Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sir Colin Davis, Margaret Price :: Mozart - The Magic Flute / Price · Serra · Schreier · Moll · Melbye · T. Adam · Sir Colin Davis

Doesn't measure up to the competition

Philip S. Griffey | Bainbridge I. WA USA | 07/06/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Davis's conducting, in this 1984 recording, is well paced, moderately nuanced, with attractive phrasing and good balance in the ensembles. It has no notable flaws, but seems to lack much involvement in Act I. There is plenty of dialog, handled in a generally tasteful manner. The various women, armored men, boys, priests etc. are better than average. The principal singers blend well and tend to sound better in the ensembles than in the big arias.

Tamino has been recorded by a number of elegant singers (Wunderlich, Simoneau, Dermota, Haefliger, and Blochwitz). Peter Schreier does a good journeymanlike job, singing with a nice legato and nuanced phrasing; however he frequently shows strain and a slightly pinched tone in the upper range. As Papageno, Mikael Melbye (a Danish baritone who has not recorded much) has a light but pleasant baritone voice. His singing, while completely adequate, is not exceptional in any way

Luciana Serra (The Queen of the Night) has an unusual voice and sings unevenly. In her first aria, she handles the coloratura with considerable aplomb; but the slow introduction is rocky. She will be singing with style and finesse (in her rather wiry voice) one moment and suddenly will produce tones and pitches far from what Mozart wrote or (I suspect) what she intended. Her second aria is more consistent, but she still lacks the appeal of the great Queens of the Night (Dessay and Streich). Margaret Price (as Pamina) sings loudly and gracelessly in the duet "Bei Maennern. Her enunciation and legato in "Ach, ich fuhl's" are poor, and her voice lacks an attractive tone in the higher register. She generally sings well enough in the ensemble pieces

Kurt Moll (as Sarastro) uses his deep and sonorous voice to exceptional effect. He projects profound nobility, rectitude and integrity and easily garners the "best singer" prize in this recording. His Sarastro is excelled only by Rene Pape and Alexander Kipnis.

Unless you are a particular fan of one of these singers, there is really no reason to get this recording. If you want a fleet, historically informed Magic Flute in modern sound, look to Gardiner, Norrington (very fast) or Christie (not so fast). If you want a fine German Romantic rendition, look to Klemperer or Boehm (1955 or the 1964 with Wunderlich.). If you want a better "not too romantic, not too historically informed" but very fine recording, try Abbado's.

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Must be a best buy

Sally | 07/19/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"very good value CD - a good recording at a very cheap price."