Monday Mozart, ma non Manico

I've been listening, in between Salzburg broadcasts (or not) and so far, I am most impressed with the ladies of the cast (two of them, anyway). Here is a dreamy Ah guarda sorella, from the new Cosi:

P.S. In context (after the rather shouty opening trio of guys) this sounds even sweeter!

Another "Cosi" Moment – Soave sia il vento

This is an excerpt from the forthcoming DG recording of Cosi fan tutte. It's the track you can download free at DG's "buzz" page: "Soave sia il vento" sung by Miah Persson, Angela Brower, and Alessandro Corbelli, with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Bon voyage!

The New Cosi – Nézet-Séguin, Persson, Villazón, and Friends

Here is the follow-up to last year’s intriguing Don Giovanni, just released in Europe a few days ago and due in the U.S. on August 20. There are some lesser known names here, and most are worth keeping track of. The recording promises to be good, and it will be worth it just to hear Miah Persson's Fiordiligi again!

Rolando Villazón explains the plot* (in his inimitable, fun, animated, but confusing way):

La Traviata from The Met – Only 3 More Days of the Radio Broadcast Archive

If you missed the Met's direct webcast of this year's La Traviata, then zoned out last Saturday and missed the radio broadcast (like I did), BBC Radio 3 is giving you one more another chance! There are still 3 days left to hear this performance. 

Violetta Valery...........Diana Damrau
Alfredo Germont...........Saimir Pirgu
Giorgio Germont..Placido Domingo
And a host of others…plus

The Chorus and Orchestra of The Metropolitan Opera, New York

Yannick Nezet-Seguin, conductor. 

Richard Strauss – Dorothea Röschmann Sings (the other three of the) Four Last Songs

In response to this week's Gratuitous Friday post, a reader mentioned that it would be appropriate to post September from the Four Last Songs, since it is, in fact, September right now. I decided I'd go one better, and post all three of the other songs. (In addition to including the texts here, I added the text to Frühling.)

Gratuitous Friday – Dorothea Röschmann Sings Strauss' Spring

The glorious Dorothea Röschmann singing Spring from Strauss' Four Last Songs, with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Unfortunately, there is no video of Frau Röschmann here, but there are some lovely, spring-like nature scenes to accompany her. 

Frau Röschmann's voice seems ready-made for Richard Strauss. It’s interesting how many Mozart sopranos find that Strauss fits them as well. She has sung the Marschallin in Rosenkavalier, and a few light Wagner roles. One hopes that these recordings soon will appear commercially. Meanwhile, to round out our Richard Strauss week, here is the sound of spring:

Frühling (Spring)

Vier letzte Lieder by Richard Strauss