MOZART

Vol. 24 Così fan tutte (Highlights)
Montserrat Caballé · Janet Baker · Ileana Cotrubas · Nicolai Gedda · Richard Van Allan · Wladimiro Ganzarolli · Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden · Sir Colin Davis

CD 446 246-2
PHILIPS

Mozart's dramma giocoso was premiered in 1790 in Vienna. Da Ponte's libretto, with its significant subtitle "The School for Lovers," shifts the story to Naples, but it was said that it really took place in Triest. In fact the story of the wager between two friends about the fidelity of their sweethearts stems from an old tradition handed down from Ovid via Ariost to Casti, Salieri's librettist. The latter, according to contemporaries, turned down the libretto, which Da Ponte offered to him first, with the words that it was unworthy of a musical setting. The story of the exchange of partners, the feeble resistance offered by the sisters Fiordiligi (Montserrat Caballé, dramatically tempermental but stylistically perfectly balanced) and Dorabella (Janet Baker, politely reserved) and the painful lessons learnt by their lovers Ferrando and Guglielmo (Nicolai Gedda and Wladimiro Ganzarolli, singing with style), all cleverly planned and stage-managed by the wise Don Alfonso (Richard van Allen in philosophical mode) with th3e assistance of the maidservant Despina (Ileana Cotrubas, roguish and slyly irresistible) becomes in Mozart's hands one of the most successful examples of music theatre of all time. Long criticised for the immorality of both story and music, Mozart's third last opera has nonetheless always managed to captivate audiences with its game of partner-swapping, its fast secco recitatives, magical arias, superb ensembles and thought-provoking happy (?) ending - as to which Sir Colin Davis leaves no doubt in this lovingly prepared recording.

The Best of the Complete Mozart Edition