Search - Leontyne Price, Mozart :: Sings Mozart

The Underrated But Most Glorious Mozart Soprano Of All Time

01/14/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There was a time when Leontyne Price performed Mozart operas at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and at the premier stage for Mozart opera- the Salzburg Festival in Austria. Those who heard her sing the Countess in Le Nozze Di Figaro, Dona Ana and Dona Elvira in Don Giovanni, Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte and Pamina in the Magic Flute attest to her brilliant Mozartian vocal gifts. This recording captures her resplendent Mozartian voice from the years 1965-1969, although tracks 11-12 "O Smania! D'Oreste D'Ajace" from Idomeneo was recorded in 1977. I prefer not to call attention to the highly critical and negative detractors' comments regarding their views on Leontyne's lack of true Mozartian vocal talent. They say those things only because Leontyne was unfortunately singing Mozart at a time when the more famous Mozart singers were Euroopean- Anneliese Rothenberger, Elisabeth Schwartzkopff, Lucia Popp, Edith Mathis, Gundula Janowitz, Sena Jurinac and other mostly German sopranos. Plus, they still believe that lighter voices are appropriate to Mozart opera. Leontyne's lyrico-spinto, heavy dramatic voice has always been attached to Verdi and Puccini but without a doubt, after hearing this recording, one can easily envision what a supreme Mozartian soprano she would have made. This album contains some arias that were later issued in the Prima Donna Collection, an extensive collection of diverse operatic repertoire Leontyne sang over the course of her career.



From the opening concert aria "Chio Mi Scordi", I was instantly enthralled by the lush and luxuriant beauty of her voice. She sings with delicate attention to detail, with consummate musicianship, and beautiful purity of tone. This same clean, smooth and bright, radiant, girlish sound is also evident in the lyrically lingering arias in Idomeneo "Se Il Padre Perdei" (track 4) and especially in "L'Amero Saro Cosntante" (track 8)from Il Re Pastore. The concert arias "Bella Mia Fiamma" and "Resta O Cara" (tracks 9-10) are exquisite and virtuosic works for the soprano voice. Throughout all these lyric, beautiful arias, Leontyne displays agility, coloratura flexibility, and total breath control. The pianissimi are to die for. There is truly no other soprano who can compare, not even Elisabeth Schwartzkopff (sorry fans of Schwartzkopff). Leontyne exudes pain and deep melancholia in the arias "Ach Ich Fuhls" Pamina's woeful aria from The Magic Flute and in "Porgi Amor" and "Dove Sono" arias for the Contessa in Le Nozze Di Figaro. Pamina's requiem-like aria is a statement of grief as she believes she has lost her beloved Tamino forever. The Countess's recollections of happy days with her husband who now rejects her is also very moving. Leontyne tones her voice so that she sings in an appropriately hushed and melancholy manner. Thankfully, she is singing with all the pretty techniques that she employed in her younger and heady days of her career, with absolutely no annoying lisps, grating high register, growling chest register or sloppy diction she would later develop in the 1970's as evidenced in her later 70's RCA recordings. What I love most are the fiery arias of Dona Ana- "Don Ottavio Son Morta!" and "Or Sai Chi L'onore". Here, Dona Ana recognizes her assailant, Don Giovanni, and she is overcome with horror and righteous indignation. However, she is no wilting flower. She is has a will of steel and demands vengeance for the death of her father and for the attempted rape. Leontyne sings with technical bravura and vigor, but maintains an incredibly feminine and pretty voice. The slow haunting aria "Non Mi Dir" is gorgeous, and even the coloratura caballeta "Forse Un Giorno Il Cielo" does not wear her down. Leontyne Price has never sounded better, I must admit. If only this collection also included Fiordiligi arias from Cosi Fan Tutte. Certainly "Come Scoglio" was a masterpiece of voice in Leontyne's chords. The difficult music for Fiordiligi was not a problem for the ever ready Leontyne Price and I sincerely believe that no other Fiordiligi can beat her to this day. The same applies to her unsurpassed performances as Dona Ana and Dona Elvira. All fans of Leontyne will not want to be without this sumptuous album."

Brava Price

02/09/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Leontyne Price may not be the best Mozart singer of her generation but she showed us in this CD that she had all potentials to be one if she wanted to. Listen to how she changed the color of her voice for different arias. She could sound very fragile when she sang Pamina or very furious when she sang Donna Anna. The highlights are Le Contessa arias from "Le Nozze di Figaro" which she never sang on the stage. Her "Porgi Amor" is so gorgeous and can be ranked one of the best on the records."