The libretto, that is crafted ingeniously by Da Ponte, carries no proof that there was an original source. While some try to make connections that the idea was taken from a number of sources including but not limited to: the Procris story, Boccaccio, Cervantes, etc, because of similar plot elements (i.e. a wager and a trial of women's fidelity), it is ultimately recognized that the story is entirely original. There is little written on the genesis of the work except that on 31 December 1789 and again in January of 1790, the work was rehearsed in Mozart's apartment with Haydn present. It opened in February in Vienna with five performances before the death of Joseph II which closed down all the theatres; five more performances followed from June to August, and for many years thereafter it was considered one of Mozart's weaker pieces. In Germany and Austria the music was used more often in pastiches than in it's original form. In 1934 it was the second production at Glyndebourne and since then it has taken its rightful place along the other Mozart masterpieces.
Even with its reputation restored however, it tends to be bashed by opera fans and singers alike. I myself have stated that it is nearly impossible to stay awake through the second act aria marathon. It is criticized for the frivolity, triviality, and even chauvinism of the plot. But this story is not any of those things. When one looks closer, this story is nearing the territory of essentially Shakespearean drama (more specifically in many ways, Cymbeline). One must remember during this opera, that while the physical events seem entirely unrealistic and even verge on the absurd, it is not the events that serve as the moral, but what it all stands for - humanity and human frailty.
While the title refers to "Women are all like that"... I argue that at the bottom of it all, even Mozart and the men of the 18th century knew that the point stands that "PEOPLE are all like that." We all fall in love, sometimes with the wrong people and we all make mistakes. We all hurt those we care about and we all are hurt, sooner or later by those we care about the most. We are all but human, and worthy of forgiveness. You can see this built in to the libretto and more importantly the SCORE. The opera is not sexist at all if one is capable of looking at it through non-literal eyes.
There are quite a few wonderful recordings of this beautiful work. Some of my favourites include the 1954 EMI set conducted by Herbert von Karajan and the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Don Alfonso - Sesto Bruscantini
Despina - Lisa Otto
Fiordiligi - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Dorabella - Nan Merriman
Guglielmo - Rolando Panerai
Ferrando - Léopold Simoneau
The always exceptional Mozartean, Karl Böhm set from 1962 for EMI is excellent. While the singers admittedly lack the youthful vocal freshness and clarity desired, the conducting is unbeatable.
Don Alfonso - Walter Berry
Despina - Hanny Steffek
Fiordiligi - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Dorabella - Christa Ludwig
Guglielmo - Giuseppe Taddei
Ferrando - Alfredo Kraus
Levine's recording is wonderful too. Some of the singers on that reading are simply stellar. Te Kanawa and Hans-Peter Blochwitz shine. Especially Blochwitz, singing one of the most beautiful and effortless Ferrandos I have ever been blessed to hear.
Don Alfonso - Ferruccio Furlanetto
Despina - Marie McLaughlin
Fiordiligi - Kiri Te Kanawa
Dorabella - Ann Murray
Guglielmo - Thomas Hampson
Ferrando - Hans-Peter Blochwitz
This recording by Jacobs with Concerto Köln on period instrumentation, has joined the ranks against these greats.
Don Alfonso - Pietro Spagnoli
Despina - Graciela Oddone
Fiordiligi - Véronique Gens
Dorabella - Bernarda Fink
Guglielmo - Marcel Boone
Ferrando - Werner Güra
From the first chord we hear on this disc in the overture, one can tell that this will be a clean, crisp, and precise ensemble recording of this work that is so dependent on the precision of the ensembles. After the initial statement of the "così fan tutte" theme, it launches into the next section at a brisk tempo that would test any concert master. Like Jacobs's other Da Ponte recordings, his tempi are a bit varied for my taste, but he is an indisputable master of bringing out the drama in these works. Even more so than his other readings, in this Così his fasts are faster and his slows are slower. Accepting these extremes, I will say that they work very well (even if not entirely desired). His Soave sia il vento is slower than most, therefore it is better than most. The majority of conductors take that breathtakingly beautiful trio like a bat out of hell. While that makes it easier to sing for the Fiordiligis that have to float above the other two like a hummingbird suspended, for what seems to these sopranos to be an eternity, these break-neck tempi lose all the poignancy of the moment through a rushed and careless tempo. In a similar fashion, Ferrando and Fiordiligi's act II duet, Fra gli amplessi is taken with a slow, gentle tempo that really brings out probably one of the only truly touching moments of pure, honest love in the whole three hour opera. The same can be said for the letter quintet before the boys are shipped off. Their youthful infatuation and genuine, simple feelings toward each other really are brought to the forefront by the gently flowing counterpoint, composed quite choralistically, constantly swelling and diminishing like the beats of their young fickle young hearts. On the other side of the coin, some moments are taken at a speed that instills a kind of urgency that works brilliantly, i.e. Dorabella's Smanie implacabile and the entirety of the Act I finale. Moments like Una donna a quindic'anni are taken rather slowly for my tastes, and the reason for this illudes me. Whatever the reason, it doesn't distract too much to my thinking, so ultimately it is neither here nor there.
Even with a slightly slower tempo in her second aria (particularly in the beginning), Graciela Oddone gives an outstanding performance here as Despina. She has really made the role her own. She pokes fun at the girls throughout this opera with the wit and a cynical tenderness that makes us love her Despina. Her embellishments and cadenzas are filled with energy and always keep from being too predictable and she attacks her character scenes with such commitment, one cannot help but to chuckle. The arch of her character on this disc is very well balanced and in many reviews she doesn't get the praise I think she has earned. If anyone steals the show here, it is her. Brava.
Her counterpart, the puppet master, Don Alfonso does a very nice job, however his character should capture a bit more attention than he does here. Whether that has to do with the emphasis he is given through the conducting, or whether Pietro Spagnoli just has not done his job well enough, I don't know, but this is one of Mozart's most complicated, human, and vexed characters. We see (or hear in this case) him bubbling over with cynicism and bitterness one minute and then we see his softer side that indicates that he may not truly believe in his heart all these things he is pushing on the boys. I think Spagnoli sings the role very well and colours his recits with a very specific dramatic intent, however, it leaves the listener wanting more. This is a character that so much can be done with. He should be having more fun with this complex role. Alfonso should steal the show.
Véronique Gens gets a lot of praise for this recording, and rightfully so. She is truly at home here. Her tone is warm and rich with a twinge of youthfulness always present. Her recitatives are always spot on and conversational with a momentum from the Pianoforte that only Jacobs recordings can achieve. Her registers fade in and out so beautifully that it makes the audience forget sometimes, just how ridiculous the range really is. What she does best is her unique style of elegance that colours the role from the first note. Her second act aria, Per pieta is one that I have rarely been awake for while seeing this live, but her beautiful legato and always specific intention could keep me engaged from start to finish, even after some muscle relaxants and a Manhattan or two. Equally as good as her Contessa. Probably better.
Bernarda Fink, one of the only singers on this disc (along with Gens to some extent) that were really known of before this, sings Dorabella with a wonderful energy. Her ornaments are interesting, unexpected, and anything but subtle... sort of like Dorabella herself... coincidence? I think not. She keeps up with the racing tempo in her first act aria catching those medling breaths when she can and achieving a perfect breathlessness, whether intentional or not, that is really needed here. Her character is very well thought out and comes through the music and especially through her specific textual emphasis. Really a well crafted interpretation that should be applauded.
The two young soldiers are often criticized for not standing out in this recording. I find, however, that their roles weren't written to stand out quite as much as the girls.
Marcel Boone, is an excellent Guglielmo. Even if he doesn't sing it quite to the level of Hampson, Prey or Panerai, there is nothing I can find wrong with his performance. It is driven by his youthful vigor and cockiness and it sounds as if he is having a blast, and his act II duet with Dorabella is plenty slimy. Could he sing better? Absolutely, but his vocal acting is quite commendable.
Güra's Ferrando gets overlooked quite a bit from reviewers, but I don't really understand why. I think this is one of the best Ferrandos on the market. It rivals John Aler's (Haitink, EMI), Simoneau's (Karajan, EMI), and definitely shows up Kraus's (Böhm, EMI). Kraus was one of the truly great tenors of the 20th century, but his Ferrando I find dull and vocally far too Italianate for my tastes. The only tenor who truly is unmatched in the recording world for this role in my (not so) humble opinion, is Hans-Peter Blochwitz who I mentioned earlier. His Un'aura amorosa is one of my personally most beloved examples of recorded music. It is one of my true zen pieces, and he sings it with a gentle, floating line that makes one forget just how difficult this role is. Güra, though, comes very close. His Ferrando definitely comes through as wide eyed and pretending to be more of a "man" than the "boy" that he really is. His floated Larghetto in the act II duet, Fra gli amplessi is among the most tender renderings of this duet on disc, with his e più se vuoi ascending to a top A with a delicacy that makes the listener's heart hurt from the pangs of their own long past young love. People seem to take for granted the sheer beauty in some recordings, which brings me to one of my soap boxes: Pure beauty for beauty's sake is something that these new generations don't give enough credit to. Sometimes one doesn't need grand statements about society or satirical portaits to make something meaningful, but just a moment of beauty for no other reason than to experience beauty - something that only humans can create out of essentially nothing. Is that not what humanity is all about? Isn't that really what ART is all about?
Even with a lot of the cast not particularly standing out in their solo efforts, what makes this recording so phenomenal is the ensemble. Definitely the most ensemble based of all of Mozart's operas, the tightness of this cast and conductor reminds us how wonderful this opera can be. The polish that this disc contains is something that few other recordings can match. It is definitely a Così like none other on disc, but it is also one you will never forget.
Jacobs's witty and historically informed Da Ponte readings are bound to start redefining the way the next generation thinks about Mozart, and considering it is based less on "tradition" and more on historical performance practice, the way it was "intended" to be heard, I think this is exactly the direction we SHOULD be going with Mozart. All three of these recordings I have reviewed as of late are essential recordings that any lover of music and more specifically opera should have on their shelf (or on their hard drive as the 21st century case may be...).
While these recordings definitely receive mixed reviews from the purists, and I myself am drawn usually to simpler more traditional performances. But it is so very important to continue to look at pieces through new lenses and with different intentions. I try to constantly remind myself that if I have stopped changing my mind, I have in effect stopped thinking. These recordings are a perfect way to keep us from getting too stuck in our ways.
- Christopher Michael Kelley
