Giunse alfin il momento...Deh, vieni, non tardar...
Voi che sapete
Ch'io mi scordi di te... Non temer, amato bene, K.505
"In uomini, in soldati"
"Ei parte...Per pietą"
"E amore un ladroncello"
"Non pił di fiori"
"Quando avran fine omai" - "Padre, germani, addio!"
Vado, ma dove? oh Dei!, K.583
"Non so pił cosa son, cosa faccio"
Alma grande e nobil core, K.578
"Giunse alfin..." _ "Al desio di chi t'adora" (K.577)
Magdalena Kozená's first all-Mozart album--and her first album in collaboration with partner Sir Simon Rattle--stands out as one of the highlights of 2006's Mozart Anniversary celebrations. Magdalena is a na... more »tural Mozart singer, garnering rave reviews and enchanting audiences wherever she performs Mozart on stage. Recent performances in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Berkeley and New York (Carnegie Hall) have brought her glowing praise. This album is a collection of some of Mozart's finest arias for female voice, mostly for mezzo-soprano but Magdalena also taps her soprano potential with arias including Vitellia's "Non più di fiori" from La Clemenza di Tito. Sir Simon Rattle is the ideal conductor for this project, delicately wrapping Magdalena's voice in vivid and sensitive orchestral sounds of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the period ensemble with which he has been working for more than a decade. This release features one of the world's most exciting voices joined by a brilliant conductor and ensemble--a Mozart recording poised to captivate music lovers and critics worldwide.« less
Magdalena Kozená's first all-Mozart album--and her first album in collaboration with partner Sir Simon Rattle--stands out as one of the highlights of 2006's Mozart Anniversary celebrations. Magdalena is a natural Mozart singer, garnering rave reviews and enchanting audiences wherever she performs Mozart on stage. Recent performances in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Berkeley and New York (Carnegie Hall) have brought her glowing praise. This album is a collection of some of Mozart's finest arias for female voice, mostly for mezzo-soprano but Magdalena also taps her soprano potential with arias including Vitellia's "Non più di fiori" from La Clemenza di Tito. Sir Simon Rattle is the ideal conductor for this project, delicately wrapping Magdalena's voice in vivid and sensitive orchestral sounds of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the period ensemble with which he has been working for more than a decade. This release features one of the world's most exciting voices joined by a brilliant conductor and ensemble--a Mozart recording poised to captivate music lovers and critics worldwide.
A great conductor and a rising mezzo make beautiful music to
Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 01/16/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"After flurries of gossip about their affair (both were married at the time) Simon Rattle took as his third wife the Czech mezzo Magdalena Kozena. For some reason their CD of Mozart arias hasn't created any waves here at Amazon. It should, becasue Kozena adds to three first-rate recitals on DG; the one in French is particularly fine. Her voice is warm and feminine, if a bit lacking in individuality. YOu can't pick it out instantly the way you could Janet Baker's or Christa Ludwig's. And she's a bit shy of personality compared to those two great predecessors. If she gains more confidence and drama, however, she could evolve into a great artist.
Her range here includes arias for both soprano and mezzo from all the great Mozart operas. It wasn't the best idea to start off with Susanna's 'Deh, vieni' from the Marriage of figaro; Kozena isns't light and witty. She immediately moves into Cherubino's 'Voi che sapete,' which suts her much better. She adds trills and decoration to the vocal line and handles them expertly. Adding to the period feeling, Rattle conducts the Orch. of the Age of Enlightenment, but he seems to have asked them to use vibrato in the modern style. In the concert aria with piano obbligato, 'Ch'io mi scordi di te,' Kozena is technically impeccable, but by now we are feeling a lack of temeprament. She is too wdded to correctness, which wasn't true of her swinging outside Mozart.
When the dozen arias are through, she has displayed enormous talent, and only her lack of drama causes me to hold back the fifth star. Schwarzkopf, von Otter, and other Mozart experts have nothing to fear quite yet, but Kozena should continue to rise--she certainly has all the voice and beauty she needs."
I finally got around to getting this......
Kyle E. Lockhart | Texas USA | 04/07/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"release and I am glad I did. It is a really nice Mozart collection. In fact, I purchased this disc along with Garanca's Mozart disc on Virgin the same week and I have to say that they are two of the best Mozart programs I have purchased. Kozena's voice sounds great (as always) and her ornaments are unexpected but nice. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed "Voi che sapete" so much. The orchestra led by Rattle is wonderful as well. However, the one who really shines through this disc is Mozart."
Another winning recital by Kozena
Robert Petersen | Durban, South Africa | 11/29/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Kozena's first ever Mozart recital with Simon Rattle and the OAE is a sure winner - the voice is clear and perfect for this repertoire."
Well done version of Mozart's work
Steven A. Peterson | Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL) | 12/03/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In this CD, the mezzo soprano, Magdalena Kozena, sings Mozart, with the able support of conductor Simon Rattle and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Selections come from operas such as "Le Nozze di Figaro," "Cosi fan tutte," "Idomeneo," and "La Clemenza di Tito," and so on.
Her voice is rich indeed, and she displays great vocal agility, with fine coloratura technique. Let's sample a handful of cuts to get a sense of her singing and artistry.
"Giunse alfin il momento. . . Deh vieni, non tardar, o gioia bella," from "Le Nozze di Figaro." At the outset, she sings richly. Her mezzo voice is a wonderful instrument. She seems to capture Susanna's character nicely. This is a poignant aria, sung poignantly.
Then, the captivating "Voi che sapete." As the liner notes point out, this is not sung by Kozena as written by Mozart. The singing is florid. She demonstrates an extremely agile voice. Her trill technique sounds pretty good to me. This is a lot of fun to listen to, and made me think very highly of her skills. As has often been mentioned, coloratura does not refer to sopranos, it refers to a type of singing. And here we see wonderful coloratura mezzo soprano artistry.
Variation on a theme. . . . "Giunse alfin il momento. . .Al desio di chi t'adora," again from "Le Nozze di Figaro." Another example of her rich, smooth mezzo voice in action. The latter part shows off her vocal agility and a decent trill. The last portion is pretty rousing.
I'm a rank amateur when it comes to this style of music. But I am impressed with her technique and the richness of her voice. For those interested in this repertoire, I think that they would enjoy this CD.
"
"Lovely and Amazing"
Stanley H. Nemeth | Garden Grove, CA United States | 05/13/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Kozena's approach to this series of Mozart arias, many of them old chestnuts, is innovative, yet always beautiful. As one reviewer has stated, he couldn't remember how long it had been since he'd so much enjoyed hearing "Voi che sapete." Kozena's magic in familiar music comes from her skills in ornamenting the nobly simple melodic lines. The listener is continually surprised by her rich but tasteful additions to the written score. She never overdoes them, so Mozart, I suspect, would not have responded to her singing in the way Rossini is reported to have done to a singer of his time who ornamented "Una Voce Poco Fa" to excess. He told her the aria she'd just sung for him was very beautiful, and then slyly inquired who'd written it!"