Mozart - Le nozze di Figaro / Te Kanawa, Popp, von Stade, Ramey, T. Allen, Moll, London Phil., Solti [Box set]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
A strong cast--with Lucia Popp a radiant Susanna and Frederica Von Stade deliciously precocious as Cherubino--makes this Figaro a delight from start to finish. Georg Solti presides masterfully, uncorking a propulsive reading with all the fizz of vintage champagne. --Ted Libbey

Mozart - Le nozze di Figaro / Te Kanawa, Popp, von Stade, Ramey, T. Allen, Moll, London Phil., Solti, Music, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Kiri Te Kanawa, Samuel Ramey, Sir Georg Solti, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Frederica von Stade, Thomas Allen, Lucia Popp, Kurt Moll, Yvonne Kenny, London Opera Chorus, Classical, Classical Music, German/Austrian Classical Period Opera, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Opera/Operetta
Mozart - Le nozze di Figaro / Te Kanawa, Popp, von Stade, Ramey, T. Allen, Moll, London Phil., Solti
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Cast Consists Full of Stars
  • unfriendly liner notes
  • A kinder, gentler Solti, but chilly singing
  • Superstar Roster a/k/a What the NY Yankees Have Taught Us
  • All-Star Cast Sings Mozart's Nozze Di Figaro
 Mozart - Le nozze di Figaro / Te Kanawa, Popp, von Stade, Ramey, T. Allen, Moll, London Phil., Solti
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Kiri Te Kanawa , Samuel Ramey , Sir Georg Solti , London Philharmonic Orchestra , Frederica von Stade , Thomas Allen , Lucia Popp , Kurt Moll , Yvonne Kenny , and London Opera Chorus
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus MozartAll Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Allen, ThomasAllen, Thomas | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Solti, Sir GeorgSolti, Sir Georg | ( S ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
London Philharmonic OrchestraLondon Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Classical (c.1770-1830)Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances
GermanGerman | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
OperettasOperettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Te Kanawa, KiriTe Kanawa, Kiri | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Von Stade, FredericaVon Stade, Frederica | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ClassicalClassical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
Opera & VocalOpera & Vocal | Box Sets | Stores | Music
The Decca Records StoreThe Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B0000041OU
Release Date: 1984-03-12

Tracks:

  1. Le nozze di Figaro: Overture
  2. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 1: Duetto - Cinque...dieci...venti - (Figaro) (Susanna)
  3. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 1: Duetto - Se a caso madama - (Figaro) (Susanna)
  4. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 1: Recitativo e cavatina - Bravo, signor padrone!...Se vuol ballare - (Figaro)
  5. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 1: Aria - La vendetta - Bartolo
  6. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 1: Duetto - Via resti servita - (Susanna)
  7. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 1: Aria - Non so piu - (Cherubino)
  8. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 1: Terzetto - Cosa sento! - (Susanna)
  9. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 1: Aria - Non piu andrai - (Figaro)
  10. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 2: Cavatina - Porgi amor - (Countess)
  11. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 2: Canzona - Voi che sapete - (Cherubino)
  12. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 2: Aria - Venite...inginocchiatevi... - (Susanna)

Tracks:

  1. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 2: Recitativo - Che, Contessa - (Countess) (Count)
  2. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 2: Terzetto - Susanna or via sortite - (Count) (Countess) (Susanna)
  3. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 2: Duettino - Aprite, presto, aprite - (Susanna) (Cherubino)
  4. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 2: Finale - Esci, ormai, garzon malnato - (Count)
  5. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 2: Signori, di fuori son gia - (Figaro)
  6. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 2: Voi signor, che giusto siete - Bartolo
  7. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 3: Recitativo - Che imbarazzo e mai questo - (Count)
  8. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 3: Duetto - Crudel! perche finora - (Count) (Susanna)
  9. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 3: Recitativo ed aria - Hai gia vinta la causa - (Count)
  10. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 3: Sestetto - Riconosci in questo amplesso - (Figaro) (Bartolo) (Count) (Susanna)

Tracks:

  1. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 3: Recitativo ed aria - E Susanna non vien! ... Dove sono (Countess)
  2. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 3: Recitative e duetto - Cosa mi narri!... Che soave zefiretto (Countess)
  3. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 3: Finale - Ecco la marcia (Figaro)
  4. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 4: Cavatina - L'ho perduta
  5. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 4: Aria - Il capro e la capretta
  6. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 4: Aria - In quegli anni (Basilio)
  7. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 4: Recitativo ed aria - Tutto e disposto...Aprite un po' quegl'occhi (Figaro)
  8. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 4: Recitativo ed aria - Giunse alfin el momento ... Deh vieni, non tardar (Susanna)
  9. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 4: Finale - Pian pianin le andro piu presso (Cherubino)
  10. Le nozze di Figaro: Act 4: Gente, gente, all'armi, all'armi (Count)

Amazon.com essential recording

A strong cast--with Lucia Popp a radiant Susanna and Frederica Von Stade deliciously precocious as Cherubino--makes this Figaro a delight from start to finish. Georg Solti presides masterfully, uncorking a propulsive reading with all the fizz of vintage champagne. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Cast Consists Full of Stars .......2007-06-28

I really love this opera, I mean the "Figaro." I never get tire of it. The music just flows endlessly, nonstop, no break. The voices and the orchestra are in complete harmony. It is like a symphony played with human voices. It can be performed in a big house having a cast lead by big named singers or in a provincial theatre by an ensemble. It will never go wrong. I collected so many recordings of it, in LP, ADD, DDD, or DVD, more than one or two versions in each format. Listen to all these records again and again, plus attending live performance in opera houses, and watching broadcast programs on television, I am on the verge of being overloaded. Some might say that I should be pretty confused about this whole thing by now. Well, probably.
There are many Figaro recordings consist all stars in the casting (of the five principal roles). Some even filled the sixth major role (Dr. Bartoro) with someone also a star. For this recording, when I put "Full of Stars" in the title of this review, I mean all the soloists (ten in all) were either big-star at the time of record making or on their way to become stars. That is really something. It is not always possible to assemble a big group of talent in one album. You don't find any other opera album has a cast like this one.
As far as a review goes, there are 41 of them ahead of this one. I agree with those positive comments they made on the conductor, and the singers. Whatever needed to be said has been said; it makes this one unnecessary. Inspired by the review of "Mr. Wellio," I just could not resist not to joining the discussion. But my assessment takes on a broader scope; it goes beyond just comparing two albums (the EMI/Giulini and the Decca/Solti).
Let it be clear that all of us have our own preference in everything. The case in point is about "Figaro," how should each character/role should sound like, among all the singers who would best suit to a certain role, etc. So, when we write a review to express our opinion, some bias is unavoidable.
Since this is a Mozart opera, naturally it should be performed in a Viennese tradition. There are two albums that are still available in the market that do just that. Both albums were done with celebrated conductors and singers of the Staatsoper Wien. All were the best of their time. Each was positioned to the role that suited his or her voice. The first album is the 1950 EMI recording, which was led by Herbert von Karajan (now digitally re-mastered, sell under the Regis label). The second one is the 1955 DECCA recording (digitally re-mastered in 1999), which was led by Erich Kleiber. The present disc, the DECCA/Solti version was made in 1981. It was a digital recording to begin with.
Now, what is my dream cast for Figaro? I would go for Giulinin for conductor. The singers names listed below are picked from all the artists that I know about their works, not necessary from any particular album. It is as if they exist in the same time frame, all in their prime.
Figaro: Giuseppe Taddei - If Cesare Siepi is the ultimate Don, I don't think any one can surpass Taddei for Figaro. He is the total Figaro, so alive, with an unlimited power. Just listen to the "Non piu andrai" in the EMI/Giulini disc, you know what I mean. I had the pleasure to watch him on stage (as Figaro). It was totally amazing.
Susanna: Lucia Popp - Susanna has to be a soubrette, or something similar. Schwarzkopf preferred Irmgard Seefried. I think Lucia Popp is the best. Besides, Popp has built her reputation on Sophie and Susanna. There is no mistake about that.
Countess: Carol Vaness (Alternate: Elisabeth Schwarzkopf) - The countess is not a soubrette, but needs to be sung by a reputable "Mozart singer."
Kiri was surely a wonderful Countess, so were Lisa della Casa and Fleming (she was a well thought-of Countess and has done the part so many times along the way to becoming the `Rene Flaming'). But if you really go for the voice, take Vaness. For perfection, it has to be Schwarzkopf.
Count: George London - Despite his fame, I always think he was too rigid, too rough. I never thought he would suit for Mozart. But the Regis/Karajan disc convinced me.
Cherubino: Frederica von Stade - This role was written for a soprano. Though not a soprano, her range, her clear tone, just makes her unique, fits the role perfectly.
A final note: All things considered, I consider this album (Decca/Solti) the best, in terms of singing, directing and sound. It should be aware that all the singers on this disc and many of those mentioned by the reviewers here and elsewhere were retired from the roles they sang, if not dead. The next generation of great or almost great Mozart singers has not yet arrived. It is interesting to note that one reviewer did mention Alison Hagley for Susanna. I think it is a very clever way to put it. How about Bryn Terfel? He is OK if he stops becoming too commercial. Angelika Kirchschlager? I never heard her sang Cherubino. Despite she received positive review on a recent Figaro recording; I still imagine that her voice might not be high enough for the role.

4 out of 5 stars unfriendly liner notes.......2006-03-08

I bought this version principally becaue of Kiri Te Kanawa'a countess. Its worth it for that alone.
I agree with another reviewer who found the grouping of tracks and synopsis a little less friendly ( especially for those of us who are new to the complete work and want to follow along with the libretto in hand)

3 out of 5 stars A kinder, gentler Solti, but chilly singing.......2005-09-24

British critics in genreal love this set, with its cool, unhumorous, respectful approach to Mozart. Dame Kiri sets the tone in her two arais as the Countess, both soporifically slow but sung with purity and gleaming tone. Nobody else really catches fire, either. If you want a Figaro that's warm and witty, go for Ostman or Giulini or Levine or Kleiber or....

4 out of 5 stars Superstar Roster a/k/a What the NY Yankees Have Taught Us.......2005-03-06

Here it is, the Greatest Sequel Ever to that blockbuster known as The Barber of Seville. The Godfather II to Godfather I. If the first Godfather was all myth and grand gestures, the second brought it all down to a human scale yet losing none of that mythical stature. So follows Mozart/Da Ponte's adaptation of Beaumarchais' second part of his great social comedy trilogy through the eyes of a certain barber named Figaro. In the version of this opera, instead of Pacino, De Niro, Keaton, Duvall, Cazale we've got Allen, Te Kanawa, Popp, Ramey and von Stade - a superstar roster to make the stars in heaven jealous. A superstar roster that, just like the NY Yankees, most certainly guarantees victory ... right? No doubt, everything you hear about Te Kanawa is true - her performance as the Countess Rosina is glorious. So are Popp and von Stade as Susanna (the heart of the opera) and Cherubino (comic relief), respectively. Together they form a trio that is one of the treasures in all of operatic recordings. The only weak female performance here is a moany and wobbly Marcellina. As for the men, it's a bit more problematic. Technically, they are the height of professionalism - and Mozart's music is virtually foolproof - but only one, Thomas Allen as Count Almaviva, manages to dig deep and give a truly great acting performance. Ramey is an interestingly virile Figaro, but doesn't pull of a three-dimensional character. The other men, albeit secondary characters, range from very good (Moll as Bartolo) to lame (Tear as Don Basilio) who manages to kill the momentum with 'In quegli anni' in Act IV. Notwithstanding all the great talent on this team, in the end what's missing is great chemistry. In the ensembles, where some of Mozart's greatest genius shines, they fail to generate that extra spark, though they communicate the music with plenty of fervor. Perhaps too many egos prevent real chemistry? As for Solti, he's a terrific manager. After a thrilling overture which makes the heart flutter with anticipation of greatness, he makes good on that promise - until somewhere after the Countess' great aria in Act III - perhaps Solti becomes weary of handling all the egos and submits into a perfunctory professionalism. The music rendering here becomes lax and uncommitted. Mozart's opera, as great as it is, is very long and can suffer from "sameness" by the time Act IV comes around - it takes a truly great vision to keep the inspiration flowing to the end. In the end, we have a recording that is often inspired, beautifully sung, skillfully produced but shy of essential and not quite out of the ballpark.
Act I & II:***** Act III:**** Act IV:**

Other references: Top recommendation from Penguin Guide, NPR Guide and Rough Guide; High recommendation from Jim Svejda's classical guides

5 out of 5 stars All-Star Cast Sings Mozart's Nozze Di Figaro.......2004-05-05

Wow. Talk about a lot of talent in a single performance. This recording of Mozart's Le Nozze Di Figaro is one of the best you'll ever find. The only other I can think of that is as good is the Claudio Abbado recording with Cecilia Bartoli as Cherubino. This recording is well-done as far as sound and the strong cast makes it very valuable. Kiri Te Kanawa, a Mozart singer of the highest calibre, makes a truly memorable and human Countess, whose situation we truly sympathize with. Te Kanawa has a rich melodic voice of angelic beauty. Not only does she truly capture the spirit of the Countess, she is a lesson for all sopranos singing the role. It was her debut role. The Countess is perhaps the most noble character other than Figaro in the opera. She has been temporarily jilted by her husband the Count because he has the hots for Figaro's fiancee Susannah. The Count, a bit of a jerk, is a dominant and blatantly male figure who did'nt even bother to realize that he desired his best friends' wife. Very ungrateful considering that in the prequel The Barber of Seville by Rossini Figaro had helped him win the hand of the Countess. The role of the philandering Count is played by Thomas Allen in a great performance.

The cast also includes Samuel Ramey as Figaro. Ramey had sung Figaro (or dubbed the voice) in the 1984 Amadeus film. He is not famous for this role. Samuel Ramey is best remembered for his villains and devilish characters- the Devil in Mephistopheles and Faust, the four villains in Tales Of Hoffman and Scarpia in Tosca. But as the noble Figaro, he is deliviring a good job. His baritone or bass voice becomes very healing rather than intense or frightening. Kurt Moll is in here too as Bartolo and is doing a funny performance. Lucia Popp sings Susanna with aplomb. Her voice is always beautiful to hear and she puts a lot of effort in her performances, plus she is well-known. Frederica Van Strade sings the trouser role of Cherubino, which was a trademark of hers. She is sensational. This is the recording to have of Mozart's comedy about human flaws, love and the crazy going-ons in a single day in the villa of a Count who learns his lesson by the end of the day. Based on Beamarchais social satire Figaro.

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