Track Listings (11) - Disc #1| All Artists: Karita Mattila, Yutaka Sado, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Tchaikovsky, Giacomo Puccini, Richard Wagner, Giuseppe Verdi, Franz Lehar, Leos Janacek Title: Karita Mattila - Arias & Scenes / Yutaka Sado, LPO Members Wishing: 0 Total Copies: 0 Label: Erato Original Release Date: 1/1/2001 Re-Release Date: 6/19/2001 Genres: Pop, Classical Styles: Vocal Pop, Opera & Classical Vocal, Historical Periods, Modern, 20th, & 21st Century Number of Discs: 1 SwapaCD Credits: 1 UPC: 685738578528 |
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Search - Karita Mattila, Yutaka Sado, London Philharmonic Orchestra :: Karita Mattila - Arias & Scenes / Yutaka Sado, LPO
 | Karita Mattila, Yutaka Sado, London Philharmonic Orchestra Karita Mattila - Arias & Scenes / Yutaka Sado, LPO Genres: Pop, Classical
This is a wonderful record. Karita Mattila's voice is ravishingly beautiful: velvety, caressing, intense, focused, gloriously radiant in the high register, full and warm in the low one, even in quality and purity throughou... more » |
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Amazon.com This is a wonderful record. Karita Mattila's voice is ravishingly beautiful: velvety, caressing, intense, focused, gloriously radiant in the high register, full and warm in the low one, even in quality and purity throughout a span of more than two octaves. She can color and inflect it at will. Her intonation, breath control, and phrasing are impeccable. Here, impersonating heroines from a heady mix of Russian, Czech, German, and Italian operas, Mattila displays an extraordinary vocal, stylistic, and emotional range--whether it's the wild despair of Janacek's Jenufa and Tchaikovsky's Lisa; the ecstasy of Wagner's Elsa and Sieglinde; the wistful nostalgia of Puccini's Manon and Verdi's Amelia (from Simon Boccanegra); the agonized outcry of Strauss's Chrysotemis; or the simplicity, humor, and charm of Lehar's Hanna, the famous Merry Widow. The program has the usual problems besetting excerpts from operas. The endings always seem arbitrarily cut off, and one of Sieglinde's arias begins in the middle. However, Mattila succeeds not only in setting mood and atmosphere, but also in creating real characters by purely musical and expressive means. The orchestra is excellent, balance and sound are first-rate, and Duncan Riddell plays the difficult violin solo in Jenufa's aria splendidly. --Edith Eisler Similar CDs
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CD ReviewsTrue Golden Age Singing! jonatanl | Malmö, Sweden | 07/06/2001 (5 out of 5 stars) "This recording is superb. She has always been brilliant on stage, but somehow recordings haven't been up to it until now. IMHO she's the greatest Elsa&Elisabeth since Elisabeth Grümmer, the greatest Sieglinde since Lotte Lehmann, the greatest Chrysothemis since Leonie Rysanek. She's a wonderful Lisa&Amelia/Maria, too. Her Jenufa is the definitive interpretation of the role. I only wish Manon Lescaut's "Sola, perduta, abbandonata" had been included. I have heard that she does it unforgettably on stage. Vilja-lied is better suited for other (lighter) sopranos.She's unique in how she's able to combine bel canto with huge Wagnerian column of sound. She has no real weaknesses. An incredibly pure and even voice throughout. Powerful middle and seamless legato. Her top notes sound huge when heard live. She's also an exciting vocal actress. Finally also her studio stuff shows the glory of her voice and art." Very wonderful jonatanl | 07/17/2001 (5 out of 5 stars) "As a matter of fact, I was interested in the conductor, not singer at first when I heard about this album. I suppose many of reviewers don't know about this young Japanese conductor, but he is very famous and popular in Japan. So it's natural for me to buy this because of the conductor, Yutaka Sado. But I listened to it, I was very surprised at Karita Mattila's wonderful singing. Her voice is very beautiful. From 1st track to 11th track, I'm very enjoyed it. I am looking forward to hearing to her next album. Of course, Sado's conducting is very wonderful, too!" Total excitement from Mattila in wide-ranging repertoire Bruce Hodges | New York, NY | 06/12/2003 (5 out of 5 stars) "It's not difficult to choose a highlight here: the stunning "Meditation and Prayer Scene" from Janacek's "Jenufa," eight minutes of some of the most moving singing you will ever hear. Alternating between stark drama and intimacy, the scene makes an unusual choice, and is perfect for Karita Mattila's powerful artistry.But everyone who hears this gorgeous recording will have favorites, such as the two Tchaikovsky selections from "Pique Dame," and Mattila's choices from "Lohengrin" and "Die Walkure" -- all precisely sung. And no matter how many times one encounters the aria from Puccini's "Manon Lescaut," it will rarely sound as effortless as it does here. The closing track, a frolicking "Vilja-Lied" from Lehar's "The Merry Widow," finds Mattila employing a slightly darker tone and adding mystery to a song that can sometimes sound relentlessly chirpy. In this case, it seems like a cannily judged encore, almost a balm following the intensity of music from "Elektra" that immediately precedes it. Conductor Yutaka Sado, whose work is new to me, is superb. He finds colors in every track and encourages the London Philharmonic to play with terrific tone and nuance. The entire orchestra sounds marvelous, but special mention must go to Duncan Riddell, whose sensitive, heartfelt violin solo in the Janacek is one of the highlights of the whole recording. The sound quality is excellent; Erato's warm, natural ambience suits Mattila's velvety voice perfectly.It would not be difficult to recommend this as one of the finest vocal recordings of recent years. In many ways, it's almost a model recital: a great artist, unusual selections, and intelligent collaboration from the conductor and orchestra -- just outstanding in every way."
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