Customer Reviews

Mozart - Così fan tutte / Cuberli, Bartoli, Rodgers, Streit, Furlanetto, Tomlinson, Berlin Phil., Barenboim [highlights]

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

 

 

This is an excellent CD, quite at the top of my list. The only other recording of the opera I have heard was the Solti live recording with Fleming and Von Otter. Though that was very good and Solti's conducting far outshines the Berlin Philharmonic on this CD, I must be truthful & admit my personal bias towards anything Bartoli and, most especially, Kurt Streit. I am not the biggest fan of Furlanetto, but Streit makes up for his co-singer's iniquities with a smooth, effortless, beautiful yet powerful tenor that I could rave about FOREVER............This is not a big role for Streit, but he has not got much in the way of CD recordings. Let us hope he will be discovered by more people in his debut this July as Don Jose!

This, one of Mozart's finest, most elegant opera, is performed superbly in this recording. Bartoli is absolutely glorious here . Thank God she recorded this before her voice became smaller, and more "chirpy" sounding as it has been in her last few recordings. I had not heard Cuberli before this CD, but she has now become one of my favorite soprano's. Her high notes are velvety and "regal". The only complaint I have about her, is that in "Come Scoglio" she seems to be slightly flat on her high B-flat (the high C that follows is just fine though...go figure!) Also, Cuberli's and Bartoli's voice blend very well in their duets. I don't think there was ever a better Ferrando than Kurt Streit. He has a beautiful lyric voice, and he has great control and ease in his upper register. His "Un aura amorosa" is particularly exquisite. Furlanetto has a slightly "woofy" voice, but that's probably his only flaw. He gives a great performance, and he doesn't just sing the role, he does alot of acting as well. The role of Don Alfonso fit's Tomlinson's voice like a glove. He only has one aria, but I can't imagine it being sung any better than he sings it here. What more can one say about Rodgers except that she is delightful as Despina. All the performance's on this disc are exciting and thoroughly enjoyable. This is the best Cosi on record.

The performances by the singers are excellent, but this collection leaves out some of the best songs. One of the songs has the tempo of a funeral dirge -- bizarre in a farce! -- but I refuse to waste my time listening to this CD again to name that song for this review. I am removing this CD from my iPod. I love this opera more than words can express, but please don't shortchange Fiordiligi and Dorabella and Mozart! (Reminds me of that recent popular MET production of THE MAGIC FLUTE in which they cut more than half the overture!) The orchestra is excellent and you might love this CD if you favor the male roles in COSI. These are the humble opinions of this COSI fanatic but I am no expert, far from it.

Btw, I think Ferrando and Guglielmo are awesome roles with wonderful songs and loads of opportunities for both comedy, pathos (Ferrando), and romance, but I have yet to see a production, live or on DVD, which realizes the potential for these sexy, macho, young Italian men. IMHO, the best DVD of COSI is Ponnelle's 1988 studio production (excellent sound quality) with Edita Gruberova and Dolores Ziegler. The costumes, sets, sound quality, and stage direction are unmatched by any other DVD I've seen.

I confess I am new to live opera. Less than three years, 15 operas and COSI was four of them (once in Charlotte and thrice in Kansas City, the opera subcapitals of not-the-MET). The production at Lyric Opera of Kansas City was so brilliant that I drove back to Kansas City (630 miles) to see it twice again! Amanda Hall was so wonderful as Fiordiligi that I couldn't get through her opening duet with tears pouring down my cheeks! AT A FARCE! (Embarrassing for a man.) Susanne Mentzer was sheer genius as a very comic and sarcastic Despina. Anyway, I am open to being educated. I learn a lot from others' reviews and I invite you to tell me your favorite Mozart opera productions, tell me I'm an idiot for not loving Daniel Barenboim's CD, whatever.

Excellent music, Mozart at his fullest... it's just God's Voice... a must-have for every human being....