Customer Reviews

Mozart: Don Giovanni ~ Maazel (1979 film) [Highlights]

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You can't go wrong with this choice. This is the best Don Giovanni by far. Dramatically, musically, artistically, this 1979 recording surpasses even the much hyped-about Herbert Von Karajan version with Samuel Ramey, Tomosawa Sintow and Furlanetto. Why ? That version was a show-off album. Karajan always makes a grandiose overly dramatic powerhouse but Lorin Maazel's version is not only beautiful to hear but also dramatic and right on the artistic intention of Mozart himself. This album features only highlights from the entire soundtrack album to the 1979 Joseph Losey film. The film is a treasure to own, with great acting, filmed in Vicenza Italy, even inside the Olympic Theatre for indoor scenes. The movie is available both on VHS and DVD. This is only the highlights from the soundtrack which is also available in its entirety on Amazon.com.

Lorin Maazel conducts, Ruggero Raimondi in the role of the Don, Jose van Dam as Leporello, Kiri Te Kenawa as Dona Elvira, Edda Moser as Dona Ana, Kenneth Reigle as Don Ottavio, Teresa Berganza as Zerlina, Malcolm King as Masetto and John Macurdy as the Commdantatore. A heaven-sent cast with beautiful voices in their individual arias and in their ensembles. This is a must have for fans of opera. It seems that the reason people get this recording is for Te Kenawa's Dona Elvira, forever in love with the Don though he betrayed her, a terrific performance she did very well but hardly got credit for. Edda Moser as Dona Anna is sensational, with a Birgit Nilsson category of voice and passionate intensity as the mournful noblewoman. Berganza is a cute Zerlina, with seductive charm and Van Dam as Leporello is quite comedic and clever. Raimondi's Don is the best. Villainous, defiant, willful, lusty.. his motto "Viva La Liberta" Long live liberty is understandable considering how everything he does is a sign of his power and freedom, only his murder of the Commandatore is his downfall.

Lorin Maazel, Kiri Te Kenawa, Edda Moser, what a cast! It's a dream come true. However, many would argue that they are other finer versions- that of Karajan, the one with Sutherland, Kathleen Battle or Renee Fleming. But this version, which was a film in 1979, is excellent. In the tradition of great opera film( Bergman Magic Flute, Zeffereli La Traviata) this is right up there. The Don has never sounded more scheming or charming, the duets "La Ci Darem La Mano", the Champagne Aria Finch Al Del Vino, the scene at the Dance, "Viva La Libertad!" and the great Commandatore scene is unsurpassed. Lorin Maazel at the baton makes this performance a rare and wonderful listening experience. I suggest you check it out before you try all else. Edda Moser in my opinion has great talent, and here with the other great talents perform the magic and tragi-comedy that is Don Giovanni.

Perhaps because it is only the soundtrack to Joseph Losey's film of the opera, this Don Giovanni has never come into its own. The cast is the best on records, barring only EMI's classic set under Giulini. (You can get the whole opera on the used market cheaper than these excerpts.) It was prescient of Maazel to gather up young singers who would soon be major stars like Te Kanawa--gorgeous as Donna Elvira--and Eda Moser, who's dramatically intense as Donna Anna, despite some pitch problems. Ruggero Raimondi as a suave Don and Jose Van Dam as a bitter, insidious Leporello are quite fine, as is Teresa Berganza as Zerlina. Only the wobbly Kenneth Riegel disappoints as Don Ottavio, but hardly anyone succeeds vocally in the fiendish arias assigned to him.

Maazel pulls no perverse punches. He's mostly straightforward, although at times he takes pains to underline the drama for the camera, which is all to the good. From the fierce opening scene you'd think this was going to be a brash, thuggish Don (I wish it had been), but soon Raimondi lapses into smooth, somewhat bland singing that emphasizes mellifluous tone over character. Too bad, since everything else is outstanding. Sony's sonics are fine, and the orchestra plays very well.

In sum, this almost great Don Giovanni deserves a listen. It's among the best on the market, lacking only a charismatic Don to rise to the very top. If you object to Wachter's brutishness on the Giulini set or dislike the gloss of Karajan's conducting on the stary DG set, this one from Maazel may turn into a first choice.

Mozart el genio de los genios musicales escribio esta exquisita opera, para divertinos y hacernos disfrutar de buena musica y voces geniales, y en esta grabacion se hace merito de sobra a lo anterior, Te kanawa, Berganza, van Dam, Macurdy & King hacen un festin vocal de esta gran obra, Maazel por su parte dirige la siempre preparada y grandiosa orquesta Nacional de la Opera de Paris. Que mas puede pedirse, realmente excepcional, todos en una interpretacion incomparable.

Disfrute de lo mejor de Don Giovanni en una de las mejores grabaciones.