A bit of opera this week. Nothing esoteric or of Mahlerman-like unexpected brilliance, just four gorgeous, popular melodies. It’s January and we need comfort. The only gimmick here is that these tunes are a quartet, trio, duet and solo aria respectively, and they’re in reverse order of loveliness (according to me, anyway) – hence an operatic countdown.
This performance of the Bella Figlia Dell’amore quartet from Verdi’s Rigoletto features a pretty high-powered cast: Pavarotti, Sutherland, Leo Nucci and Isola Jones. There’s all sorts going on in this fiendishly clever scene – I won’t attempt to summarise, you can read about it here.
For simple beauty, I don’t think Mozart composed anything to beat the Soave sia il vento (‘May the wind be gentle’) trio from Cosi fan tutte, except perhaps the Adagios of the 21st piano concerto and the clarinet concerto. The trailing ‘Ai nostri desir’ is as sublimely, sweetly sad as music gets. This performance is from the 2006 Salzburg festival, and features Ana Maria Martinez, Sophie Koch and Sir Thomas Allen…
Puccini occupies the top two slots in my countdown. The O soave fanciulla duet from La Boheme is ripe drama indeed. Here’s Pavarotti again, this time with Mirella Freni, performing live in 1969 (incidentally, there’s not even an argument to be had in my, admittedly inexpert, opinion: Pavarotti was the best tenor by a country mile). Recently, I noticed that this duet was used to good effect in the movie of Atonement – Robbie plays it on the gramophone as struggles with lustful thoughts of Keira Knightley on a blistering hot day…
Finally, O Mio Babbino Caro from Gianni Schicchi. On the Desert Island, a Kiri Te Kanawa recording of this aria would be the one Disc I’d save. I’m glad the lyrics are Italian as they’re a little bit silly (a girl threatening to throw herself of a bridge unless her ‘daddy’ lets her bring her unsuitable boyfriend home). But this is the most beautiful melody ever written – goes straight to the spine and the tear-ducts. And it doesn’t hurt to have a version sung by Anna Netrebko as she isn’t too difficult to look at, either.
Excellent selection Brit, Morse could not have done better although poor old Joan was not blessed with good looks, more Desperate Dan than Desperately Seeking Susan. That great Motzartian conductor Chas Mackerras once said, at a pre-opening opera talk at the Edinburgh Festival…think of Cosi as simply an exasperated…oh, bloody women
Not sure that Bluto was the greatest tenor ever, possibly the best tenor singing Italian opera and Neapolitan stuff, couldn’t do Wagner and blew the notes off Mozart.
Caro gets ’em going, every time, not a dry eye in the house. For the ultimate moments in musical drama try the last one minute and twenty seconds of Tosca with Callas and Tito Gobbi, great heroine, the greatest villain. Or, the final act of Götterdämmerung, exhausting, draining, German.
Looks like my P45 awaits – what a great selection. The Cosi trio stops the clocks for me, with Pavarotti/Freni a short-head behind
“And it doesn’t hurt to have a version sung by Anna Netrebko as she isn’t too difficult to look at, either.” Have you noticed that female stars of the opera seem to be getting younger and prettier, Brit? I think we should get Michael Gove on the case immediately.
what a perfect selection for this sunday evening with the wind blowing and rain lashing down outside!!!
Glad you enjoyed it, all.
Tish, Mahlerman – perish the thought. Perhaps Malty has supplied an idea for a future episode…Exhausting German Sunday?
Susan – are you suggesting that attractive sopranos are a luxury we can’t support in these times of Coalition Austerity?
Where has Mahlerman gone? I thought all my Sundays from now to infinity would be warmed and illuminated by his marvellous musical choices and his elegant words, but last Sunday he wasn’t there. Hopefully his absence is only temporary and the delicious treat of his weekly offering will soon be restored…
Mahlerman is on every fortnight, Twinkletoes, so I’m afraid only every other Sunday from now to infinity will be warmed and illuminated by his marvellous musical choices.
In the meantime, I’ll try not to be hurt by your cruel, cruel words…