Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail: Traurigkeit ward mir zum Lose
Lucio Sillia: Vanne, t'affretta
Lucio Sillia: Ah se il crudel periglio
La clemenza di Tito: S'altro che lagrime
Mitradite, re di Ponto: Al destin, che la minaccia
Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail: Ach, ich liebte, war so glucklich
Zaide: Ruhe sanft, mein holdes leben
French soprano Sandrine Piau's voice is small, beautiful, light, and perfectly focused, and it's absolutely even from top (often, repeated high Ds) to bottom. She focuses thoroughly on the text and exclaims important, dram... more »atic phrases with a natural emphasis that helps her avoid the sameness that high coloraturas can be so guilty of, especially on disc. Her breath control is stupendous (in Giunia's "Ah se il crudel periglio" from Lucio Silla, she launches one wildly embellished half-minute run after another effortlessly), the tone absolutely centered. Aside from the embroidered pieces here from Silla and Mitridate, we get a taste of Pamina, and while a fuller voice is (almost) needed for "Ach, ich fuhls," the manner in which Piau handles dynamics offers us enough. The same can be said for Konstanze's "Ach ich liebte" and "Traurigkeit," the latter sung as movingly as we're probably ever going to hear it. This is great singing. --Robert Levine« less
French soprano Sandrine Piau's voice is small, beautiful, light, and perfectly focused, and it's absolutely even from top (often, repeated high Ds) to bottom. She focuses thoroughly on the text and exclaims important, dramatic phrases with a natural emphasis that helps her avoid the sameness that high coloraturas can be so guilty of, especially on disc. Her breath control is stupendous (in Giunia's "Ah se il crudel periglio" from Lucio Silla, she launches one wildly embellished half-minute run after another effortlessly), the tone absolutely centered. Aside from the embroidered pieces here from Silla and Mitridate, we get a taste of Pamina, and while a fuller voice is (almost) needed for "Ach, ich fuhls," the manner in which Piau handles dynamics offers us enough. The same can be said for Konstanze's "Ach ich liebte" and "Traurigkeit," the latter sung as movingly as we're probably ever going to hear it. This is great singing. --Robert Levine
CD Reviews
Sublime Mozart singing - Sandrine Piau sings with perfect cl
Ingrid Heyn | Melbourne, Australia | 12/31/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Sandrine Piau's voice is beautiful - that goes almost without saying. It has a limpid clarity that also contains a delicacy and warmth. She has clearly articulated coloratua and a lovely legato when she needs it - and certainly one needs it with Mozart!
This recording delighted me enormously when I first purchased it. Mozart is notorious for singers - one must have true beauty in the voice, because Mozart leaves the voice dangerously exposed. What looks easy on the page is not quite that easy to sing well. Thankfully, Sandrine Piau demonstrates perfectly how to sing Mozart soprano arias, and she does a wonderful job of incorporating the lyrical and the bedazzling - the intimate and the grand.
Her rendition of "Ach, ich fühl's" is well nigh perfect, and who could listen to her "Ruhe sanft" without sighing with pleasure? Ms Piau sings with impeccable phrasing and superb support, allowing the tone to fill the space without going too far. The danger in "Ruhe sanft" is for the singer to become swoony and droopy, swooping up to notes or holding on for too long - but no such faux pas occurs in this rendition. Just beautiful, beautiful sound and very lovely emotional interpretation that NEVER strays beyond the genuine classical style.
The faster arias - for instance, "Al destin, che la minaccia" - are spun with wonderful articulation and in perfect control. Lovely to listen to - impressively maintained energy-wise - and it makes one long to hear Ms Piau in a major Mozartian role requiring that lovely blend of grace, charm and coloratura.
Finally, I cannot possibly end this review without mentioning the very fine performance of "Traurigkeit ward mir zum Lose" on this CD. Once again, the sense of genuine emotion well controlled makes this a stunning rendition. The role of Konstanze is not that of a vocal battleship, but impeccable Mozart style, magnificently controlled coloratura, a beautiful and blooming tone, the required range, and the stamina of a steel butterfly - that is what is required. And that is precisely what Ms Piau gives us.
Wonderful singing, gorgeous arias... This is my favourite recording of Sandrine Piau - in my opinion, it's finer than her more recent Handel recording. It may well be a desert island disc."
The divine Sandrine! Bravo!
Steven Guy | Croydon, South Australia | 06/11/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have nothing but complete and utter praise for this superb recording by this wonderful and talented singer and the great period instrument orchestra backing her.
Sandrine Piau has always impressed me - I think I first noticed her in a big way in William Christie's wonderful recording of Jean-Philippe Rameau's opera Les Indes Galantes, made with his Les Arts Florissants ensemble.
Sandrine Piau brings much beauty, colour, expression, style and intelligence to anything she sings. I love her voice.
Her Mozart is divine. Listen to "Ah se il crudel periglio" from Lucio Silla and you will buy this album!
5 stars? I'd give it 10 if I could!
Now that you own this disc, you should immediately consider buying Natalie Dessay's collection of Mozart Arias - "Mozart Heroines", made with The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
Both ladies bring many different things to Mozart. I like both of them very much. Piau sings the arias which require pathos with great skill and feeling. Dessay's command of coloratura is powerful and impressive. Of course, Piau handles coloratura with skill, too, and Dessay can break your heart in the slower and more pathetique arias.
Buy Sandrine Piau's Mozart or buy Natalie Dessay's Mozart ... what the hell! Do as I did - buy both!"
A nice rendition of Mozart's works
Steven A. Peterson | Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL) | 01/27/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Sandrine Piau takes on Mozart in this CD. And she does nicely indeed. This is an interesting set of arias, in that we hear pieces from works not normally heard, such as "Mitradate, re di Ponto." Piau, a soprano, is backed ably by the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, led by Gottfried von der Goltz.
Some cuts that display her work:
From "Lucia Silla," "In un istante oh come." She displays a rich, smooth voice. This is early Mozart (a 1772 composition). The orchestral support is very nicely done. She clearly shows us that she is comfortable with Mozart's music.
From the same work, "Parto m'affreto." This is sung at a more animated pace than the just mentioned work, and Piau handles the faster tempo very well. She shows nice vocal agility and some good staccato technique. There seems to my untutored ears to be a bit of harshness toward the close, but not a big deal.
From "The Magic Flute," Pamina's "Ach ich fuhl's." This is a lyrical piece as conceived and executed by Mozart. Piau captures the sweetness of this "love song" very well indeed, as she sings of her love for Tamino (English translation):
"If you do not feel love's longings,
My peace must be in death."
Of course, he did return her feelings, so all ends well.
From "Mitradate," "Al destin che la minaccia." Piau displays, again, very solid vocal agility, including well rendered appoggiaturas and nice staccato singing toward the close. At a couple points, I thought she might exhibit a bit of vocal harshness, but not a problem. She executes a nice decent high note toward the end.
So, all in all, a good rendering of Mozartiana. She has a nice voice, good agility, provides some nice characterization as she sings. A pretty satisfying CD!
"
Heavenly
Jackson K. Eskew | USA | 04/20/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you've ever wondered what perfection sounds like, search no further. Sandrine Piau has the voice of an angel. The combination of her voice and Mozart's music reaches the very heights of sublimity."
Piau+Mozart= A Perfect Combination
M. Ramos | 08/18/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is probably one of the definitive recordings of Mozart arias for soprano. Sandrine Piau is an exquisite artist who possesses a beautiful coloratura soprano that she uses with skill and panache. None of the vocal difficulties of these arias terrify her: she tosses the most difficult fioritura with ease and musicality, with perfect control of her high register (high Ds galore on this recording). This is particularly in evidence in the impossibly difficult arias from Lucio Silla and Mitridate, re di Ponto. Her da capo ornamentations are both showy and respectful of the composer's original compositions. In more lyrical arias Piau is also winning, floating those long, high-lying phrases in the last selection from Zaide in the most delightful manner. Piau's voice is small though, and I wonder how appropriate will she be in live performances of Pamina and Konstanze. However, in this recording there is nothing lacking to her sound, technique or interpretation. Gottfried von der Goltz conducts the Freiburger barockorchester with great attention to the skills of the soloists, becoming a real partner with Piau. The selection of tempi is just right. This will be a CD that you will like to play over and over again."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1