mackerras with Ian Bostridge, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson and the Scottish Chamber orchestra
Alternate choice: Colin Davis with Francesco Araiza in the title role.
Abduction:
Historical choice :1) Beecham (he cuts and shuffles scenes around but the performance has the inimitable Beecham sparkle, plus the greatest Osmin: Gottlob Frick, full of character, with that unique black bass rumble in prime condition.)
Modern choice: Bohm (outstanding Konstanze by Arleen Auger; Reri Grist a fine Blondchen; Moll's Osmin may well be most beautifully sung on disc, though not as colorful as Frick).
But - I'm not especially fond of Schreier's Belmonte - for this role you need Wunderlich (Jochum).
Figaro: Solti, for sound quality and across-the-board vocal glamor.
Don Giovanni:Giulini As a somewhat eccentric alternatative: Klemperer - Mozart hewn from granite, with Ghiaurov in suitably monumental voice.
Magic Flute: Too many fine ones to name a "best" version, but to mention one that tends to be overlooked, I've always enjoyed the first Solti version. It's admittedly uneven, but I've always found it unfailingly entertaining , even if some of the soloists may be controversial: Christina Deutekom's Queen of the Night has its weird moments (what is that gargling sound she makes in some of the coloratura passages - but no one has a scarier top F). Also, it doesn't hurt to have the Vienna Phil. But Bohm is still essential for Wunderlich, Crass is one of the finest Sarastros, and the two Armed Men are unbeatable (King and Talvela).
Cosi: Leinsdorf, with an all-American cast of great singers in their youthful prime: Price, Elias, Tucker, Milnes and Flagello. As a supplement, another all-American historical choice : Stiedry, with Steber, Thebom, and Tucker, sung in somewhat stilted but beautifully clear English.
Tito :Davis - the best cast of all, with the great Dame Janet Baker as Vitellia.
Re the Jacobs recording: Take heart, all ye pronunciation-challenged : Madame Alexandra Pendatchanska has taken pity on us, and has been performing under the name of Alex Penda.
I’d take your Idomeneo alternate over your top choice. Araiza is the best Mozart tenor of the last 35 years, well represented on recordings but woefully under appreciated. His Fuor Del Mar is absolutely fantastic.
I agree wholeheartedly with Klemperer being an interesting alternative to Giulini, that final scene with Ghuiarov, Berry, AND Franz Crass is BALLER.
@michelle trushell I appreciated hearing your thoughts about the Davis recordings. The Philips reissues of the all the Mozart operas in several volumes from their complete Mozart edition were of consistently high quality, and a valuable part of his legacy. I have not heard the Davis Abduction, but I do have his Figaro, and will pull it out the next time I'm in the mood for that work. The casts for the Early Italian Operas in vol. 13 is like a who's who of great Mozart sopranos of the 70s, with Arlene Auger the finest, in my opinion, among a impressive assortment of singers. The vocal virtuosity demanded by the teenage Mozart in those works is mind- boggling.
I have been waiting a long time for this video! It is worth the wait, thanks David! And I have recently bought both your Mozart books, so this is just in time.
My pleasure!
'Figaro' is my favorite opera. The Jacobs' 'Figaro' is my favorite of all the opera recordings I know. Exquisite performance of the most perfect work. Thus, love your choice!!!
Your channel is the best, a wealth of insights clearly expressed in a down to earth (but never condescending) and humorous way.
This is a great episode! There has to be someone with your depth of knowledge to serve as guide to such a vast repertoire. Many thanks. I’ll be listening based on this list for many years.
Ha! You know I’ve always suspected that The Magic Flute was silly nonsense, plotwise. That was always my instinct.
Something about Gardiner's 'knack' for treating solo singers as a chamber vocal group in the ensemble tutti - i.e. the 'cadenza' at the end of the Giovanni sextett. This is quite unique, akin to whatever Toscanini did with singers in opera ensembles, and nobody does it. I think that's very convincing as sometimes Mozart 'forgets' it's about characters and he writes for a chamber ensemble (think of the C minor Mass trio - Quoniam). So the tutti parts of the finales (minus Cosi in which the ensemble doesn't work) and other ensemble numbers sound quite different because here the singers agree to let go of solo mannerisms and listen to each other as a group. That's one of the reasons the Gardiner Mozart opera set is a unique achievement - there are other reasons.
Dear Mr. Hurwitz,
I came across your channel about a week ago and it has very quicky turned into something of an addiction. Many thanks for your wonderful reviews. They provide much- needed enjoyment in these very troubled times.
All the very best,
Tarak
Ps: following your recommendation I have ordered a copy of the Mackerras Beethoven set (the RLPO version not being available I opted for the live set with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra instead).
Welcome aboard!
@@DavesClassicalGuide Thank you!
For anybody who might be interested, there are a few very cheap used copies of a 11 disc Telarc box of Mackerras and the SCO titled "Mozart The Great Operas", which has the big 4 Mozart operas (Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi, The Magic Flute) - but they don't come with librettos and the link Telarc provides in the box is broken. David's comments on how much great music there is in long stretches of Idomeneo and The Abduction of the Seraglio prompted me to pick up used recordings of them with the same conductor and orchestra.
The Mackerras box is readily available from UK sources.
@@DavesClassicalGuide I have yet to find a reason to disagree with your assertions that Mackerras never made a bad recording. The recordings of Mozart and Brahms with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, of Dvorak and other Czech composers with the Czech Philharmonic, and Janacek operas with Vienna are all gold as far as I'm concerned. I don't know if he had any significant input in the engineering of his recordings, but virtually all of them sound superb no matter what label they're on.
I have that set of Mozart operas conducted by Mackerras. I do enjoy it, even though I am not generally into opera or vocal music.
Tinnitus Classics should definitely do a modern recording of La Clemenza di Pipo.
Great idea!
@@DavesClassicalGuide Is Pipo the clement type?
@@UlfilasNZ For a cat, yes.
I'm glad you mentioned Idomeneo, an opera that is rarely staged. It really belongs to the category of Mozarts greatest operas.
Hey David, I was looking for something like this on Wednesday (Wolfie's B-Day) but it's still great to see. Thanks!!
I recently heard Don Giovanni in Fritz Busch's 1936 Glyndebourne recording, which is _ludicrously good_. I don't have words for how incredible the singers are, and even the sound quality is amazing for the time.
Here are my Mozart Opera recommendations:
Idomeneo: Gardiner (I love the cast and the marvellous recitatives are so lively and dramatic.)
Entführung: Christie (Christine Schäfer is the best modern Konstanze. The rest of the cast is good, the orchestra sounds very good.)
Nozze di Figaro: Gardiner (Wonderful cast, Terfel is a great Figaro, and again: how dramatic is this?)
Don Giovanni: Giulini (Classic recording, I like Waechter's youthful Don, the women are supreme, the orchestra playing is agile and sounds very italian.)
Così fan tutte: Levine (Quite traditional performance, but the playing of the Vienna Philharmonic is extremely beautiful, the cast is quite good, Te Kanawa is much more interesting as Fiordiligi than in her earlier recording under Lombard.)
Die Zauberflöte: Solti 2 (wonderful cast, almost everybody is a german native speaker. which helps understanding the text, Ziesak and Heilmann are a perfect royal couple. Solti conducts vivid and historically informed, sort of.)
La Clemenza di Tito: Colin Davis (Burrows is amazing, a wonderful Mozart Tenor. And Janet Baker's both noble and vile Vitellia is supreme. Plus: Lucia Popp and Frederica von Stade are singing a most beautiful "Ah! perdona al primo affetto".)
I never paid much attention to Magic Flute, until I saw Bergman's film. Now, it's one of my favorite operas of all time. As for Don, my favorite is Colin Davis on Philips, which doesn't get mentioned much anymore. Needs a fresh release, I think.
I love the Bergman film, too.
I Love the Bergman film AND the Davis/Phillips Don Giovanni, with Ingvar Wixell. My favorite of all time;
it has the perfect balance of drama, character, amazing timing, and classical clarity and articulation. Martina Arroyo is too heavy (vocally) for the rest of the cast, but I overlook that problem. LR
Thanks Dave. I really enjoyed this one even though I'm not a crazy opera fan :)
My list:
Idomeneo - Pritchard (Baltsa over Schreier as Idamante wins the tiebreaker vs Bohm)
Abduction - Krips (Mainly because of Popp and Frick, if only Wunderlich from the Jochum set were Belmonte)
Figaro - Solti (Dream cast)
Don Giovanni - Giulini
(This has to be the best recording of my favorite opera)
Cosi - Karajan (Agree with you here, the best Mozart from Karajan)
Zauberflöte - Klemperer (Great music but don't care much for the story so I can do without the dialogue)
La Clemenza - Davis (Still great after all these years)
Despite that some arias are cut this Karajan COSI recording it has a special place in my heart. I am not a Schwarzkopf partisan but I enjoy her more here than in almost anything else I have heard from her. The main attraction for me here remains Leopold Simoneau who, IMO, remains the premier Mozart tenor of his time & in many ways he remains unsurpassed to this day. Panerai, Bruscantini, Otto, & Merriman are all superb as well & a completely definitive cast for me anyway. I have not heard all the commentary here but I will never forego the Böhm ZAUBERFLÖTE which also has a virtually perfect cast. Wunderlich & Simoneau are still my favorite Mozart tenors & Roberta Peters surpasses her self as the Queen. Perhaps the best recording of hers that I have heard. The frequent annoying whistle like chirpiness way above the staff are largely absent here. These notes have more substance than usual & therefore blend better with her always solid middle register. Papageno was an ideal role for Fischer-Dieskau & partially buries memories of his unsatisfying timbre in most of the Verdi roles he took on. Actually his best Verdi work, IMO, was conducting his wife Julia Varady who did fine service to this composer, vocally & interpetively.
Ah, but if you happen to be listening to Krips' version of Die Entführung aus dem Serail, DO NOT under any circumstances skip the dialogue after Durch Zärtlichkeit und Schmeicheln. I have no idea what Lucia Popp is saying, but it might be the sassiest 60 seconds in the history of opera 🫦
The Salzburg 2006 recording of the Figaro by Harnoncourt was the recording which changed my opinion about Mozart. I've read about it at a local musical blog. I started to search Mozart recordings after I've heard this sometime maybe in 2010. (I bought that on DVD and that is still my only one opera DVD.) I know people usually hate that performance (the overture is way too slow I admit). But I don't care because this is the performance which was so mind-changing for me.
I have all the Jacobs recordings now and I agree with Mr. Hurwitz that these are great usually. The one exception for me is the Entführung. Magic Flute is also too long because of the all dialogues but I can skip these and I love the sound effects. :-) I started to listen to Mozart's operas with Jacobs (with the exception of the afermentioned Figaro) and these are still enough for me. I love these. As for the Entführung, my choice is also Solti. That recording is fantastic.
My personal choices for the early operas are the Leopold Hager series with the Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg, on Deutsche Grammophon. They're simply amazing, and were reissued on Philips for the Complete Mozart Edition.
Without libretti, the 12 CD boxed set from the Philips Mozart Edition of the early Italian operas remains available at an incredibly low price of only $19.99 from Amazon. You can’t go wrong for the price.
I actually like operas with long passages of reciative. They are the best for learning Italian.
My Figaro go-to is Suitner and Staatskappelle Dresden. My god, it sizzles, and in German no less! Berry, Prey, Schreier, Rothenberger, Mathis -- are you kidding me! 50 years and counting, always come back to it.
Mitridate is beautiful and unique with some gorgeous vengeance arias, a wonderful solo aria with horn obbligato and a great duet. Accompgnati are really imaginative. The Rousset recording is indispensable. The best Idomeneo is still Gardiner IMO (with Harnoncourt a good second option), both more balanced and better recorded than Jacobs, with no annoying ritards and overt tempi changes, which mar for me most of his Mozart sets. Entfuhrung undoubtedly the Fricsay with Stader at her absolute best. Figaro Kleiber still reigns supreme as one of the most wonderful opera recordings ever (I can do with a different conte, though), I also like Gui (with Jurinac the greatest contessa ever), Ostmann, Gardiner. Don Giovanni - Busch is still peerless with absolutely fantastic sound for 1936 and possibly the best Mozart conductor of the 20th century. Gardiner a good second option with a faultless cast. Cosi - Karajan is wonderful if cut (not just numbers but inside numbers, the 1st quintet, the E Flat Major quartet of the 2nd finale and so on, destroying Mozart's famous formal balance). The Jochum could have been perfect minus Seefried (I love her but she's a horrible Fiordiligi) and for HIP Kujiken (with the best sisters ever, beautifully matched like a pair of clarinets) and Jacobs. Clemenza - Gardiner and Zauberfloete - still Fricsay, though I love the 2nd Solti from 1990 and the Kuijken sounds like a 'house' performance, with perfect tempi, beautifully matched.
I think a grossly under-appreciated Magic Flute is the Ostman recording. Barbara Bonney, Kurt Streit, Sumi Jo - it's just great.
Dave - greetings from the Penal Colonies where the Australian Knappertsbusch Association's central premise is that "subjectivity is king." This principle also extends to the likes of Gardiner and Jacobs, neither of whom feature in my own Roll of Honour. Your analysis of the success attained by Karajan in Cosi is a bullseye. To my ears, Colin Davis and Janet Baker rule the roost in La Clemenza di Tito (with no Theo Adam of Peter Schreier in sight). Best wishes, B PS - I dare your good self to wade into Haydn's operas or is life too short?
Mozart, having created a perfect balance of music and drama in Figaro and Don Giovanni, never achieved these heights again. Shows the critical importance of the libretto, even for the greatest composers.
Great video. To anyone who cares about the librettos, I'd like to recommend the McClatchy translations -7 Mozart Librettos: A Verse Translation.
Thanks very much for this. I looked at that book online and it covers the 7 Mozart operas I have counting a couple on order. Looks very interesting so I ordered a copy.
The Magic Flute: the music is really good, but... You're right... The plot is best ignored.
Dear Maestro Hurwitz, I would like to know what do you think about one of my favourite "Nozze di Figaro", namely the Fricsay / RSO Berlin production with Fischer-Dieskau, Stader, Capecchi and Seefried.
I'm kind of Nozze addicted and over the years I've managed to hoard an embarrassing number of recordings of this masterpiece. But at the end of the day, only two of them are in my absolute best of the best list: the one you mentioned in the video and the Fricsay's. Yes, Jacobs can count on a superior recording, his non-Italian singers sing Italian way better than the Fricsay's counterparts (I suspect you could not care less, but being an Italian myself I'm bound to notice this kind of things while listening to opera) and the marvellous continuo in Jacobs' recording have no equivalent in Fricsay. But on the other hand, the Fricsay rendition has some kind of inner glow, a warmth, an humanity that are simply unmatched in any other version I'm aware of.
Thank you once more for your tremendous channel and happy 500+1 post! :-)
This is my absolute favourite Don Giovanni
As a child I imprinted on Krips's Abduction (Rothenberger, Popp, Gedda, Unger, Frick) and Klemperer's Giovanni (Ghiaurov, Watson, Ludwig, Freni, Berry, Gedda). They remain keepers.
Althoughh Abbado might not be a natural choice for Mozart, I have enjoyed his Magic Flute a lot
As I said, the situation was different when he was accompanying.
I certainly share your enthusiasm for the Jacobs series, especially the Figaro. I'd also want Mackerras in the mix with his Clemenza di Tito (at least), and certainly one of the Telarc series - maybe the Don Giovanni which is terrific. As for Così, I've a stack of them and still can't make my mind up. Böhm's live DG I still like a lot (more than the Schwarzkopf/EMI one). One Così that tends to get overlooked (probably because the others in the series aren't up to much) is Haitink at Glyndebourne (EMI). Came as a very pleasant surprise. Zauberflöte: Solti in Vienna is mostly pretty good, but I listen to Fricsay more often - his Mozart operas are nearly all wonderful (Figaro being the odd exception).
Mitridate is a Masterpiece! Just listen to the sublime Sifare aria in the secont act (lungi da te). And Farnace is one of Mozart's greatest male characters (even if written for a castrato).
Idomeneo came 10 years after Lucio Silla so Lucio was definitely not the last opera Seria before Tito. Iphigenia is not a character in Idomeneo.
Well, she should have been. I meant Ilia. Thanks for the correction.
Thank you for what you said at the end. You know, I always end up not listening to opera because I think I have to sit down with the libretto in front of me and follow the text. Which I did only once in my life-it was Tristan and Isolde and boy, was that a great experience, despite the occasionally endless dialogue. But recitatives? Hate them, they're so boring. So now you've encouraged me to just skip those and go directly to the music. Thank you for that!
Thanks Dave. I really enjoyed that, and didn't know you'd written a book on this so I should check out! You're so right about the clarinets and the relative value of the tranche of early operas before the later ones - but thats the problem with Mozart all around, the early things don't quite prepare you for whats coming!
So, I won't say anything about the earlier ones except that the Jacobs recording uses a slightly re-vamped score of La Finta Giardiniera that was apparently done for a later performance in Prague (if I remember correctly, eg it has more clarinets, but there's probably more to it than that). Also that "Zaide" is something everyone who likes Mozart should have - sure its unfinished but it has a couple of amazing arias and a trio in it, and I quite like the experiment in melodrama. The Goodwin (?) recording on I think Harmonia Mundi is really nice.
Oh and for the later ones..
Idomeneo - I've heard both the Jacobs and the Gardiner and I think the Gardiner is better, the overture is more majestic and it has a great cast. The Jacobs is really excellent though. You are right to emphasise just what a masterpiece it is :)
Entfuhrung. Again, I've heard a lot but I really like Jacobs here. I haven't heard the Bohm that a lot of people swear by. Some great moments in this but I think its the weakest of his mature operas.
Figaro - So many, and I have listened to the Jacobs which might be a bit offputting because of the elaborated continuo but is very good. I did a runthrough of Act one a couple of years ago against the Gardiner and thought the sound picture and singing on the latter were better, but they are both excellent. I feel I need to go back and listen to some older recordings.
Don Giovanni - Totally in agreement that the Gardiner recording has electricity in it that you wont get elsewhere. Really quite an achievement. And Christoph Pregardien as Don Ottavio - heavens, just sublime. I'm wondering if this is the Jacobs recording where you feel it didn't go quite right...
Cosi fan tutte - jury is out, I like the Jacobs one. I have the Karajan so will go back again. But its probably a matter of taste but theres a style of doing recitative and other matters in those mid 20th century recordings, with a lot of sotto voce that I ultimately find a bit wearing and precious. That may be just me though - the Bohm set gave me the same reaction.
Zauberflote - well, I take your point but I can't agree its trash. There's a whole scene whereI think Mozart is doing a musically staged transition from the baroque to the Enlightenment for example (the two armed men forwards), which is extraordinarily inventive. And it sounds like I'm less bothered by the clashing style of the pantomime elements than you are. One of the fun things about it is watching the highfaluting going into contortions about how awful and marvellous it is at the same time. I'm much more bothered about the racism in it than the sexism, especially as Pamina seems to be elevated into the brotherhood at the end, but it was a systematically racist period and maybe we should ask why there aren't any black characters in most operas? If there had been black characters in Figaro or Cosi, I expect we'd have to complain about that too. But there aren't and thats symptomatic in a different way. Even Rosenkavalier has its horribly racist moments by today's standards, even the very ending that we are supposed to love so much... I'm not giving Mozart a pass, but there's a much wider issue here. As for recordings, I very much like Ostman's. Its light, small scale and has lovely singing. Agree the Abbado is very good but I dont think its up with the greats. The Jacobs has too much intervention in dialogues etc so it is wearing to get through (its pretty long), the Gardiner has great choral singing as you'd expect but is overall a bit serious.
Clemenza - It does have its beauties. I'm glad you didn't recommend the Jacobs, as his burning of Rome doesn't come off terribly well (too rushed). If I want to listen, I go to the Gardiner but I'm open to persuasion, I know Mackerras did a good recording in recent times that I might investigate.
And yes, although I have reservations about Gardiner as a persona, that Archiv box of all the operas is a fantastic buy. No librettos probably, but Mozart translations are probably far more easy to find on the internet than other things.
Sorry that was long, but it befits the importance of your video and the topic!
La Clemenza with Kertesz..he plays the daylights out of it.. there is much good music, but
much routine too.. Mozart survived and left opera seria a long time ago, and for him, it's like
returning to an earlier classroom... He was a modern composer. But nevertheless Kertesz is glorious here.
Wonderful video. Many thanks! You mentioned that there's one of the Jacob's Mozart opera series that isn't so good. I'd be grateful to know which one. I love that series, especially the Figaro, Cosi and Idomeneo.
Well, two actually: Abduction and Flute, and for the same reason--too much dialogue, or messing about with same. It's totally distracting/interminable.
@@DavesClassicalGuide I haven't listened to those recordings in a while, but I seem to recall that Jacobs goes OTT with the keyboard improvisations. They're operas/singspiels, not harpsichord concertos, after all.
Just discovered your channel and I'm having a blast! My choices would be:
Idomeneo: Harnoncourt
Entführung: Böhm
Nozze: Gardiner
Don Giovanni: Muti
Così: Böhm (Schwarzkopf-Kraus)
Zauberflöte: Abbado
Clemenza: Böhm
Welcome to the party! Have fun.
Thanks for this video Dave! I also like the 3-DVD Royal Opera House collection with Colin Davis in Magic Flute, Mackerras in Don Giovanni, and Pappano in Figaro.
If I might suggest some ideas for future opera talks:
1) Dorati's Haydn opera series (which neither you nor Robert Levine have reviewed on Classicstoday).
2) A survey of Janacek opera recordings NOT by Mackerras (if there are enough that are worth considering).
I really like that Magic Flute, which I have on Blu-Ray DVD.
Loved the video! Yannick Nezet-Seguin has now recorded at least 5 Mozart operas for DG mostly with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. I feel a box coming in the future. Any thoughts on how they stack up against the competition?
Never mind...I just saw the reviews on ClassicsToday. Duh!
I completely agree with you! 👍👍
Dave, I love the 1955 stereo Erich Kleiber recording of "The Marriage of Figaro" BUT there is something odd about it. Hilde Rössl-Majdan sings the role of Marcellina in this recording, BUT for some reason Marcellina's big Act 4 solo aria is sung by Hilde Güden, the Susanna in this recording. Rössl-Majdan and Güden have completely different kinds of voices, and the contrast is jarring. Why would Kleiber or the producer allow such a thing? Do you know why Mme. Güden sang Mme. Rössl-Majdan's aria? If you don't know why, please ask Mr. Levine if he knows.
Dave, "The Marriage of Figaro" is my favorite Mozart opera - my favorite opera PERIOD, for that matter! The first recording of "Figaro" I bought was the 1955 Decca recording conducted by Erich Kleiber in early (but good) stereo. I love this recording BUT there is something odd about it. Hilde Rössl-Majdan sings the role of Marcellina in this recording, BUT for some reason Marcellina's big Act 3 solo aria is sung by Hilde Güden, the Susanna in this recording. Rössl-Majdan and Güden have completely different kinds of voices, and the contrast is jarring. Why would Kleiber or the producer allow such a thing? Do you know why Mme. Güden sang Mme. Rössl-Majdan's aria? If you don't know why, please ask Mr. Levine if he knows.
I don't have a crystal ball for the past, but the aria is so high that it calls for almost a different singer. Probably Marcellina couldn't cut it.
Dear David,
What do you think about Opera recordings in general?
I have never enjoyed an opera recording nearly as much as a solid live performances.
I feel a fundamental difference between operas and instrumental music in terms of the quality of experience on recordings.
I don't. It depends on the recording. If I like the music, I will enjoy a good recording of it. In general, they are two very different experiences.
The reference to Karajan's mono-Cosí is interesting, I'll look into that, thank you. - My choice would be:
Idomeneo - René Jacobs
Entführung - Hogwood
Nozze di Figaro - Harnoncourt/Concertgebouw (not to be confused with the mediocre stage recording from Salzburg)
Don Giovanni + Cosí + Clemenza di Titus - René Jacobs
Zauberflöte - Arnold Östman
As to Don Giovanni, I personally suggest an old version conducted by Max Rudolf with the greatest singers in every role of this opera: Giuseppe Taddei, Italo Tajo, Cesare Valletti, etc..
You're right about "singers' DNA," of course, but one thing in opera of this period (though it pertains more to the Baroque) is that for obvious reasons we'll never hear the sound of the castrati who were so important to the opera seria. If Burney is to be believed, Farinelli, Senesino and others of their ilk were among the greatest singers ever. And we'll never know their like (that is, unless we get some enterprising volunteer . . . . )
I enjoyed your talk so much i ordered a pappuccino pizza.
Among the early operas- I would add Mitridate ( with Rousset and a very fine cast): I love all your choices- but mine would be: Idomeneo- Gardiner, The Abduction- Bohm. Figaro- E Kleiber., Don Giovanni- Mitropoulos live Salzburg 56 recording: Cosi - Jacobs , Zauberflute- Christie, Tito- Gardiner
Your eye okay?
Thanks for asking--it's nerve damage as a side effect of multiple sclerosis. What a joy.
Love the Karajan - Cosi.
i watched this to inform myself on Mozart operas to write a music essay.
Samuel Abela: You watched this to plagiarize David’s knowledge and get credit?? Well that’s a first but please include Sutherland and Schwarzkopf!!
@@johnpickford4222 well f it. I dropped out of studying music a level, it's 85% history, and the other 15% is history reliant. I was depressed when i chose that subject. I just wanted to get some musical training and instead i just wrote a bunch of essays and copied Bach's counterpoint style a lot. Useless garbage subject.
I really enjoyed the Jacobs Don Giovanni, but the startling surprise was Abbado's Flute. I was resigned to Klemperer and Böhm forever, but Abbado blasted into first place.
It's nice to hear somebody else doesn't think much of "The Magic Flute" as an opera. I can't argue with the quality of the music, though--it's really great!
Thanks Many Thanks.
You are most welcome
The best Nozze I know is the Erich Kleiber with Siepi, Gueden, della Casa. For Don Giovanni it is the Bruno Walter with Pinza. For Cosi it is Bohm on EMI with Alfredo Kraus. Zauberflote Bohm on DG. Clemenza the Kertesz with Berganza, but there is a complete concert on youtube with Krenn an Berganza from 1976. Then there is the Entfuhrung by Bohm with Kurt Moll.
I still like the Philips boxes of the early and middle Italian opera's by Hager and the Idomeneo by Colin Davis and the Re pastore by Marriner, which is also on DVD, but I missed the aria's of it by Nicola Monti.
I should like to give special mention to Graziella Sciutti in the DVD as Susanna of the Nozze from the Salzburger Festspiele with Gueden and Fischer Dieskau from 1963 with Maazel. There is also a Don Giovanni film on youtube with her as Zerlina and there a Cosi by Cantelli with her as Despina,.
Then there was Rita Streich, which is a class in itself as Bastienne and Konigin der Nacht and in the Entfuhrung, so I am very happy with the 10 cd box Rita Streich Konigin der Koloratur.
I have very little Mozart opera with authentic instruments, because opera is about voices. I probably should listen more to Jacobs.
I never pick an opera just because it's "HIP." The point of those performances is that they have superb voices trained in today's style of Mozart singing. They are worth hearing for that reason.
Dear Martijn: Kleiber's pere Nozze is absolutely fabulous! But you must also have the Vittorio Gui and the Giulini in EMI. Greetings from Chile
Idomeneo - Böhm
Entfürung - Jochum
Figaro - Levine
Don Giovanni - Jacobs
Cosí - Karajan
Zauberflöte - Solti (w/ Sumi Jo)
Tito - Harnoncourt
I'm not a fan of J. E. Gardiner in general, but I'll grudgingly admit his Mozart accompaniments are good - the piano concerts as well as the operas.
Magic Flute - The story is truly a train wreck. For the singing, I'll take Beecham's from the late 1930s with Erna Berger in her prime. Among other things, the ensemble numbers on that recording are simply incomparable.
I think you are right on target about the Flute and Sarastro. That said, the only thing that makes it tolerable is Papageno, who was first performed by Mozart’s librettist Schikaneder. I notice in myself, and I think in others, palpable changes in mood as the Papageno scenes alternate with the others in Act 2.
Unusually (because I agree with you on period instruments in vocal music from this period), my list would look a lot more old school:
Idomeneo - Gardiner
Figaro - E Kleiber
Don Giovanni - Giulini
Cosi - Böhm
Zauberflöte - Mackerras
La Clemenza - Kertesz
From Idomeneo to Tito, I would choose: Gardiner in "Idomeneo", Bruno Weil in "Die Entführung", Jacobs in "Figaro", Ostman in "Cosi", Mackerras in "Zauberflöte", Harnoncourt in "Don Giovanni" and "Tito"
Great list, I'd only swap Oestman for Zauberflöte and Figaro.
I so agree about Magic Flute. The Colin Davis, without any dialogue is, for me, the only version.
Um...Klemperer.
Klemperer. Schwarzkopf and Ludwig are 2 of his 3 Ladies, and Lucia Popp is the greatest Queen of the Night ever.
@@davidblackburn3396 Popp is the most beautiful. Cristina Deutekom on the old Solti kinda scares the shite outta me.
@@hhk01 She really gets after it, for sure. So does Edda Moser on the Sawallisch set, which I like a lot. His Sarastro is my favorite on disks, Kurt Moll. P.S. Do yourself a favor and dial this up on RUclips if you haven't yet heard it: Recorded live at Orchestra Hall, Chicago, 1977, CSO, Solti, Lucia Popp singing Strauss' Four Last Songs to perfection.
For Figaro and DG, Giulini. For Flute, Marriner. And the Bergman movie. I like Karajan's Cosi too, but Böhm would be great if not for the cuts. For Abduction, Fricsay or Krips. Solti's Figaro is pretty good, as is Erich Kleiber if not for the baritone.
My choice to Die Entfhrung aus dem serail is Kertesz live with Fritz Wunderlich. As to the rest of your choice, even though I rather stick to other recordings, I agree on their excellent value!
I couldn't agree more re: Die Zauberflöte. Apart from the music, it is a piece of offensive trash. Sarastro and his bunch of proto-fascist priests make me like Parsifal a bit better, because at least with Wagner, what are essentially the exact same bunch of people are presented as creepy and kind of the bad guys.
Like the dialogue parts in Flute, the recitative parts in the others are pretty boring as well after you've suffered through the first half dozen. Sing the damn aria and get on with it!
The recitatives are good for practicing your German comprehension...
The New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble!! Don’t ya just hate these high falutin over-long titles? However a great review though does anyone else think that Idomeneo would be better if it had least at one memorable tune and one less aria that all tenors find impossible?
I do. They are crazy, but it's better than the NY Doctor's Orchestra, which was it's original name.
@@DavesClassicalGuide I see what you mean! It is striking how many good doctors' orchestras there are around the world.
My list, for what it is worth..
Idomeneo Mackerras
Seraglio Solti
Figaro Mackerras
Don G Muti (JEG on RUclips is smoking)
Cosi Jacobs
Flute Mackerras
Tito Harnoncourt