Customer Reviews

Mozart: Arias

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is wonderful singing. Like all of my favorite Mozart singers, she maintains clarity of line, intonation and rhythm, sustaining drop-dead beautiful tone throughout. Her coloratura on Exaltate Jubilate is crystal clear. This is a thoughful compilation as well, including arias that the Angel CD left out. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is the conducting of Alceo Galliera--in general lacking rhythmic momentum and clarity. Too bad she didn't partner with Giulini on this one since they achieved such stunning results in Le Nozze di Figaro.

Anna Moffo was outstanding in a wide variety of music, but her warm, radiant, and flexible lyric soprano was particularly well-suited to Mozart. This collection, recorded in 1958, is exceptional; with Cecilia Bartoli's "Mozart Portraits" and Renee Fleming's all-Mozart disc, it is one of the finest available recitals of Mozart's soprano/mezzo-soprano arias. Moffo's is my favorite rendition of Pamina's "Ach, ich fuhls" from DIE ZAUBERFLOETE. Her ability to maintain a smooth legato (even at Galliera's slow tempo) and to "color" her tone to suggest the pallor of death is amazing (just listen to the final phrase, "So wird ruhe im Tode sein" -- "I must find my peace in death"). I love Moffo's Mozart so much that I plan to acquire the recording of LE NOZZE DI FIGARO in which she sings the role of Susanna. Judging from the rendition of Susanna's "Deh vieni, non tardar" heard here, it should be quite a lovely performance.

As a Seraphim LP, this disc ignited my love of opera and Mozart vocal music. I've been waiting for years for it to show up on CD. The sound is serviceable and the orchestra and conductor mediocre; but this remains Moffo at her most expressive, with a lush midrange. The recording of Deh vieni is as I rememeber it: the most affecting I have ever heard.

I have waited over 30 years for this CD and I am not disappointed in it. Moffo is magnificent!

Thank you, Testament, for the bonus tracks!

There is no "crooning" here. That did not take place until the late 70's, when she began to experience vocal problems. And in 1976, she picked herself up, dusted herself off, and re-started her operatic career!

Some retired opera singers who are friends of mine recommended to me that I listen to Anna Moffo. So I bought this cd and was immediately blown away by her level of singing. She is simply the pinnacle of excellent singing. The selection included in this cd is Mozart, but a wide variety of Mozart. Her "Ach Ich Fuhls" is especially beautiful. And her "Voi Che Sapete" has some nice vocal techniques in it. The quality of this cd is flawless as far as I can tell. The sound is crystal clear which is nice, especially since Anna Moffo's own voice is as clear and perfect as they come. So the cd quality and her voice compliment each other nicely. Basically, for anybody interested in classical music, this is one of the best cds out there to buy.

Ahhhhh....that's what one will say after hearing the fabulous Anna Moffo with her rosy voice and elegant phrasing lend her talent to Mozart's beloved arias. Mozart himself would probably have agreed. So many standout songs here including "misera, dove son", "non so piu", "vedrai carino", "l'amero saro costante", "aich ich fuhls", etc. Moffo singing arias from "Le Nozze di Figaro" as Cherubino are very enjoyable too.
Moffo was one of the few sopranos who could successfully sing diverse compositions from Verdi, Mozart, Schubert, etc. Kathleen Battle is another wonderful singer following in Moffo's footsteps. Also listen to "Kathleen Battle Sings Mozart" conducted by Andre Previn with Royal Philharmonic. For Mozart, these two divas cannot be surpassed.

This is definitely one of the best Mozart aria albums to date. Moffo's Ach, ich fühls is superb. Her Ach, ich liebte is one of the best performances of this aria, and her Et in carnatus est from the Great Mass is transcendant.

A must-have for any Moffo enthusiast. Nearly every aria is exciting and beautifully lyrical. Her interpretations are spot-on.

Highly, highly recommended for any Anna Moffo fan or fan of Mozart arias.

Beautiful voice but minimalistic power in her singing with her usual crooning and skimming of the music's content.