Gratuitous Friday – Malin Hartelius is Rosina (No, Not That One)

Here is a recitative and aria from Act 2 of the M22 production of Mozart’s La Finta Semplice. Whatever you think about the quality of this opera, or the strangeness of the production, or the bizarreness of the set, you have to admire Malin Hartelius' willingness to go for it, even in what is possibly the most unflattering dress ever made. 

The recitative pantomime is either hysterical, or slightly embarrassing. I vote for hysterical. And the aria is pretty. Ms. Hartelius does a good job of working her colleagues and working the audience—the gist of her aria is that a woman should never be content with just one lover. Happy Gratuitous Friday!

Recitativo: Me ne vo' prender spasso

 Aria: Ho sentito ha dir da tutte

Josef Wagner is Don Cassandro

(the Italian text is in the notes section at YT)