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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Titus Revitalized,
By
This review is from: Mozart - La clemenza di Tito / Padmore, Pendatchanska, Fink, Chappuis, Im, Foresti, RIAS, Freiburg, Jacobs (Audio CD)
For too long Mozart's last opera "Titus" has been shrugged off as an "inferior effort" to his other late operas (Figaro, Don Giovanni, etc). Recall in the film Amadeus when Tom Hulce says, "Why must we go on forever, writing about gods and heroes and old dead legends?... I'm fanned to the teeth with all these elevated things!" His character, of course, was speaking of the already outdated opera seria, a genre to which "Titus" belongs.
Nonetheless, "Titus" was very popular after it's premiere (not right away), and it even shared popularity with "Don Giovanni." Since then, it's popularity has dwindled, due to its "odd man out" stature among Mozart's late great comic operas. Leave it to Rene Jacobs, however, to bring it back to life- back to the popularity it deserves. 2006, the 250th year after Mozart's birth has seen a deluge of new recordings of this opera (e.g. Mackerras.) This, however, is considered by many to outshine them all. The reason for this is the theatricality of it. In all of Rene Jacobs' Mozart recording, there is never a dull moment, and that especially goes for the recitatives (you know, the parts you always skip over when listening to opera on disc.) Thank's to Jacobs' reviving the practice of a highly improvised continuo line, the recitatives become just as exciting as any ensemble or aria. In, say, the Mackerras recording, you may find yourself a bit bored. In Mackerras' recording his singers sing, and that's it. With Jacobs, his singers "perform." Another reason Jacobs has a leg up on Mackerras is his tempi. Jacob's tempi changes, especially in the Act I finale add to the urgency of the plot: opera is, after all, all theater in the end. One small quibble though, on two occasions it seems Jacobs goes overboard: such as in the Act II trio with Publius, Sextus, and Titus ("Avvicinati", for some reason, is sped up), and also curiously sped up is certain sections of the Finale (the chorus "Che Del Ciel" and the last section)... so much that these sections lose their grandeur. These quibbles are so minor though, considering how great this recording is overall, and a huge contributing factor to that, of course, is the soloists. Alexandrina Pendatchanska is a real gem as Vitellia. You may not be able to see her, but you can sense the urgency in her voice. Hear her effectively go from complete Vesuvian madness and anger, to a penitent confessor. She is the real "blood-and-guts" power hungry, bloodthirsy Prima Donna that Vitellia is supposed to be. And without exaggeration, she will be a hard one to beat. She far outshines any other Vitellia on record (coming close, my second pick would be Dorothea Roschmann.) Truly, Pendatchanska reminds me of a Cecilia Bartoli of sorts. The ensemble plays crisp and precise and major credit goes to the continuo section for making the recitatives exciting again. This justly multiple-Grammy Nominated release is strongly recommended. (And keep an eye out for Harmonia Mundi-Rene Jacob's recording of Don Giovanni supposedly in the works.)
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The first-tier of Mozart's operatic works,
By
This review is from: Mozart - La clemenza di Tito / Padmore, Pendatchanska, Fink, Chappuis, Im, Foresti, RIAS, Freiburg, Jacobs (Audio CD)
The music and arias in this opera seria is Mozart at his very best. Notwithstanding the long recitatives, this is most definitively the first-tier of Mozart's operatic works.
The orchestration and sound are superb. Alexandrina Pendatchanska did an amazing job as Vitellia. This excellent production of "La Clemenza di Tito" has perhaps just a little bit too much of ornamentation for my taste, however. Still, I recommend it wholeheartedly.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best Titus,
By Zaida (Bremerton, WA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Mozart - La clemenza di Tito / Padmore, Pendatchanska, Fink, Chappuis, Im, Foresti, RIAS, Freiburg, Jacobs (Audio CD)
'La clemenza di Tito' is by far my favorite Mozart opera. True, it is based on a libretto by Metastasio, but that's really not a problem. And it has the potential to drag on if in the wrong hands, although it is one of Mozart's shortest operas from his maturity. I would recommend the version with Hogwood conducting for newcomers to the work, but this one sheds new light on it. One reviewer said there was too much ornamentation for their taste, but it IS an opera seria. Perhaps the best thing, however, is the casting of Padmore in the title role. His light tenor seems to suit the demands of the composer far better than a heavier one would. Along with that, Jacobs alters the recitatives slightly, supposedly in the style of Mozart. This keeps it from feeling longer than it actually is.
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