Just Another Manic Monday Mozart – Liliana Nikiteanu is Dorabella

It's fascinating to see how various directors/producers treat Dorabella in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, especially in her rather over-the-top first act recitative and aria. In this 2000 Zurich Oper performance conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Liliana Nikiteanu really puts the drama in Drama Queen. This recording also stars Cecilia Bartoli as Fiordiligi and Agnes Baltsa as Despina. One reviewer complained that it's too many mezzos. Is there really any such thing as too many mezzos?

Sunday Brunch – Hansel und Gretel: Abendgesang

This isn't really a Christmas song. But the opera is often presented at Christmastime. (Although some recent productions are not of the happy, fluffy, Christmas fairy tale variety. I probably would not take kids, for example, to the Richard Jones production!!)

Anyway, this duet is sometimes featured on Christmas albums. It's sung beautifully by the ever-wonderful goddess of song Malin Hartelius as Gretel, and Zurich stalwart mezzo Liliana Nikiteanu, who is super in a dress or in pants, as Hansel. 

Happy Christmas Eve Eve.