Claudio Abbado - Mozart: Don Giovanni (1997) [2004 SACD]

Two of the world’s finest operatic baritones make this a particularly distinguished recording. Simon Keenlyside’s Giovanni is a Spanish aristocrat with a streak of cold savagery and mitigating charm. He is ideally complemented by Bryn Terfel’s lusty and mockingly servile Leporello. They strike sparks off each other, especially in the supper scene with Marti Salminen’s powerful Commendatore. The Finnish mezzo-soprano Soile Isokoski, one of the year’s rapidly rising stars, is a fiery Elvira and Carmela Remigio’s Anna is a striking interpretation. Uwe Heilmann’s Ottavio is a let-down, but Ildebrando d’Arcangelo and Patrizia Pace are well cast as Masetto and Zerlina. The orchestra responds to Abbado’s lively interpretation with stylish playing and the recording, based on a 1997 production in Ferrara, is first-class.

Tracks:

SACD 1:
1 Overture [5:54]
Atto 1
2 “Notte e giorno faticar” [5:26]
Simon Keenlyside, Matti Salminen, Carmela Remigio, Bryn Terfel,
Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
3 “Leporello, ove sei?” [0:35]
Simon Keenlyside, Bryn Terfel, Claudio Abbado, Chamber Orchestra of Europe
4 “Ah! del padre in periglio” – “Ma qual mai s’offre, o Dei” [2:42]
5 “Fuggi, crudele, fuggi!” [3:57]
Carmela Remigio, Uwe Heilmann, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
6 “Orsù, spicciati presto” [1:40]
Bryn Terfel, Simon Keenlyside, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
7 “Ah! chi mi dice mai” – “Udisti? qualche bella” [3:36]
8 “Chi è là?” [2:57]
Simon Keenlyside, Bryn Terfel, Soile Isokoski, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
9 “Madamina, il catalogo è questo” [5:37]
Bryn Terfel, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
10 “In questa forma dunque” [0:32]
Soile Isokoski, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
11 “Giovinette, che fate all’amore” [1:28]
Ildebrando d’ Arcangelo, Patrizia Pace, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
12 “Manco male, è partita” [2:17]
Ildebrando d’ Arcangelo, Simon Keenlyside, Bryn Terfel, Patrizia Pace, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
13 “Ho capito, signor sì!” [1:35]
Ildebrando d’ Arcangelo, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
14 “Alfin siam liberati” [2:02]
15 “Là ci darem la mano” [2:55]
Simon Keenlyside, Patrizia Pace, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
16 “Fermati, scellerato!” [0:43]
Simon Keenlyside, Soile Isokoski, Patrizia Pace, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
17 “Ah, fuggi il traditor” [1:10]
Soile Isokoski, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
18 “Mi par ch’oggi il demonio si diverta” [1:13]
19 “Non ti fidar, o misera” [3:59]
Simon Keenlyside, Carmela Remigio, Uwe Heilmann, Soile Isokoski, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
20 “Povera sventurata!” [0:22]
Simon Keenlyside, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
21 “Don Ottavio… son morta!” [3:06]
Carmela Remigio, Uwe Heilmann, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
22 “Or sai chi l’onore” [2:37]
Carmela Remigio, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
23 “Come mai creder deggio” [0:35]
24 “Dalla sua pace” [4:22]
Uwe Heilmann, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
Total Playing Time [1:01:20]


SACD 2:
Atto 1
1 “Io deggio ad ogni patto” [1:48]
Simon Keenlyside, Bryn Terfel, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
2 “Fin ch’han dal vino” [1:21]
Simon Keenlyside, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
3 “Masetto… senti un po’…” [1:11]
Patrizia Pace, Ildebrando d’ Arcangelo, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
4 “Batti, batti, o bel Masetto” [3:31]
Patrizia Pace, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
5 “Guarda un po’ come seppe questa strega” [0:36]
Simon Keenlyside, Ildebrando d’ Arcangelo, Patrizia Pace, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
6 “Presto, presto… pria ch’ei venga” [1:55]
Patrizia Pace, Ildebrando d’ Arcangelo, Simon Keenlyside, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado, Coro Di Ferrara Musica, Giordano Tunioli
7 “Tra quest’arbori celata” [2:17]
Simon Keenlyside, Ildebrando d’ Arcangelo, Patrizia Pace, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
8 “Bisogna aver corragio” [3:45]
Simon Keenlyside, Carmela Remigio, Uwe Heilmann, Bryn Terfel, Soile Isokoski, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
9 “Riposate, vezzose ragazze” [8:33]
Simon Keenlyside, Ildebrando d’ Arcangelo, Carmela Remigio, Uwe Heilmann, Bryn Terfel, Soile Isokoski, Patrizia Pace, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
Atto 2
10 “Eh via, buffone, non mi seccar” [1:04]
11 “Leporello!” [2:04]
Simon Keenlyside, Bryn Terfel, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
12 “Ah! taci, ingiusto core” [4:30]
13 “Amico, che ti par?” [2:07]
Simon Keenlyside, Bryn Terfel, Soile Isokoski, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
14 “Deh! vieni alla finestra” [2:03]
Simon Keenlyside, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
15 “V’è gente alla finestra” [1:16]
Simon Keenlyside, Ildebrando d’ Arcangelo, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
16 “Metà di voi qua vadano” [2:46]
Simon Keenlyside, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
17 “Zitto… Lascia ch’io senta… Ottimamente” [2:05]
Simon Keenlyside, Ildebrando d’ Arcangelo, Patrizia Pace, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
18 “Vedrai, carino” [3:22]
Patrizia Pace, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
19 “Di molte faci il lume” [0:32]
Bryn Terfel, Soile Isokoski, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
20 “Sola, sola in buio loco” [7:21]
Carmela Remigio, Ildebrando d’ Arcangelo, Uwe Heilmann, Bryn Terfel, Soile Isokoski, Patrizia Pace, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
21 “Dunque quello sei tu” [0:23]
Uwe Heilmann, Ildebrando d’ Arcangelo, Soile Isokoski, Patrizia Pace, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
22 “Ah! pietà, signori miei!” [1:46]
Bryn Terfel, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
23 “Ferma, perfido; ferma” [0:45]
Uwe Heilmann, Ildebrando d’ Arcangelo, Soile Isokoski, Patrizia Pace, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
24 “Il mio tesoro intanto” [4:07]
Uwe Heilmann, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
Total Playing Time [1:01:08]


SACD 3:
Atto 2
1 In quali eccessi, o numi [1:55]
2 “Mi tradì quell’alma ingrata” (K540c, Aria) [3:55]
Soile Isokoski, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
3 “Ah! ah! ah! questa è buona!” [4:30]
4 “O statua gentilissima” [3:33]
Simon Keenlyside, Matti Salminen, Bryn Terfel, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
5 “Calmatevi, idol mio” [0:58]
Carmela Remigio, Uwe Heilmann, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
6 “Crudele? Ah no! mio bene!” [1:44]
7 “Non mi dir, bell’idol mio” [5:03]
Carmela Remigio, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
8 “Ah, si segua il suo passo” [0:18]
Uwe Heilmann, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
9 “Già la mensa è preparata” [4:20]
Bryn Terfel, Simon Keenlyside, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
10 “L’ultima prova” [3:21]
Simon Keenlyside, Bryn Terfel, Soile Isokoski, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado
11 “Don Giovanni, a cenar teco m’invitasti” [6:40]
Simon Keenlyside, Matti Salminen, Bryn Terfel, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado, Coro Di Ferrara Musica, Giordano Tunioli
12 “Ah! dov’è il perfido?” [6:21]

Personnel:

Conductor
Claudio Abbado

Performers
Don Giovanni: Simon Keenlyside
Donna Anna: Carmela Remigio
Donna Elvira: Soile Isokoski
Zerlina: Patrizia Pace
Don Ottavio: Uwe Heilmann
Leporello: Bryn Terfel
Masetto: Ildebrando d’Arcangelo
Commendatore: Matti Salminen
Ferrara Musica Chorus
Chamber Orchestra of Europe