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Don Giovanni
Mozart and Da Ponte's Don Giovanni is one of opera's greatest characters, endlessly fascinating and mutable, and a great Giovanni can elevate an otherwise pedestrian performance. That's what happens here. Although Ingrid Bjoner's Donna Anna is very fine (if a little placid dramatically), and Cesare Valletti and Ezio Flagello are on hand to provide their reliable turns as Ottavio and Leporello, this performance belongs to Cesare Siepi. Few artists have owned this role in their time as he did. Maybe Thomas Allen and Samuel Ramey have come close since….maybe. His is an elegant, seductive Don with a believable cruel streak and a dangerous temper. The confrontation with the Commendatore (a sturdy Louis Sgarro) is especially thrilling, and his melting serenade is undercut only by the bizarre decision to play the mandolin part on a piano. Anton Guadagno's tempi do no favors for the cast. The sound, clearly captured by a member of the audience, is good for the era but overlaid with a lot of stage noise and occasionally some noise from the audience. Still, it's worth it for Siepi's scintillating Don.
Track List
Act I
1. Sinfonia
2. Notte e giorno faticar
3. Ah, del padre in periglio
4. Orsù, spicciati presto... cosa vuoi?
5. Ah! chi mi dice mai
6. Madamina, il catalogo è questo
7. Giovinette che fate all'amore
8. Ho capito, signor, sì!
9. Là ci darem la mano
10. Ah! fuggi il traditor!
11. Non ti fidar, o misera
12. Don Ottavio, son morta!
13. Or sai chi l'onore
14. Come mai creder deggio...Dalla sua Pace
15. Io deggio, ad ogni patto
16. Finch'han dal vino calda la testa
17. Masetto, senti un po'!
18. Batti, batti o bel Masetto
19. Presto, presto, pria ch'ei venga
20. Bisogna aver coraggio
21. Riposate, vezzose ragazze!
22. Trema, trema o scellerato!
2. Notte e giorno faticar
3. Ah, del padre in periglio
4. Orsù, spicciati presto... cosa vuoi?
5. Ah! chi mi dice mai
6. Madamina, il catalogo è questo
7. Giovinette che fate all'amore
8. Ho capito, signor, sì!
9. Là ci darem la mano
10. Ah! fuggi il traditor!
11. Non ti fidar, o misera
12. Don Ottavio, son morta!
13. Or sai chi l'onore
14. Come mai creder deggio...Dalla sua Pace
15. Io deggio, ad ogni patto
16. Finch'han dal vino calda la testa
17. Masetto, senti un po'!
18. Batti, batti o bel Masetto
19. Presto, presto, pria ch'ei venga
20. Bisogna aver coraggio
21. Riposate, vezzose ragazze!
22. Trema, trema o scellerato!
Act II
23. Eh via, buffone, non mi seccar
24. Ah! taci, ingiusto core
25. Deh, vieni alla finestra
26. Metà di voi qua vadano
27. Vedrai, carino, se sei buonino
28. Di molte faci il lume... Sola, sola, in buio loco
29. Mille torbidi pensieri
30. Ah, pietà, signori miei
31. Il mio tesoro intanto
32. In quali eccessi...Mi tradi
33. Questa è buona, or lasciala cercar
34. O statua gentilissima
35. Crudele? Ah no, mio bene!
36. Non mi dir
37. Già la mensa è preparata
38. Don Giovanni, a cenar teco
39. Ah, dov'è il perfido?
24. Ah! taci, ingiusto core
25. Deh, vieni alla finestra
26. Metà di voi qua vadano
27. Vedrai, carino, se sei buonino
28. Di molte faci il lume... Sola, sola, in buio loco
29. Mille torbidi pensieri
30. Ah, pietà, signori miei
31. Il mio tesoro intanto
32. In quali eccessi...Mi tradi
33. Questa è buona, or lasciala cercar
34. O statua gentilissima
35. Crudele? Ah no, mio bene!
36. Non mi dir
37. Già la mensa è preparata
38. Don Giovanni, a cenar teco
39. Ah, dov'è il perfido?
Customer Reviews
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4.5
Based on 2 reviews
✓ Top Reviewer
United States
Very Enjoyable Performance with Some Sound Issues!
The four principals (Siepi, Flagello, Bjoner, and Valletti) all give excellent accounts of themselves in this performance. Bjoner is a very strong Anna with more vocal flexibility than I thought she possessed. Valletti is terrific, singing his two arias with patrician grace: a Divo in the best sense. Siepi's Giovanni is familiar to most of us, yet he shows why he owned the role during this period. Flagello sings and acts with panache and beauty as Leporello. He and Siepi deliver the recitatives with gusto and flair (it's obvious they're both fluent Italian speakers).The great thing is that the less well-known singers are just as good. Diana Del Monte delivers a tempestuous, well-sung Elvira. Fortunately she gets to sing "Mi tradi". Ginetta La Bianca is a first-rate Zerlina, singing both of her arias with real skill. William Beck is just as good as Masetto. When we can hear Louis Sgarro he is a commanding Commendatore. There seems to be some confusion about who is conducting: Andy says Anton Guadagno, Martin (below) says George Schick.This was taped from the audience by someone who probably meant well, but can't seem to keep still. We hear loud "Bravas!" and "Bravos!" from the enthusiastic crowd and occasionally their comments (there's a distinct "Pardon me!" from one gentleman just before "Dalla sua pace"). The basic sound is very listenable, but I found myself actually shouting "Sit still!" to the tapist. If you like these singers, it's worth putting up with the sound.
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✓ Verified Buyer
Germany
conductor, Location
Here Come the almost complete Dates of this Performance:1/14/64: Don Giovanni: Philadelphia, Academy of Music (Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company), hour: 1945: stage directorAdolf Rott; set design Franco Zeffirelli; ballet master and choreographer Thomas Andrew; lightingdesign Nananne Porcher; assistant lighting design Elizabeth Holloway; furnishing Three Century,Ltd., Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; costumes Van Horn, Inc., Louis ValentinoDon Giovanni Cesare SiepiIl Commendatore Louis SgarroDonna Anna Ingrid BjönerDonna Elvira Diana DelmonteDon Ottavio Cesare VallettiLeporello Ezio FlagelloZerlina Ginetta La BiancaMasetto William Beckmaestro direttore George Schickmaestro del coro Rolando Fiore
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