Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Ouvertura
2. Act 1. Scene 1.: La mia Dorabella capce non è
3. Act 1. Scene 1.: Fuor la spade! Scegliete qual di noi più vi piace
4. Act 1. Scene 1.: È la fede delle femmine come l'araba fenice
5. Act 1. Scene 1.: Scioccherie di poeti!
6. Act 1. Scene 1.: Una bella serenata far io voglio all mia dea
7. Act 1. Scene 2.: Ah quarda, sorella
8. Act 1. Scene 2.: Mi par, che stamattina volentieri farei la pazzarella
9. Act 1. Scene 2.: Vorrei dir, e cor non ho
10. Act 1. Scene 2.: Stelle! Per caritá, signor Alfonso
11. Act 1. Scene 2.: Sento o Dio, che questo piede
12. Act 1. Scene 2.: Non piangere, idol mio!
13. Act 1. Scene 2.: Al fato dan legge quegli occhi vezzosi
14. Act 1. Scene 2.: La commedia è graziosa
15. Act 1. Scene 2.: Bella vita militar!
16. Act 1. Scene 2.: Non v'è più tempo, amici
17. Act 1. Scene 2.: Di scrivermi ogni giorno
18. Act 1. Scene 2.: Bella vita militar
19. Act 1. Scene 2.: Dove son?
20. Act 1. Scene 2.: Soave sia il vento
21. Act 1. Scene 2.: Non sono cattivo comico ! Nel mare solca
22. Act 1. Scene 3.: Che vita maledetta è il far la cameriera!
23. Act 1. Scene 3.: Ah! scostati! Paventa il tristo effetto d'un disperato affetto!
24. Act 1. Scene 3.: Smanie implacabili
25. Act 1. Scene 3.: Signora Dorabella, signora Fiordiligi
26. Act 1. Scene 3.: In uomini, in soldati sperare fedeltà?

Disc 2:

1. Act 1. Scene 3.: Che silenzio! Che aspetto di tristezza
2. Act 1. Scene 3.: Alla bella Despinetta vi presento, amici miei
3. Act 1. Scene 3.: Che sussurro! Che strepito! Che scompiglio è mai questo?
4. Act 1. Scene 3.: Temerari! Sortite fuori di questo loco!
5. Act 1. Scene 3.: Come Scoglio immoto resta
6. Act 1. Scene 3.: Ah, non partite!
7. Act 1. Scene 3.: Non siate ritrosi, occhietti vezzosi
8. Act 1. Scene 3.: E voi ridete?
9. Act 1. Scene 3.: Si può sapere un poco la cagion di quel riso?
10. Act 1. Scene 3.: Un'aura amorosa del nostro tesoro
11. Act 1. Scene 3.: La saria da ridere
12. Act 1. Scene 4.: Ah, che tutta in un momento si cangiò
13. Act 1. Scene 4.: Eccovi il medico, signore belle!
14. Act 1. Scene 4.: Dammi un bacio, o mio tesoro
15. Act 2. Scene 1.: Andate là, che siete due bizzarre ragazze
16. Act 2. Scene 1.: Una donna a quindici anni
17. Act 2. Scene 1.: Sorella, cosa dici?
18. Act 2. Scene 1.: Prenderò quel brunettino
19. Act 2. Scene 1.: Ah, correte al giardino
20. Act 2. Scene 2.: Secondate, aurette amiche
21. Act 2. Scene 2.: Il tutto deponete sopra quei tavolini
22. Act 2. Scene 2.: Oh che bella giornata!
23. Act 2. Scene 2.: Il core vi dono, bell'idolo mio

Disc 3:

1. Act 2. Scene 2.: Barbara! Perché fuggi?
2. Act 2. Scene 2.: Ah! Lo veggio, quell'anima bella
3. Act 2. Scene 2.: Ei parte... senti... ah no!
4. Act 2. Scene 2.: Per pietà, ben mio, perdona all'error
5. Act 2. Scene 2.: Amico, abbiamo vinto!
6. Act 2. Scene 2.: Donne Mie, la fate a tanti
7. Act 2. Scene 2.: In qual fiero contrasto
8. Act 2. Scene 2.: Tradito, schernito dal perfido cor
9. Act 2. Scene 2.: Bravo ! Questa è costanza!
10. Act 2. Scene 3.: Ora vedo che siete una donna di garbo
11. Act 2. Scene 3.: + Amore un ladroncello
12. Act 2. Scene 3.: Come tutto congiura a sedurre il mio cor!
13. Act 2. Scene 3.: Fra gli amplessi in pochi istanti
14. Act 2. Scene 3.: Ah, poveretto me, cosa ho veduto!
15. Act 2. Scene 3.: Tutti accusan le donne
16. Act 2. Scene 3.: Vittoria, padroncini!
17. Act 2. Scene 4.: Fate presto, o cari amici
18. Act 2. Scene 4.: E nel tuo, nel mio bicchiero
19. Act 2. Scene 4.: Miei signori, tutto è fatto
20. Act 2. Scene 4.: Sani e salvi agli amplessi amorosi
21. Act 2. Scene 4.: V'ingannai, ma fu l'inganno
22. Act 2. Scene 4.: Fortunato l'uom che prende ogni cosa pel buon verso

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #33536 in Music
• Released on: 1996-03-12
• Number of discs: 3

Amazon.com
This delicately balanced story of two engaged couples who are inveigled into a brief flirtation with infidelity inspired some of the finest music Mozart ever composed. It is often textured with the fine nuances of chamber music, with some particularly delectable woodwind parts, and it progresses from contrived artificiality--when the two men make a rash bet with a friend about the unshakable faithfulness of their fiancées--into intense despair when that fidelity begins to be shaken. There is also slapstick-level comedy. It is all held together under Georg Solti's genial direction, with singing--solo and ensemble--of the highest quality. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews

Magnetic
Solti gives a magnetic reading of Cosi Fan Tutte from start to finish! From the very first chords of the overture, you're mesmerized until the finale. You really feel that everyone is having fun at the performance that night - Solti, Renee, Annie, Frank, Olaf, Pertusi. Everyone is enjoying themselves, including the audience who are incredibly quiet. Unlike many other recordings where audience coughing intrudes into the performance, you only get a ripple of laughter once or twice (which adds to the realism and which again indicates how much the audience loved the performance). There is applause after a few numbers - in particular Fiordiligi's arias and a few other arias and the final ensemble. Some people think that is an irritation, I think it adds to the sense of occasion and fun. Frankly, I always like CDs where there is applause at the end. Otherwise, it sounds "dead" after the performance ends.

Renee Fleming produces a ravishingly beautiful tone. Her long beautiful phrases are incredible. Before I heard this recording, I didn't really take much notice of Renee Fleming. "Bah! Another hype!" I thought. But oh how wrong I was. Renee Fleming is destined to take her place among legends such as Christa Ludwig, Scwarzkopf, and Joan Sutherland. Her voice is gorgeous. No wonder she has reputedly one of the most beautiful voices in the world. Annie Von Sofie is, as usual, a rock solid performer. She nevers gives anything less than excellent and in this recording it shows. Her arias are beautifully sung, fleet and agile. She is just a shade less opulent than legendary Christa Ludwig in the Bohm EMI set. Frank Lopardo is astonishing as Ferrando. His exquisite shading of his part took everyone by surprise. It is a stunning performance and the audience goes wild with applause after all his arias. His pianissimi is just incredible. I doubt you'll ever hear a better recorded Un Amorosa. Gorgeously sung. You'll be completely seduced by his singing. No wonder Fiordiligi caved in!!Olaf Bar is excellent as Guglielmo although he doesn't reach the distinction of Lopardo and Fleming. Still, we are comparing him with two singers of exceptional distinction. That doesn't mean he is bad. He is outstanding. The remaining singers are also excellent. Scarabelli in particular sounds her part in Despina - the characterization is superb. You can hear her character from the singing.

Much as I admire the Bohm set, I feel that this set really surpasses it. I have both recordings by the way. I love Mozart and I couldn't live without both. in particular, I love Christa Ludwig, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf in the Bohm set. However, if pressed, I would choose the Solti as the top pick. Whenever I feel down, listening to the Solti set always brightens up my day simply because of the happiness that the performers exude. So you have my verdict.

A brilliant recording of a great opera!
I've seen this opera several times and I've heard excerpts from other recordings as well, and I've concluded that this recording is absolutely the most brilliant I've heard. The more I listen to it, the more I love it. Why?

1) Lopardo is the most musically expressive tenor I've heard sing this part -- his rich, mellow voice sounds light and flirtatious when he's wooing, and it sounds intense and positively anguished when he's singing of betrayal. But he has great comic timing, too, and one can almost see him smugly buffing his nails against his lapel when he wins his lady. He has an amazing range in terms of dynamics, style, and musicality. Every other time I've heard "Un'aura amorosa," it's been breezed through somewhat superficially. But Lopardo starts tenderly and grows to a full-bodied intensity, and then transitions with a beautiful diminuendo into the reprise. It's breathtaking.

2) All the female singers are fabulous. Renee Fleming is perfect -- beautiful voice, wonderful control. And Scarabelli is saucy, flirtatious, and utterly wonderful.

3) Solti's direction is perfect for this opera. It never, ever drags, even when some arias are taken slower than usual. The direction never becomes monotonous, and the full range of emotion in this opera is explored: Cosi starts out light and frivolous, and becomes increasingly more serious, and Solti follows through with that. The comic parts are allowed to be comic. The tragedy of the ending comes through even through the lightness of the opera.

This is truly a brilliant recording of some of the most beautiful music ever written. Treat yourself.

Sparkling and Wondrous Cosi Fan Tutte Performance!
COSI VAN TUTTE remains one of Mozart's most brilliant compositions, with more elegantly fluid arias, duets, trios, and ensembles than any one opera has a right to own! This 3 CD set is as fine as they come. Part of the reason is that the electricity of this live performance is something that somehow eludes studio recordings. Or is it just the opera, or the incredibly intelligent conducting of Sir Georg Solti, the warm Chamber Ensemble of Europe sound and responsiveness, or the cast that is still the dream cast for this particular opera? Whatever the explanation, this recording succeeds on every level. The tenderness of young lovers is sincere, the comedy is very much in evidence, and the purely vocal elements of uncommon difficulty sound simple in the hands of this cast. Renee Fleming is simply a radiant Fiordiligi, Anne Sofie von Otter sings Dorabella with such refinement and beauty of tone (has the trio 'Soave sia il vento" ever floated as beautifully as here?), Olaf Bar and Frank Lopardo fit the roles of the men suitors vocally and dramatically (and the interplay with their paramours is without peer), and the Despina of Adelina Scarabelli and the Don Alfonso of Michele Pertusi not only match the demands of their roles, they also deliver fine comic timing. This is still the reigning recording of this beloved opera (it dates back to 1996) and even if other recordings are in your library, this one belongs at the beginning of the Mozart section!