Mozart: Don Giovanni / Barenboim, Cuberli, Meier, Rodgers Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Performer: Lella Cuberli, Matti Salminen, John Tomlinson, Joan Rodgers, Conductor: Daniel Barenboim, Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin RIAS Chamber Chorus. For some reason, Daniel Barenboim's recordings of the Mozart-Da Ponte masterpieces have been overlooked. All three have splendid casts and among them, this may be the least spectacular, but it is nonetheless a wonderful performance. Joan Rodgers has a gorgeous voice, and sings Zerlina with radiant and womanly warmth - no voce infantile here, thank the gods. It's a pity she hasn't recorded more. She is, fortunately, in Barenboim's two other Mozart-Da Ponte operas, singing her heart out as Susanna and Despina. Furlanetto has an interesting take on the role of the Don. He usually sings Leprello, but here he sings the part of Don Giovanni with a rather unique interpretation. He plays the Don as somewhat of a fool, with more of a comic slant than I have ever heard. But humor was part of Mozart's original intention, and the Don does have his roots in street theater, so in this case a buffo Don works. Tomlinson as Leporello is more of the Don's straight man, and there seems to be a bit of role reversal going on here between the clownish Don and his more dignified servant. Tomlinson's voice can be, I think, rather boring a kind of voice-in-a-box, like Samuel Ramey. Good, strong, accurate, but not much drama or artfulness. Ewe Heilmann's ravishingly beautiful Mozartian tenor voice adds a welcome dimension of eros to the role of the too-often bland and wimpy Don Ottavio. Waltraud Meier's Donna Elvira, though occassionally a bit on the shrill side, and Leila Cuberli's Donna Anna are both rich, full-bodied, exciting and very womanly. Barenboim seems to have a talent for drawing out highly passionate responses from women.

Tracklist:

Mozart : Don Giovanni : Overture to Act 1
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Notte E Giorne Faticar" [Leporello, Donna Anna, Don Giovanni, Il Commendarore]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Leporello, Ove Sei?" [Don Giovanni, Leporello]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Ah! Del Padre in Periglio" [Donna Anna, Don Ottavio]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Ma Qual Mai S'offre" [Donna Anna, Don Ottavio]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Fuggi, Crudele, Fuggi!" [Donna Anna, Don Ottavio]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "OrsÃ¹, Spicciati Presto" [Don Giovanni, Leporello]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Ah! Chi Mi Dice Mai" [Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni, Leporello]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Chi E LA?" [Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni, Leporello]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Madamina, Il Catalogo E Questo" [Leporello]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "In Questa Forma" [Donna Elvira, Chorus]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Giovinette Che Fate All'amore" [Zerlina, Masetto, Chorus]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Manco Male, E Partita" [Don Giovanni, Leporello, Zerlina, Masetto]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Ho Capito, Signor, SI!" [Masetto]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Alfin Siamo Liberati" [Don Giovanni, Zerlina]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "LA CI Darem la Mano" [Don Giovanni, Zerlina]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Fermati, Scellerato!" [Donna Elvira, Zerlina, Don Giovanni]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Ah, Fuggi Il Traditor" [Donna Elvira]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Mi Par Ch'oggi Il Demonio Si Diverta" [Don Giovanni, Don Ottavio, Donna Anna]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Non Ti Fidar, O Misera" [Donna Elvira, Don Ottavio, Donna Anna, Don Giovanni]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Povera Sventurata!" [Donna Elvira, Don Ottavio, Donna Anna, Don Giovanni]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Don Ottavio... Son Morta!" [Donna Anna, Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Or Sai Chi L'onore" [Donna Anna]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Come Mai Creder Deggio" [Don Ottavio]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Dalla Sua Pace" [Don Ottavio]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Io Deggio Ad Ogni Patto" [Leporello, Don Giovanni]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Fin Ch'han Dal Vino" [Don Giovanni]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Masetto..." [Zerlina, Masetto]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Batti, Batti, O Bel Masetto" [Zerlina]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Guarda Un Po' Come Sepe" [Masetto, Don Giovanni, Zerlina]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 1 "Presto, Presto, Pria Ch'ei Venga" [Masetto, Zerlina, Don Giovanni, Chorus, Donna Elvira, Don Otta
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Eh, Via, Buffone" [Don Giovanni, Leporello]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Leporello" [Don Giovanni, Leporello]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Ah, Taci, Ingiusto Core" [Donna Elvira, Leporello, Don Giovanni]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Amico, Che Ti Par?" [Don Giovanni, Leporello]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Eccomi a Voi" [Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni, Leporello]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Deh, Vieni Alla Finestra" [Don Giovanni]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "V'E Gente Alla Finestra" [Don Giovanni, Masetto]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "MetÃ Di Voi QuÃ Vadano" [Don Giovanni]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Zitto..." [Don Giovanni, Masetto]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Ahi! Ahi!" [Masetto, Zerlina]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Vedrai, Carino" [Zerlina]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Di Molte Faci Il Lune" [Leporello, Donna Elvira]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Sola Sola, in Buio Loco" [Donna Elvira, Leporello, Don Ottavio, Zerlina, Masetto, Donna Anna]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Dunque, Quello Sei Tu" [Zerlina, Donna Elvira, Don Ottavio, Masetto]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Ah, PietÃ , Signori Miei!" [Leporello]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Ferma, Perfido!" [Donna Elvira, Masetto, Zerlina, Don Ottavio]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Il Mio Tesoro Intanto" [Ottavio, Zerlina, Donna Elvira, Masetto]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "In Quali Eccessi, O Numi" [Donna Elvira]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Mi TradÃ¬, Quell'alma Ingrata" [Donna Elvira]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Ah! Ah! Questa E Buona!" [Don Giovanni, Leporello, Il Commendatore]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "O Statua Gentilissima" [Leporello, Don Giovanni, Il Commendatore]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Calmatevi, Idol Mio" [Don Ottavio, Donna Anna]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Crudele!" [Donna Anna]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Non Mi Dir, Bell'idol Mio" [Donna Anna]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "Ah, Si Segua Il Suo Passo" [Don Ottavio]
Mozart : Don Giovanni : Act 2 "GiÃ la Mensa E Preparata" [Don Giovanni, Leporello, Il Commendatore, Donna Elvira, Zerlina, Mase

UPC: 825646770076
Label: Erato
Release Date: 3.29.11
Format: CD

W.A. Mozart - Don Giovanni (CD)