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Così fan tutte
Somewhere in the last 40 or so years, it has become the conventional wisdom that a Mozartian voice is a lighter voice. This wonderful recording of Così fan tutte harkens back to an era when singers would freely alternate between Mozart and more dramatic fare, and makes a good case for casting larger voices in Mozart. The many ensembles, in particular, benefit enormously by having singers whose voices could truly soar over an orchestra. Christa Ludwig’s Dorabella is one of the highlights of the evening; her ”Smania implacabile,” a true tour-de-force. Equally exciting is Hilde Güden’s ”Come scoglio.” I was surprised by the dramatic thrust that she could muster when needed. Given the size of his voice, Waldemar Kmentt copes with the demands of the tessitura quite remarkably, although his voice lacks the nuance one might expect from a great Ferrando. Walter Berry seems to relish the opportunity to show off his lyrical wares as Guglielmo and Graziella Sciutti is a charming Despina.
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4.5
Based on 4 reviews
✓ Verified Buyer
Japan
✓ Top Reviewer
United States
A Rare Outing for Gueden in a Classic Cast!
The big draw here will probably be Gueden's Fiordiligi, a role she didn't take on until late in her career. She has the low notes -just - and manages most of the coloratura well enough (though her triplets in "Come scoglio" are messy). She still sings the majority of the role very well. She may not be one of the great Fiordiligis, but she remains the great Gueden.Ludwig and Berry are terrific together, Kmentt ardent and passionate (his coloratura is sketchy too), Donch and Sciutti charming. The fact that this is in German will disqualify it from consideration for some people - a pity because Cosi goes well in German and at least you don't have to hear "dunqves" and "qvestos" all the time (not from Sciutti of course).The sound is generally very good, but as Walter H. says below there are occasional weird noises (pops and bumps) that cause one to jump and not in a good way. It's not that bad though and certainly shouldn't prevent one from hearing this performance, especially if one is a Gueden fan!
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✓ Top Reviewer
United States
This is a very enjoyable
This is a very enjoyable performance. The sound is OK except there are a few noises here and there that it would be nice if they weren't. Otherwise, this is sung in German and contains the cuts prevalent in the 60's. The performers are first class. Bohm conducts well. The soloists all bring very individual performances and they are great. My primary interest in this recording was to hear Guden as Fiordiligi. She is very successful and impressive.
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Austria
