Italian Arias

Thomas Quasthoff (Performer), Franz Joseph Haydn (Composer), Gottfried von der Goltz (Conductor), Freiburg Baroque Orchestra (Orchestra), Genia Kühmeier (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Thomas Quasthoff, Genia Kühmeier
• Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra
• Conductor: Gottfried von der Goltz
• Composer: Franz Joseph Haydn
• Audio CD (January 20, 2009)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B001DTA8PY
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #190,708 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2009 release featuring three-time Grammyr Award winner Thomas Quasthoff, who offers an album of rarely performed Haydn arias. Though known mostly as a symphonic and chamber music composer, Haydn has a considerable operatic output that has rarely been explored, especially the bass-baritone repertory. By entering into this almost uncharted territory, Quasthoff has revealed the genius (many times comic genius) of Haydn much in the same way that Cecilia Bartoli has previously explored lesser known works by other Baroque and Classical masters.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly masterful performances., February 18, 2009

By 

Abel "AMY" (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Italian Arias (Audio CD)

An entire album of Haydn's opera buffa arias. Such recording, according to Herr Quasthoff, was only done before by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.
Granted that all the tracks are from the same genre of operas by the same composer, one would immediately question - what a homogeneous category!
Even if the genre sounds homogeneous, the only homogeneous aspect in this album is the consistently high standard of performance.
Thomas Quasthoff really goes behind each character in the different arias. There is no repeatedness in the tracks. Each piece is well-thought out and uniquely handled.
Of course, the arias suit Quasthoff's voice to a 'T'. But what really marvels the listener is the ultra-fine characterisations. There can simply be no doubt left to the listeners that the different arias relate to different characters.
This aspect alone is sufficient for listeners to raise their hats, let alone that the accompaniment as well as the singers concerned are stylistically distinguished and musically adept.
These days, singers love to pull off with 'single composer' solo albums. Quasthoff's Haydn album, imhv, tops such list of solo albums.