Customer Reviews

Mozart: Le Nozze Di Figaro

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Like many newcomers to the Opera genre, after hearing "Sull'aria" in the film "Shawshank Redemption", I patiently watched the credits to find the exact origin of that unearthly recording - and found it to be 1968 Bohm's version. Without much hesitation, I bought this set, almost immediately afterwards, and listened to the whole 3 hours of it non-stop for several months. "Figaro" became, bar none, my ultimate favorite classical composition, all thanks to Bohm.

To this day, I find no imperfections whatsoever with the performers or the conducting. It baffles me why anyone would find fault with Mathis' Susanna or Dieskau's Conte - they fit their roles to a tee. And the "extra" arias in act IV, in my mind are welcome additions, especially that of Marcellina, which is not only exquisitely beautiful, but also a thematic counterpart of Figaro's later diatribe about the opposite sex. Hermann Prey, Gundula Janowitz, and Tatiana Troyanos, are the living embodiments of Figaro, Contessa, and Cherubino. Never has Mozart's accent on the humanity of these characters been better expressed.

If anyone is interested, this set holds ALOT of memories for me. It was the first complete opera set I ever really listened to constantly and so it has a special place in my heart. That being said, it is no longer my favorite "Figaro". That title must go to John Eliot Gardiner's amazing set on Archiv. I strongly urge anyone who wants to understand this opera to purchase that performance. But this set still has much to commend it. Bohm coaxes certain phrases like no one else. The letter duet is a fine example. Enjoy it because you are unlikley to hear it with so much color, lushness and passion again soon. Unfortunately, Bohm often misses the fun and zip in the score. Things tend to be a tad weighted down and the comedy fails to register. Surprisingly the overture does not get treated this way and is a joy.
The cast is great but there are some glarring problems. First of all, few of them are very at home with Italian. True this piece is not "Italian" in terms of style but that is the language and this cast's problems with it is a distraction. Prey and Mathis are an old-fashioned Figaro and Susanna which means big, cuddly guy and china doll. While I feel there is more to these characters, this approach can be heart-warming to listen to. Prey is in glorious voice, warm and sunny and the liner notes are right to refer to a "smile in the voice". Mathis is a bit thin in arias but sounds much more at home in the ensembles. And Fischer-Dieskau? Haha! What an artist! His voice is at full power and he pours his interpertation into each note. This Count is a raging psychopath burning with lust! Most lines are snarled out in a way that chills the blood. A contrast with Gilfry's controlled aristocrat on the Gardiner set is fascinating. I like Gilfry better but Dieskau certainly left his stamp on the part and creates just as valid a character. Janowitz IS the Countess. I've heard enough by now to say that. She achieves total identification with the character. All others I have heard and seen (so far) are either blank slates (the bad ones) or get a part of Janowitz's whole (the good ones). I know plenty of you will sneer at that but that's how I hear it. Janowitz has a golden line of a voice that stretches through the entire score. You think "Sooner or later there will be a sign of strain or wear and tear" but it never comes. The voice is lyrical but with strength underneath it. It is simply pure. Someone who I usually disagree with on vocal matters said upon hearing it "That's just a perfect voice." Dramitically we get the Countess's fear, anger, flirtatiousness, love, regret, nobility and simplicity. Nothing is missing. We should all feel lucky that this definitive performance was captured whole in such a fine recording.
The supporting cast is fairly strong. Troyanos is lovely and funny as Cherubino although Bohm does not seem too interested in the character. Lagger and Johnson are in good voice and act well but they don't sound like they are having much fun. In contrast, Wohlfahrt and Hirte have ok voices but do a super job of hamming up their parts. It's great to hear Wohlfahrt, a fine singer in such a rich part. Vogel is cute and matches Troyanos well. Vantin has a very nice voice and sings his heart out in the "Mia Madre" sextet but (once again!) he doesn't sound very funny. The two girls are fine. One last complaint: the recitatives are not done well by today's standards. The cast and Bohm seem to regard them as something to get through fast. Prey, Dieskau and Janowitz are exceptions to this however. Chorus and orchestra are both super. Sound is boxy but clear. Great liner notes.
Perhaps the only real problem with this set is a lack of fun. Bohm sees this opera as deeply profound. It most certainly is but part of it's profundity lies in it's sense of joy. This aspect is muted (although not lost) here. The "Mia Madre" sextet is a good example. In this set it played as deeply moving (which it is) but there are not really any laughs. "Figaro" is a sublime comedy. The comedy can not be so secondary. Without it, we loose some of the point which is to see life as something of a comedy. On the other hand, if one plays down the sublime the opera becomes a simple and vulgar farce. Perhaps if you must mute one aspect, it is better to mute the comedy. But there really should be a ballance. Still, when all is said and done this is a great reccording. It preserves many top-notch performances and an entire way of viewing this deathless masterpiece. This view (usually seen as the "German" view) may be out of favor, but it touched many people and served Mozart well. Indeed, it can still speak to us today if we are willing to be patient. Don't make this your only "Figaro" but don't be without it if you love this opera.

This recording is the recording used in the film Shashawnk Redemption (which has drawn tons of people to opera just upon hearing the "Letter" duet "Sull'aria" in one scene in the film). The recording used in the film is credited as the 1968 Karl Bohm edition starring Gundula Janowitz, Hermann Prey, Edith Mathis, Tatiana Troyanos and Dietrich Fischer Dieskau. The soprano voices of Gundula Janowitz and Edith Mathis is what we hear in the film. Many purists argue that the Bohm version is flawed and moreover un-Mozartian simply because the principal singers are German and have no command for the Italian diction so vital in an Italiante comedy like Figaro. But I much prefer the Karl Bohm version though this one is also quite beautiful. Edith Mathis has a lush, radiant soprano voice, with technically no flaw from a vocal point of view. Her particular Germanic school of opera was very handy in singing youthfully and beautifully, even if at the expense of dramatic development of character. As if she's the only one. Today's "gorgeous but un-dramatic" singers include Renee Fleming and even mezzo Denyce Graves. Soprano Gundula Janowitz sings with beautiful tone, but often with very little characterization. Her Countess is lovely but we rarely feel sympathetic for her role as the betrayed wife. She sings so beautifully we are certain the Count will return his former love for her. None of the singers are doing much of a dramatic job. Dieskau as the Count is a roaring lion of pride and masculine vanity and he is perhaps the only singer that is doing a great job here, despite detractors' comments. Herman Prey also does a superior job as Figaro, making him convincingly funny and witty and breathing a dimension of reality to his role.

THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFULLY SUNG version but not the most dramatically satisfying. So it boils down to what your own tastes for opera are. Do you want to hear a gorgeously sung Figaro or a more lively, comedic, "acted-out" Figaro ? If it's the latter, then this recording is not for you. This is sheer beauty and Mozartian grace, worthy of being sung in the most Rococco of opera houses. I would have payed good money to hear these singers back in the late 60's, however I'm too young and never had the opportunity to hear them sing. The only old singer I've heard is Kiri Te Kenawa (and to some this singer is not that old). Te Kenawa is considered one of the great Countesses of this opera, as is Schwartzkopff in the Giulini recording and of course today's own Renee Fleming.

I first heard of this music from the film, The Shawshank Redemption. I immediately set out to find out what it was and where I could get my hands on it. After a lengthy search, I finally found it. To me, the Sull'Aria offered by Gundular Janowitz and Edith Mathis has to be THE most beautiful piece of music I have ever heard. Not only would I not hesitate to recommend it, but I would suggest getting a second copy for when the first wears out!

Karl Bohm knew how to conduct Mozart better than just about anyone else; his speeds were often slower than usual, which meant that the words in the operas were always clear, and his rhythmic resilience and attention to detail avoided any feeling of heaviness. The duet "Che soave zeffiretto" sounds more sensuous here than on any other recording. And on what other recording of "Figaro" are the plucked strings in "Voi che sapete" so noticeable? Bohm is helped by an exceptionally strong cast. The women, in particular, are glorious: Gundula Janowitz sings the difficult role of the Countess with incomparable purity, and she's ideally contrasted with Edith Mathis's Susanna. (Their voices blend wonderfully in their duet). Tatiana Troyanos is at her richest as Cherubino. The men aren't quite at this exalted level, but they acquit themselves well: Fischer-Dieskau's Count is much more strongly characterized than most, and Prey, if not the most ebullient of Figaros, sings with a satisfyingly warm, mellow sound. DG's sonics are, on the whole, first-rate. With an absolutely complete text, this is an essential purchase.

This is a wonderful recording of Figaro, but to call it the "best" is perhaps not wise. There are many wonderful recordings of this opera out there, too many great recordings to single this one out as the best. Here are a few!

Guilini/Schwartkopf, Wachter, Taddei, Moffo: This is a fantastic recording and the benchmark for all Figaro recordings. This cast is stellar and the conducting is brilliant. Schwartzkopf is beautiful in the role of the Countess, and Taddei is triumphant. Moffo is my favorite Susanna on record (thus far). She sings with grace and elegance. FIVE STARS!

Solti/Kanawa, Von Stade, Allen, Ramey: This is another wonderful recording. Solti's conducting is brilliant and his treatment of the overture is stunning. Kanawa is fabulous in the role of the Countess, singing Dove Sono with amazing control and beauty. Ramey's Figaro is very nice as well. FIVE STARS!

Muti/Battle/Price/Allen/VIENNA PHILHARMONIC: When I went brilliant conducting and shere orchestral power- this is the recording I turn to. In my view, Muti is the best Mozartian conductor and hearing the Vienna Philharmonic brillantly play this score is something that should not be missed. This recording shows exactly why the Vienna Philharmonic is the worlds premiere orchestra! The cast is wonderful as well. My only complaint with this recording, is the role of Susanna (Battle) is sung with technical brilliance, it is rather emotionless. Price is fantastic as the Countess. 4.5 Stars!

Bohm: This is the recording at hand. It is wonderful and I would definitely recommend it, but after the Guilini and Solti sets. In my ears and heart-they hold a slight edge here. This is a great recording though- by all means get it. It is worth it. I love it and listen to it frequently.

All that being said- one recording of Figaro cannot be billed as "the best." I have heard this Figaro, and the Solti and Guilini sets referred to as "the best" by different people. It's all a matter of taste as to how the conducting is done, and the roles are portrayed! 4.5 to 5 Stars!

By all means, if you love Figaro- this is a great piece to have in your collection.

However, if you are in the market for your first Figaro- go with Guilini. His set is on 2 cd's (not much less music). His set has some MINOR cuts and more music on each cd- to make it a few minutes shorter than the above four mentioned. Another big plus- the Guilini set is packaged in a beautiful box set setting and is only about $.

I love them all!

For my money, this is one of the greatest 5 or 10 classical music recordings of all time. Recording classical music is a hit-or-miss affair, because so many factors are involved. Will performer X's contract allow him to record with performer Y and orchestra Z? Were the performers having a good day? Did someone's pasta fagioli (or is it schnitzel) go down wrong at lunch? Did the engineer step on a microphone?

To this, add the horrendous expense of a full vocal cast, orchestra, and venue, limiting the possibility of retakes. You can't tell 100 musicians to "come back next week and try again". Thus, for many compositions, there simply aren't great performances available, or even *good* performances.

Figaro is no exception, despite the dozens of recordings with major operatic stars and top-notch conductors. Almost without exception, they sacrifice Mozart's magnificant heart-rending music in the name of comedy.

In 1968, the stars suddenly aligned and gave us this magical performance of "Nozze di Figaro". It has given me pleasure time and time again for the past 30 years, and I hope anyone reading this will give it a try. (There is an excellent single-CD highlights verson available for those who perhaps do not love opera so much.) I will say that there are many good recordings of Figaro for those who prefer comedy over music. My taste runs to warmth and beauty; those who would like a more comedic rendition of Figaro will want to look elsewhere.

Conductor - Karl Bohm is simply the best Mozart conductor of our generation. Working with the Berlin Opera's adequate, but hardly estimable, orchestra, Bohm trades his baton for a wand. The musicians play like men and women possessed. While there are some instrumental weaknesses in the Overture, the orchestra shows enormous heart.

I have never quite understood why Mozart is so hard to play well. His work is generally so technically easy that every 14-year-old piano prodigy will debut with a Mozart piano concerto (with uniformly nauseous results). Yet, one can hardly find a good recording of Mozart instrumental music, much less a great one.

Bohm markedly accents the lyricism and elegance of Mozart's music rather than Beaumarchais' humor. The tempi are on the slow side -- or, from my viewpoint, he wisely avoids the general error of suborning the music to the plot. The music is never plodding, overly dramatic, or heavy. Rather, Bohm plays the music musically, refusing to charge headlong through arias and vocal ensembles to get to the next dialogue. Richness of tone is emphasized over technique.

The greatness of the performance lies in the performers' total trust of Bohm. With the possible exception of Fischer-Dieskau (see below), all of the musicians, instrumental and vocal, seem absolutely confident in Bohm's musical leadership, resulting in a wonderful chemistry.

Gundula Janowitz -- what can you say about Janowitz? I just Googled "Gundula Janowitz cream* and got 1240 hits. Her voice is exquisite on this recording, a captivating and expressive lyric tone with amazing volume and purity. Schwarzkopf was excellent in the role, but unfortunately the recording technology available in her prime was much inferior.

Edith Mathis -- Mathis was a journeyman lyric soprano with a decent career in lieder and other German music (she was Swiss by birth). I don't know if it was Bohm or Janowitz who inspired her, or if she was simply in the right place at the right time, but her Susanna was the performance of her life. Her voice is perfectly matched with Janowitz' and she responded to the warm tone of the performace. I cannot help but think that even people who prefer a more vivacious, up tempo, comic Figaro will have to admit that this Sull'Aria is one of the most moving pieces of music ever put to wax.

Tatiana Troyanos -- the third of the "three sopranos" (okay, she's a mezzo, and a fairly dark one at that) needs no introduction. I have never heard a Stradavarius viola (he did make a few), but when I imagine one, I hear Troyanos. She is in superb voice and is a perfect choice for the Bohm's lyricism.

If you want to hear the difference between this interpretation and a "Figaro" served cold, just compare Troyanos' amber "Voi Che Sapete" to the glinting diamond of Frederica von Stade -- a fair test, since the technically superb von Stade is in excellent voice and has the benefit of better sound technology. (You can hear enough of the aria from the Amazon.com samples to make a good comparison.)

Herman Prey -- I don't see how anyone could quibble with Prey's Figaro. He plays the part with convincing humor, while showcasing his rich baritone. It is hard to believe that he was 50 years old when this was recorded, as he retains both his midrange vocal richness and his high tessitura.

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau -- The headliner is possibly the weakest link in the cast. Fischer-Dieskau simply doesn't seem to have understood what Bohm was trying to do, or possibly was unable or unwilling to change his vocal style. His vocal performance is certainly quite good, but compared to the other cast members (even those with less vocal talent), it is a bit uninspired and heavy-handed. I suppose he is actually quite good; he just doesn't live up to his billing. And of all the cast, he is the most unable or unwilling to play up the Italian flavor.

The unmistakable German influence is possibly a drawback in general. Troyanos, Prey and Bohm make the transition well. (Actually, for the versatile Troyanos it isn't really a transition.) Janowitz and Mathis at least seem to be trying. One could point out, though, that there is an odd irony: Mozart pretending to be an Italian composer, performed by Germans pretending to be Italian musicians. Of course, the opera is set in Spain, and from a French story, to boot :) (I have always wondered about opera's fascination with Seville.)

To sum up, this is one of my favorite recordings of all time. I would recommend it as a "must have" to anyone, connoisseur or opera neophyte.

Karl Böhm had quite an interesting range of specialities, that included among its main objects Wagner, Strauss and Mozart. While no one needed to convince me of his greatness regarding the former two, I admit that I was somewhat sceptical about his Mozart, especially after having read the previous reviews. Some people seem to believe that he over-dramatises the opera, and misses the comedy and the joy. I couldn't disagree more: listening to this recording is an exercise in pure fun, and Böhm never comes even close to boring me. That being said, it is true that he takes the opera seriously, if that means it does not end up as a farce, and the singers don't sound like a pack of buffi: but that's a plus where I come from! Joyous comedy need not mean ridicule.

I'm not a fan of Fischer-Dieskau when it comes to "heavy" German opera, but here he is more than adequate: I have no problem imagining him as a frustrated "courreur de jupon" of an aristocrat. I simply do not understand those who complain about his acting. Janowitz for her part not only has the most beautiful voice, she has also been blessed with quite a fair bit of acting genius and musical intelligence, which are evident here. She and Fidi make quite a pair.

Troyanos had a gorgeous dark voice (one that I can actually imagine coming from a young man, granting a certain feminine quality), and her singing here is frankly wonderful, containing a beautiful touch of heartbreaking poetic sadness. Mathis is a refined, deliciously young sounding Susanna, for whom I have nothing but good things to say. Hermann Prey is an excellent Figaro as well, mixing candour, ingenuity and anger.

The supporting cast is good, but not particularly memorable (save perhaps for Wohlfahrt, but then again, I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or not).

The remastering for the "The Originals" series is excellent, with relatively few imperfections. Note also that there are no cuts; if you don't like the usually omitted material from Act IV, stop complaining and just skip it.

Most highly recommended!

This version is extremely accurate in terms of singing and Edith Mathis' voice is one of the best I heard in my life, in fact, her singing is perfect in terms of accuracy.
Dietrich Fisher Dieskau's voice is characteristic of the well-trained german: powerful, vivid, dramatic.
Gundula Janowitz's voiceis also quite good, but not at the same level of the other singers.
In terms of beauty and melody, these singers have reached the top, however they aren't very dramatic, and they could improve quite a bit in that aspect.
On the whole, I'd say this is a very good interpretation, but not the best in the world, in fact I'd say that there isn't any, for every interpretation has one or two flaws. For those who like gorgeously melodious voices this is a must, but for those who tend to go for the dramatic side this is a maybe not, thus I 'm witholding my five and giving four stras to this recording.

This 1968 version by Mr. Karl Boehm and his illustrious cast really posed a difficult problem to me - which is the 'best' recording of 'Le Nozze di Figaro'? Erich Klieber's, or Karl Boehm's?
I owned Kleiber the elder's set for quite some years without daring to try out Mr. Boehm's, largely unwilling to allow myself to yield to 'another' better version.
The truth is, I think, neither version outdid the other. Both are equally good and in many respects, both are unsurpassed.
I believe that Erich Kleiber's recording dates a bit further back than Boehm's. The casts are entirely different. Kleiber lined up a cast that is partially Italian and partially Austrian. This mixture adds much to the idiomaticity of the enunciations by the singers.
In the lead role, Cesare Siepi's Figaro is a robust and witty character, verbally incisive. Hermann Prey for Boehm is a sunny character, also witty, but less biting. Perhaps, in terms of characterisation, Figaro's portrayal sets the tone for the entire drama. Boehm's 'Le Nozze' is clearly a more light-hearted version.
The Susanna for Kleiber, Hilde Gueden, had a slight edge over the almost equally good Edith Mathis, but for the latter's slightly forced articulation at times.
The countesses are well-matched in almost every respect. Apart from Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, it is difficult to imagine any other lyrical soprano to come up with a better rendition than either Lisa della Casa or Gundula Janowitz!
The main difference in these two sets lies in Alfred Poell's less than colorful Almaviva and Fischer-Dieskau's spiteful and chilly account. Undisputably, the latter has a much clearer vocal portrayal of this less than lovely major character.
Suzanne Danco and Tatiana Troyanos represent the differences between a soprano Cherubino and mezzo Cherubino. Either way, both offered an effective account of this secondary character.
Accoustic wise, DG's remastered 1968 vinyl recording of Karl Boehm has a clear edge over Decca's analogue early stereo recording.
At the end of the day, which set prevails is more a choice between two different visions of this forever-loved masterpiece.