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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent, May 7, 2005
This review is from: Mozart - Don Giovanni / Raimondi, Te Kanawa, Berganza, Moser, van Dam, Opera de Paris, Maazel (1979 film) (Audio CD)
I just bought this set and I am very impressed. To start off I am a very big fan of the soprano and baritone voice. In addition to this I am of the belief that Kiri Te Kanawa and Ruggiero Raimondi can do no wrong when it comes to singing, so naturally it was not very hard for me to decide which Don Giovanni to add to my collection.
This set does not dissapoint. Both the Don and Elvira are in exceptional voice. In addition to this rest of the cast is terrific. Donna Anna, sung by Edda Moser, is truly remarkable especially in her first aria. I have read other reviews about her singing of this role and it seems that the reviewers are split in half. One half seems to think her Wagnerian sounding voice is far too heavy and aggressive for this role while the other half seems to find her perfect. Although, I must admit there are others that I have listened to and enjoyed just as much as Moser, it is nice to be able to hear "Or sai che l'onore" sung as though the soprano has just deiscoverd some horrifying fact and is ready to take action against it rather than faint. True, singing anything softer than forte is an alien concept to this woman, I feel that most people will be duly impressed.
Besides, if you do not enjoy Edda Moser's voice then any buyer can be certain to have loads of fun with Teresa Berganza, who sings the role of Zerlina. To put it plainly Berganza's singing and interpretation of this role may exceed even that of Bartoli's, who is yet another singer I firmly believe does no wrong when it comes to music.
The rest of the cast is also excellent. Don Ottavio, Leporello, and Masetto are all sung and portrayed as well as any. Overall this is a fine set and is well worth the purchase
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
If only....., May 7, 2004
This review is from: Mozart - Don Giovanni / Raimondi, Te Kanawa, Berganza, Moser, van Dam, Opera de Paris, Maazel (1979 film) (Audio CD)
This recording is exciting no doubt but it has a serious flaw- the sound. All of Mozart's orchestral brillance reduced to mush with the exaggerrated acoustics. An engineering disaster not helped by Maazels excessive use of string. Having said that wow- the singing catches fire. This version is comes close to comparing with the legendary Guilini recording with Schwartkoft and Sutherland. Kiri te Kanawa is phenomenal!!!. Very rarely does she sound so convincing dramatically but she is heavenly in this recording. Ah che di mai, Inquali eccesi, Masker's trio, Ah Fuggi.. are all sung excellently with a full throated creamy tone as golden as the morning sun and as smooth as silk. Not a note out of place or scooped. Schwartkopf occassional shows her troubles with Mozart- esp in Inquali eccesi but otherwise she is commanding. Her's is the more compelling potrait but te Kanawa outshines her in all other aspects of the role- youthful brilliance coupled with a voice that is truly unforgettable. In the 1970's te Kanawa as a lyric soprano had no equal esp in Mozart. Freni, Riciarelli, Tomowa Sintow, Cotrubas, Popp comes nowhere near and four of her Mozart recordings then deserves to be ranked as some of the most sensational recordings ever committed to disc ( along with her Grammy award Four Lasts Songs ). Of her many Mozartian potraits; Fiordiligi and Pamina with Lombard and her Figaro with Boehm, this Elvira has to be the most breathtaking and quintessential of all. Her incredible voice, the manner of her delivery and the warmth of her superlative singing is magical. Edda Moser is a wondefully dramatic Anna, not always focused and she sounds positively insecure in her entrance. Sutherland is incomparable. I find her 'Or sai' tellingly dramatic. Berganza is lovely and she manages the high tessitura well. The men lack something of the spark in comparison. Van Dam is a most aristocratic Leporello. Terfel is more believable. Raimondi is commanding- his is the most sexually appealling of all recordings. Maazel has wonderful moments but tends to rush much of Mozart's orchestral colour.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ruggero Raimondi is my favorite singer!!!, June 23, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Mozart - Don Giovanni / Raimondi, Te Kanawa, Berganza, Moser, van Dam, Opera de Paris, Maazel (1979 film) (Audio CD)
Don Giovanni has always been my favorite opera. This is a soundtrack from Joseph Losey's excellent film version of Don Giovanni. Ruggero Raimondi is the best Don Giovanni ever: an unique singer, talented actor and handsome. Jose van Dam is very good too, and the other's aren't bad either. Some people say Teresa Berganza was too old for the part of Zerlina. Maybe, but I really liked her in the movie. The end scene was even better in the movie Amadeus
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