Notes and Editorial Reviews
KIRI TE KANAWA SINGS MOZART
•
Kiri te Kanawa (sop); various accompaniments
•
DECCA 480 4964 (3 CDs: 202:49)
Arias from
Zaide, La finta Giardiniera, La clemenza di Tito, Così fan tutte, Il re pastore, Lucio Silla, Idomeneo, Die Zauberflõte, Le nozze di Figaro, Der Schauspieldirektor, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Mitridate, Don Giovanni.
Mass in c,
K 427:
Et incarnatus est.
Read more
Vesperare solenne de confessore,
K 339:
Laudate Dominum. Exsulate, jubilate,
K 165.
Concert arias: Misera! Dove son … Ah! Non son’io che parlo,
K 369.
Ch’io mi scordi di te … Non temer, amato bene,
K 505.
Ah, lo prevedi … Ah, t’invola agl’occhi miei,
K 272.
Vado, ma dove? Oh Dei!,
K 583.
Oh, temerario Arbace! … Per quel paterno amplesso,
K 79 (73d).
Chi sa, Chi sa, qual sia,
K 582.
Non più. Tutto ascoltai … Non temer, amato bene,
K 490.
Bella mia fiamma, addio! … Resta, oh cara,
K 528.
Nehmt meinen Dank, ihr holden Gõnner!,
K 383
This three-CD anthology has been culled by Decca from various complete opera sets and recital albums made by Kiri te Kanawa. Except for two items from 1971 (K 339 and K 165 on CD 1) and one from 1993 (K 427 on CD 1), all of the recordings date from between 1980 and 1989. On the first disc, 10 tracks (eight arias from eight different operas, plus the K 339 and K 165 items) are conducted by Colin Davis with the London Symphony, and one track (the K 427) by Neville Marriner with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. On CD 2, there are two arias from
Figaro
with Georg Solti and the London Philharmonic, one from
Der Schauspieldirektor
with John Pritchard and the Vienna Philharmonic, one from
Così fan tutte
with James Levine and the Vienna Philharmonic, and five arias from various other operas with Jeffrey Tate and the English Chamber Orchestra. On CD 3 are the various concert arias listed in the header, the first two again with Tate and the ECO (plus Mitsuko Uchida at the piano) and the remainder with György Fischer and the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. The inside back cover page of the booklet provides technical details of recording venues, dates, recording producers, and engineers; unfortunately no texts are provided to complement several color photos of te Kanawa and the brief but deft essay on the various items in the set.
Kiri te Kanawa was indisputably (at least, in my mind) the greatest Mozart singer of her generation, as close to flawless as vocalists come. At most, one might criticize her for occasional coolness of interpretive temperament, due to her preference for emphasizing a seamless vocal line over expressive emphasis of individual words, but in the larger scheme of things that is a decidedly minor cavil. At every point one simply is content to revel in the crystalline beauty and purity of her voice, the faultless breath production, intonation, evenness of vibrato, coloratura technique, and diction. All of the conductors and accompanists are at least competent, with Solti and Davis standing out far above the rest as excellent. The recorded sound throughout is up to Decca’s typically exceptional standards. Self-recommending to the artist’s admirers, and to lovers of Mozart in general.
FANFARE: James A. Altena
Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Così fan tutte, K 588: Ei parte...Per pietà ben mio by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Colin Davis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1790; Vienna, Austria
Language: Italian
2.
La finta giardiniera, K 196: Crudel, o Dio, fermate by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Colin Davis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1775; Munich, Germany
Language: Italian
3.
Idomeneo, K 366: Se mai pomposo...Se il padre perdei by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Colin Davis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1781; Munich, Germany
Language: Italian
4.
Lucio Silla, K 135: Pupille amate by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Colin Davis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1772; Milan, Italy
Language: Italian
5.
Il rè pastore, K 208: L'amerò, sarò costante by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Colin Davis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1775; Salzburg, Austria
Language: Italian
6.
La clemenza di Tito, K 621: S'altro che lacrime by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Colin Davis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1791; Prague, Czech Republ
Language: Italian
7.
Zaide, K 344 (336b): Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Colin Davis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1780; Austria
Language: German
8.
Die Zauberflöte, K 620: Ach, ich fühl's, es ist verschwunden by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Colin Davis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1791; Vienna, Austria
Language: German
9.
Le nozze di Figaro, K 492: Porgi, amor, qualche ristoro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Georg Solti
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1786; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1981
Venue: Kingsway Hall, London
Length: 4 Minutes 33 Secs.
Language: Italian
10.
Le nozze di Figaro, K 492: E Susanna non vien...Dove sono by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Georg Solti
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1786; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1981
Venue: Kingsway Hall, London
Length: 7 Minutes 4 Secs.
Language: Italian
11.
Der Schauspieldirektor, K 486: Bester Jüngling! by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
John Pritchard
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1786; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 03/1990
Venue: Grosser Saal, Konzerthaus, Vienna
Length: 3 Minutes 11 Secs.
Language: German
12.
Ah, lo previdi...Ah, t'invola agl'occhi miei, K 272 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
György Fischer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna Chamber Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1777; Salzburg, Austria
Date of Recording: 12/1980
Venue: Sofiensaal, Vienna
Length: 12 Minutes 9 Secs.
Language: Italian
13.
Vado, ma dove?, K 583 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
György Fischer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna Chamber Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1789; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 12/1980
Venue: Sofiensaal, Vienna
Length: 4 Minutes 5 Secs.
Language: Italian
14.
Oh temerario Arbace...Per quel paterno amplesso, K 79 (73d) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
György Fischer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna Chamber Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: circa 1766; Milan, Italy
Date of Recording: 12/1980
Venue: Sofiensaal, Vienna
Length: 6 Minutes 36 Secs.
Language: Italian
15.
Chi sa qual sia, K 582 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
György Fischer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna Chamber Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1789; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 12/1980
Venue: Sofiensaal, Vienna
Length: 3 Minutes 19 Secs.
Language: Italian
16.
Non più, tutto ascoltai...Non temer, amato bene, K 490 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
György Fischer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna Chamber Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1786; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 12/1980
Venue: Sofiensaal, Vienna
Length: 9 Minutes 57 Secs.
Language: Italian
17.
Bella mia fiamma...Resta, o cara, K 528 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
György Fischer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna Chamber Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1787; Prague, Czech Republ
Date of Recording: 12/1980
Venue: Sofiensaal, Vienna
Length: 9 Minutes 6 Secs.
Language: Italian
18.
Nehmt meinen Dank, ihr holden Gönner, K 383 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
György Fischer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna Chamber Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1782; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 12/1980
Venue: Sofiensaal, Vienna
Length: 3 Minutes 49 Secs.
Language: German
19.
Misera! dove son...Ah! non son io, K 369 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Mitsuko Uchida (Piano),
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1781; Munich, Germany
20.
Ch'io mi scordi di te...Non temer, amato bene, K 505 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Mitsuko Uchida (Piano),
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1786; Vienna, Austria
21.
Mass in C minor, K 427 (417a) "Great": Et incarnatus est by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Neville Marriner
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Period: Classical
Written: 1782-1783; Vienna, Austria
22.
Vesperae solennes de confessore, K 339 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Colin Davis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1780; Salzburg, Austria
23.
Exsultate jubilate, K 165 (158a) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Colin Davis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1773; Milan, Italy
24.
Mitridate, rè di Ponto, K 87 (74a): Lungi da te, mio bene by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Jeffrey Tate
Orchestra/Ensemble:
English Chamber Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1770; Milan, Italy
25.
Don Giovanni, K 527: Don Ottavio, son morta! by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Jeffrey Tate
Orchestra/Ensemble:
English Chamber Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1787; Prague, Czech Republ
26.
Don Giovanni, K 527: Crudele?...Non mi dir, bell' idol mio by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Jeffrey Tate
Orchestra/Ensemble:
English Chamber Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1787; Prague, Czech Republ
27.
Die Entführung aus dem Serail, K 384: Welcher Kummer herrscht...Traurigkeit ward by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Jeffrey Tate
Orchestra/Ensemble:
English Chamber Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1782; Vienna, Austria
28.
Die Entführung aus dem Serail, K 384: Martern aller Arten by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Soprano)
Conductor:
Jeffrey Tate
Orchestra/Ensemble:
English Chamber Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1782; Vienna, Austria
Customer Reviews
Be the first to review this title
Review This Title
