Barbara Frittoli ~ Mozart / Sir Charles Mackerras, Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This disc of arias from five Mozart operas showcases the soprano Barbara Frittoli. When Graham Vick's ill-fated Don Giovanni was featured in the 2000 Glyndebourne season, almost the only thing that wasn't booed was Frittoli's Donna Anna: a model of decorum, elegance, and vocal poise amid the onstage carnage, which confirmed her status as one of the outstanding Mozart sopranos of the past decade. Elviras, Annas, Fiordiligis, and Contessas have become her stock-in-trade; and here they all are, represented on this disc (alongside an Electra from Idomeneo and the mini-drama of the concert aria "Bella mia fiamma, addio") in singing of extraordinary musicianship and stature. Stature is the word, because although Frittoli is young, the voice is grand with a deliberate, divalike imperiousness that seems to prize cultivation over spontaneity. And the tempi here are equally deliberate under the strong though sometimes oversolid baton of Sir Charles Mackerras. But no matter. These are classic readings of the standard arias and a useful document of the achievement of a rising star. --Michael White

Barbara Frittoli ~ Mozart / Sir Charles Mackerras, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Music, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sir Charles Mackerras, Barbara Frittoli, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Classical, Classical Artists, Classical Music, Classical Vocals, German/Austrian Classical Period Opera, Opera, Solo Voice(s) and Orchestra, Vocal

Mozart: Idomeneo, Re di Creta (KV 366)
Average customer rating:

a voice teacher and early music fan

Hail to the women

Beware the chorus

Beautiful!

A great recording, but..

Mozart: Idomeneo, Re di Creta (KV 366)
Lisa Milne , Barbara Frittoli , Scottish Chamber Orchestra , and Edinburgh Fesival Chorus
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Handel: Ariodante (Highlights)

ASIN: B000064691
Release Date: 2002-07-02

Tracks:

Overture
Act 1, Scene I Recitativo: Quando avran fine omai
Aria: Padre, germani, addio!
Recitativo: Ecco, Idamante, ahimh
Scene II-III: Recitativo: Radunate i Troiani, ite
Aria: Non ho colpa
Recitativo: Ecco il misero resto de'Troiani
Coro: Godiam la pace, trionfi Amore
Scene IV-V: Recitativo: Prence, signor, tutta la Grecia oltraggi
Scene VI: Recitativo: Estinto h Idomeneo?
Aria: Tutte nel cor vi sento
Scene VII: Coro - Piet`! Numi!, piet`
Scene VIII: Recitativo: Eccoci salvi alfin
Scene IX: Recitativo: Oh voi, di Marte e di Nettuno all'ire
Aria: Vedrommi intorno l'ombra dolente
Recitativo: Cieli! che veggo?
Scene X: Recitativo: Spiagge romite, e voi scoscese rupi
Aria: Il padre adorato
Intermezzo
Coro: Nettuno s'onori (Coro con soli)
Act 2, Scene I: Recitativo: Siam soli
Aria: Se il tuo duol se il mio desio
Scene II: Recitativo: Se mai pomposo apparse
Aria: Se il padre perdei
Scene III: Recitativo: Qual mi conturba i sensi equivoca favella?
Aria: Fuor del mar

Tracks:

Recitativo: Frettolosa e giuliva Elettra vien/Scene IV: Recitativo: Chi mai del mio provr piacer piy dolce?
Scene IV (continued): Aria: Idol mio, se ritroso
Marcia: Odo da lunge armonioso suono
Scene V: Recitativo: Sidonie spondi
Coro: Placido h il mar, andiamo
Scene VI: Recitativo: Vattene prence
Terzetto: Pria di partir, oh Dio!
Coro: Qual nuovo terrore!
Recitativo: Eccoti in me, barbaro Nume!
Coro: Corriamo, fuggiamo quel mostro spietato!
Act 3, Scene I: Recitativo: Solitudini amiche, aure amorose
Aria: Zeffiretti lusinghieri
Recitativo: Ei stesso vien...oh Dei!
Scene II: Recitativo: Principessa, a 'tuoi sguardi
Duetto: S'io non moro a questi accenti
Scene III, Recitativo: Cieli! che vedo?
Quartetto : Andrr ramingo e solo
Scene IV: Recitativo: Sire, alla reggia tua immensa turba
Scene V: Recitativo: Sventurata Sidon!
Aria: Se col` be'fati h scritto
Scene VI: Recitativo: Volgi intorno lo sguardo
Coro: Oh voto tremendo!
Scene VII
Cavatina con coro: Accogli, oh re del mar

Tracks:

Stupenda vittoria! (coro)/Scene VIII: Recitativo: Qual risuona qui intorno applauso di vittoria?
Scene IX: Recitativo: Padre, mio caro padre, ah dolce nome!
Recitativo: Oh filio! oh caro filio!
Aria: No, la morte
Recitativo: Ma che piy tardi?
Scene X: Recitativo: Ferma, oh sire, che fai?
Ha vinto Amore
Recitativo: Oh ciel pietoso!
Recitativo: Oh smania! Oh furie! Oh disperata Elettra!
Aria: D'Oreste, d'Aiace
Scena Ultima: Recitativo: Popoli, a voi l'ultima legge impone Idomeneo qual re
Aria: Torna la pace al core
Coro: Scenda Amor, scenda Idomeneo
Ballet: Chaconne: Pour le ballet (KV 367/January)
Larghetto: Annonce
La Chaconne, qui reprend: Annonce
Pas seul: Largo
Appendix: Ballo delle donne Cretesi: Gavotte

Amazon.com

Idomeneo was Mozart's first "great" opera, composed when he was just 25. A very serious work, coming in at over three hours and with few big set numbers (closed-end arias, duets, etc.), it has never been as popular as The Magic Flute, Figaro, and Don Giovanni. And when it is presented, it's normally because a famous tenor wants to show off his Mozartean style (both Pavarotti and Domingo have recorded it). But if there were ever a case for the work's greatness and "saleability," it's this recording. British tenor Ian Bostridge is ideal in the title role, and he sings the very difficult, first version of his second act aria with passion and ease; elsewhere, he's authoritative and moving. As his son, Idamante, Lorranine Hunt Lieberson proves herself one of the finest Mozarteans around. Lisa Milne makes a lovely Ilia, singing her arias beautifully. Barbara Frittoli moves away from her normal Verdi roles to portray the crazy Elettra with just the right mania, and Anthony Rolfe Johnson (who has sung the title role) is welcome in the role of Arbace. Conductor Mackerras presents the opera complete, and the playing and singing of the orchestra and chorus are brilliant. If you don't know Idomeneo already, now's the time to get acquainted. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-02-09

'Idomeneo' is usually classified as an 'opera seria', a form characterized by heroic emotion and dramatic purpose. Bursting with Mozart's abundant musical gifts, the work offers arias and ensemble pieces that explore the unhappy conflicts of each character. Written by Mozart at the age of 25; first performed in 1781, it reflects the operatic conventions of the time.

THE PLOT: Idomemeo, king of Crete, returning home victorious from war with Troy, encounters a threatening storm, and bargains with Neptune, in return for his fleet's safe passage, to sacrifice the first person he sees on shore, and of course, he sees his son (shades of the biblical Jephtha)Idamante first. Hoping to avoid Neptune's wrath, he sends his son away. Idamante is in love with a Trojan princess Ilia, and she loves him as does another female exilist Elettra. Naturally, breaking a vow to a god will have repercussions and Neptune sends a monster to ravish Crete. Our hero, Idamante slays the monster,and offers himself as the promised sacrifice, as does Ilia (what a surprise!), but an oracle intervenes (in Jephtha it was an angel), and everyone lives happily ever after (except the monster).
The performance of the singers on this disc is superb! Ian Bostridge in the role of Idomeneo is magnificent, both vocally and dramatically. He is one of the few singers that can make even a somewhat mundane recitative a thing of beauty!. Paired with Lorraine Hunt Lieberson as Idamante (his son) we have a marvelous duo, who fit very neatly together. Two of the strong points in this opera is, in fact, the use that Mozart makes of the duets, trios and quartets to enhance and beautify the various scenes. An example of this is the Terzetto 'Pri di partir, oh Dio!'at the end of Act II, sung by Idamante,Elettra and Idomeneo. Just excellent!!!!The way Mozart uses his chorus is reminiscent of Handel as he used it in his Oratorios. In this opera, it definately brings out and compliments the ensuing action. The Edinburgh Festival Chorus does a great job throughout the entire opera.

I cannot think of a better group of singers than you have before you on this disc. Ian Bostridge, with his resonant (especially in the upper register), dictionally precise, and very intelligent delivery vocally and dramatcally, is one of the greatest voices out of the UK. Lorraine Hunt has always been one of my personal favorite voices; to my knowledge never has given a 'weak' performance. All the singing is superior; combine that with Mozart, and what else do you need???

Hail to the women.......2006-10-09

The women rule this recording. The voices of Electra, Ilia and Idamante are differentiated enough that it is easy to follow who is wearing the dresses and who the trousers. I have trouble, however, accepting Ian Bostridge as the king of Crete. He's just too damned young. Instead of Idamante's father he sounds like his college roommate.

If it were possible to overlay Bruce Ford's Opera in English performance on top of this recording, I think we might have the definitive version.

Beware the chorus.......2004-04-30

I've seen quite a few reviews of this recording in various places, and it seems to elicit a wide variety of responses, so it's clearly one you need to hear for yourself. One thing I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned on this site, although critics generally have agreed on this however much they differ elsewhere, is the standard of the chorus: they really aren't up to the job. They sing with undoubted enthusiasm, but the results are amateurish, with the more extrovert numbers emerging rough and unnuanced (try the barking off-stage tenors in the 'storm' chorus following Elettra's first aria) while the more reflective numbers are simply flat and mushy, with no core to the tone. The chorus plays a far more significant role in this works than in any of Mozart's other mature operas, and for me the chorus here singlehandedly disqualify this recording from a top star rating.

Having said that, I have other problems with it as well. Bostridge undoubtedly sings well (his performance of the longer, more difficult 'Fuor del mar' is so effortless you almost fail to notice how virtuosic it is), but his very smoothly produced, 'ping'-less English tenor sound doesn't convey the anguish at the heart of this character the way it should. As Ilia, Lisa Milne, a singer I like very much, sings beautifully, but again without making as much of the character's emotional dilemma as she might: this is a Trojan princess who now finds herself with the status of a slave, unwillingly falling in love with the son of the man she views as responsible for the murder of her whole family. Her emotional struggle is central to the character's words and her music, but Milne doesn't capitalise on her opportunities. In recent years it has been the trend to cast Ilia with a lightish voice (Milne, McNair, Hendricks, Grant Murphy), but I feel a voice with more body and a range of tone colours would be more appropriate.

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, on the other hand, has character and emotional commitment in spades. Unfortunately the role lies too high for her, and consistently the higher notes, while always there, sound strained. Phrases emerge generally loud by necessity, limiting the possibilities for truly subtle phrase-shaping. All Idamante's music is recorded, including 'No, la morte', generally omitted because it is higher than the rest of the role: unfortunately I think Hunt Lieberson's rendition makes a better case for it's omission than its conclusion. Barbara Frittoli, another admirable artist, is a temperamental Elettra with a full, wide-ranging tone, but yet again I find the voice lacking in variety overall, while her intrusive vibrato on some notes is a problem, especially in 'Idol mio' which consequently lacks the right sense of repose. In minor roles, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, once an excellent Idomeneo, now sounds thin and elderly as Arbace - perhaps not inappropriate for the character, but not terribly attractive to listen to, particularly with both arias included - while the priest and the voice of Neptune are both satisfactory, but even these small roles have been sung more memorably.

Mackerras has opted for an 'authentic' approach to the score with mostly modern instruments. The result is less exciting than in Gardiner's period-instrument performance, and many of Mozart's innovations in the orchestral score seem comparatively masked, partly by the more homogenised sound of the modern orchestra and partly by a slightly vague recording quality.

Beautiful!.......2004-03-26

Being a big fan of Mozart opera, I thought that this was a wonderful opera set. The cast is amazing and the singers really know what they are doing.

I do think that Bostridge's voice may have been a bit small for this role, but it's not bad and he sings well.

Lorraine Hunt has a beautiful voice and shines on all her arias.

Brava, brava, brava!

A great recording, but.........2003-01-03

Listening to this recording i had the impression that Idomeneo is really a masterpiece. But i had some deceptions: Anthony Rolfh Johnson is borring and the charismatic Ian Bostridge sings beautifully but does'nt have the streght for the role. The orchestra plays very well and the recording is captured in excellent sound. Lorraine Hunt is excellent and Barbara Fritolli, moving, despite an excessive vibrato. This is a good recordng, but this opera demands much more.

Barbara Frittoli ~ Mozart / Sir Charles Mackerras, Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Average customer rating:

Barbara Frittoli: A Sign of the Times
Un disco de escucha obligatoria: Brava Frittoli!
Truly Amazing!
She ain't heavy...or is she?
drama and beauty

Barbara Frittoli ~ Mozart / Sir Charles Mackerras, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Sir Charles Mackerras , Barbara Frittoli , and Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000059QV1
Release Date: 2001-04-17

Tracks:

Cosi fari tutte: Temerari, sortite...Come scoglio
Cosi fari tutte: El parte...Per pieta
Le nozze di Figaro: Porgi, amor
Le nozze di Figaro: E Susanna non vien!... Dove song
Idomeneo, re di Creta: O smania! oh furie!...D'Oreste, d'Alace
Don Giovanni: In quali eccessi, o Numi...Mi tradi quell'alma ingrata
Don Giovanni: Crudele!...Non mi dir
Bella mia fiamma, addio!: Concert aria K 528

Amazon.com

This disc of arias from five Mozart operas showcases the soprano Barbara Frittoli. When Graham Vick's ill-fated Don Giovanni was featured in the 2000 Glyndebourne season, almost the only thing that wasn't booed was Frittoli's Donna Anna: a model of decorum, elegance, and vocal poise amid the onstage carnage, which confirmed her status as one of the outstanding Mozart sopranos of the past decade. Elviras, Annas, Fiordiligis, and Contessas have become her stock-in-trade; and here they all are, represented on this disc (alongside an Electra from Idomeneo and the mini-drama of the concert aria "Bella mia fiamma, addio") in singing of extraordinary musicianship and stature. Stature is the word, because although Frittoli is young, the voice is grand with a deliberate, divalike imperiousness that seems to prize cultivation over spontaneity. And the tempi here are equally deliberate under the strong though sometimes oversolid baton of Sir Charles Mackerras. But no matter. These are classic readings of the standard arias and a useful document of the achievement of a rising star. --Michael White

Customer Reviews:

Barbara Frittoli: A Sign of the Times.......2005-03-22

Decades ago it was quite rare to hear Italians singing Mozart, but in recent years we have been blessed with many fine Italian Mozarteans, including Cecilia Bartoli, Giuseppe Sabbatini, Alessandro Corbelli, Ferrucio Furlanetto - and Barbara Frittoli. Soprano Frittoli's Mozart CD offers several of the composer's best-known arias for soprano -- Fiordiligi's from COSI FAN TUTTE and the Countess' from LE NOZZE DI FIGARO; Donna Elvira's "Mi tradi" and Donna Anna's "Non mi dir" from DON GIOVANNI - plus Elettra's furious "D'Oreste, d'Aiace" from IDOMENEO and a concert aria, "Bella mia fiamma, addio." Frittoli's voice is amber in hue and gloriously even from top to bottom, with a rich, Italianate vibrato. If her arias from COSI lack in character compared to Bartoli's renditions of the same arias (on her now-classic "Mozart Portraits" CD), this is because Frittoli is an essentially MUSICAL artist who does not so much CREATE a character as sing as though she IS the character. Frittoli's is a good CD to buy if you want the most famous of Mozart's soprano arias on one disc; but I would also highly recommend Bartoli's "Mozart Portraits" (to my mind, the greatest Mozart collection ever recorded) and Renee Fleming's beautiful "Mozart Arias."

Un disco de escucha obligatoria: Brava Frittoli!.......2003-10-25

En este disco descubrimos las tremendas cualidades para el canto mozartiano de esa gran soprano que es BARBARA FRITTOLI: voz carnosa, bella y uniforme, de timbre doliente muy adecuado a los personajes atormentados que aquí aparecen (Fiordiligi, Condesa, Elettra, Donna Anna, Donna Elvira y un aria de concierto) hacen de esta soprano lirica italiana una de las maximas referencias actuales para el canto mozartiano, y de este disco un testimonio que hace justicia a esta gran interprete. Lástima que un ligero vibratto afee la prestacion de Frittoli en algunos (pocos, muy pocos) momentos. SIR CHARLES MACKERRAS dirige con brio a la ORQUESTA DE CAMARA DE ESCOCIA, en un disco que se antoja corto, y de programa muy visto ya antes, pero que pese a todo esto es de lo mas recomendable. Probablemente Frittoli sea la mejor soprano lirica mozartiana del momento. Un disco para escuchar a Mozart cantado de manera muy notable.

Truly Amazing!.......2003-01-24

In an era of small voiced lyric sopranos screaming their throats out to be heard, it is refreshing to hear a true lirico-spinto soprano. Barbara Frittoli has a huge,agile, and glorious voice. I've seen her sing Donna Anna and Desdemona at the Met and she is a vision. She has a prodigious technique and is an artist of the highest caliber. Anyone who loves Mozart will love this CD. It is full of passion, power, love, hate, vengenance, and soulful pity. Ms. Frittoli is a truly sublime soprano. Buy, you'll love it.

She ain't heavy...or is she?.......2001-11-20

I am by no means an expert on classical singing, although it makes up a good 75% of what I listen to. For references, I prefer Renee Fleming to most any soprano out there, Cecilia Bartoli to Jennifer Larmore, Domingo to Pavarotti (Domingo being the better actor) etc. Frittoli to me has a voice better suited to Verdi than Mozart. It is a heavier sound than those I customarily associate with Mozart, but then, as I said, I'm no authority. Let's just say that I prefer the Mozart albums of Dessay or Fleming or even Kathleen Battle to this. Frittoli's bottom notes seem forced, her tone patchy at times. The top is lovely, but all in all seems not well-matched to the material. I look forward to her Verdi album to see if I'm not right -- at least in my own mind!

drama and beauty.......2001-10-10

Barbara Frittoli is a relative newcomer to the international scene but has now started to sing at the Met in NYC so should become better known to American audiences.

This recital shows her abilities in Mozart quite well with natural, flowing tempos set by Charles Mackerras. Ms. Frittoli has performed most of these roles on stage (Elvira in Paris, Anna at Glyndebourne, the Countess at La Scala, etc.) and this stage experience comes through in the characterizations and coloring of words. Her fiery Elettra stopped an August concert "Idomeneo" in its tracks after "D'Oreste, d'Aiace" at the Edinburgh Festival and I look forward to that complete recording (Mackerras: Bostridge, Milne, Frittoli, Hunt Lieberson) immensely. She is nothing if not dramatic with a true Italian intensity and rolling "r"s. This is an intelligent, wellsung and wellconducted recital. Keep an eye out for this lady to take her place among the best Verdi and Mozart singers of her generation and hear her now in her early prime.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Meet the Residents

Percy Grainger Plays Schumann: Sonata No. 2 in G minor; Symphonic Etudes Op. 13 / Brahms: Sonata No. 3 in F minor Op. 5

Portishead

Meet the Jazztet

Critical Review 1969-1972 [Import]

So Fine: The Pompeii Sessions

So Thankful

Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 1; Rachmaninov: Concerto for piano in Dm

Rockin Hepcat Rockabilly [Import]

Prokofiev: Scythian Suite; Alexander Nevsky

Polar AC [Import]

No Lo Compliques [Import]

Mi Mayor Sacrificio

Out of Uranus

Glow