Le Nozze di Figaro

Sir Georg Solti, Conductor

Thomas Allen, Kiri Te Kanawa, Samuel Ramey, Lucia Popp, Frederica von Stade
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Librettist: Lorenzo da Ponte

This is one of those rare CDs on which everything clicks exactly into place with everything else, creating a truly astounding piece of art. It isn't perfect - nothing is - but it packs such a powerful punch that it might as well be, because any imperfections are suddenly rendered irrelevant. The music locks incredibly well with itself, and each cast member seems to have been born for his or her role. Every performer, instrumental and vocal, finds exactly the right balance between music and emotion.

In Thomas Allen I find a jealous, hypocritical, cruel, and yet oddly sympathetic Count. In several scenes, most notably at the end of Act II, the rage in his voice is incredibly tangible. Yet his anxiety in "Perchè, crudel" is so sincere, and the following aria is so heartfelt, that I can't help feeling sorry for him in a way. (You must remember that sympathizing with villains is my specialty. :) )

Opposite him is the exquisitely-voiced Kiri Te Kanawa, who is well-suited indeed to the role of the Countess. The character's pain is acutely felt by the listener, both through Te Kanawa's voice and Mozart's achingly beautiful music. Her "Dove sono" is utterly heartbreaking. This works surprisingly well with Allen's sympathetic Count, I find; it creates a dramatic conflict of sympathies in the listener. The pain the Count has caused is all too obvious, and yet like the Countess I too am won over. Who would ever believe in a woman's anger, indeed?

Lucia Popp's Susanna is the best I have heard so far. She manages to convey the character's strong, laughing personality without sounding at all smarmy or forced. I feel Susanna is often presented as too much of a ham; I prefer her to be much more three-dimensional, and Popp certainly delivers!

Samuel Ramey projects incredible amounts of emotion into the character of Figaro. I much prefer his subtle approach to his comic moments to the overdone performance of Giuseppe Taddei on the Giulini recording. (For example, one of my favorite moments is his little chuckle at the line "poco contante" in "Non più andrai.") Ramey's Figaro is a very human character, with a very vibrant personality. His Act IV aria - "Aprite un po' quegli occhi" - is both gorgeously sung and very moving. Bravo!

Frederica von Stade's voice is perfect for Cherubino. She has a very clear and beautiful tone with a hint of boyish flutiness that is quite lovely. Her two arias are the best performances of those which I have heard so far.

This recording also features a fine Bartolo and an admirable Marcellina in Kurt Moll and *************, respectively. Moll's "La Vendetta" is up to the standards set by the rest of the cast: beautiful singing, plenty of emotion. ********'s voice meshes beautifully with Popp's in the "Via resta, servita" duet, and also shines on its own in her aria. I'm glad they left it in (some versions, notably the Giulini, omit it).

I'm equally glad Basilio's aria remains intact. *********'s gorgeous tenor deserves to be given its due! I love this scene; the song is utterly ridiculous and doesn't add a whole lot to the plot (which is why it's sometimes left out) but it is a beautiful piece of music when performed as well as it is here.

The supporting cast lives up to the stars. Solti's conducting draws it all together beautifully. I don't know if he does anything unusual with the tempo - I'm not sure what is "usual" - but all of it sounds great to me.

Looking over the reviews at Amazon.com, I see a number of reviews by people who find this recording lifeless. I disagree, although I can see where they are coming from. The emotion in this recording is very subtle, although I find it's definitely there; next to some other warmer performances this album can sound a little icy. However, if you allow yourself to be drawn into the music you will discover the hidden nuances in the performance. Personally, I think people sometimes forget that good acting is not synonymous with wild gesticulating, moaning, and wailing. In most cases, a subtle change in tone can convey as much as that and even a lot more.

In short, it's something of a paradox. For emotion to be really evident, it has to be subtle. Before you start complaining that it's impossible - it's not. Listen to this CD. If you really listen, I promise you will be rewarded. The emotion is definitely there.

So, don't believe them when they tell you it's lifeless. For me, the only downside to this CD is the price! $40 or more at most sites, especially when you count shipping. If you read this website, you know how cheap I am, so it should mean something to you when I say the price isn't an issue for me. This is one of the ones I absolutely have to own.

Originally Reviewed:

23-Feb-03