Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Mezzo Mozart
Marina Viotti (mezzo-soprano)
Gli Angeli Genève/Stephan MacLeod
Sebastian Wienand (fortepiano)
rec. 2023, Großer Festsaal, Landgasthof Riehen, Basel, Switzerland
Sung texts & translations included
Aparté AP350 [64]
In 2023, I chose mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti album ‘A Tribute to Pauline Viardot’ as one of my ‘Records of the Year’ (review). She has now released her latest album, a collection of Mozart arias from six of his operas and a single concert aria, all in Italian, plus a couple of sacred Latin works, spanning span some twenty-one years of Mozart’s career.
Swiss-born to a musical family and raised in France, Viotti graduated with a master’s degree in humanities. In 2011, she began her vocal studies at Vienna with Heidi Brunner, then in 2013 with Brigitte Balleys at the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne. She currently works with Argentinian tenor Raul Gimenez and her bel canto teacher Alessandra Rossi. Deciding to make a career in opera, she joined the Lausanne Opera, the Lucerne Theatre and the young ensemble at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. In 2015 she made her stage debut as Isabella in L’italiana in Algeriat the Rossini Festival, Bad Wildbad and in 2019, she was received the ‘Opera’ magazine award for ‘Best Young Singer of the Year’ in London.
In the accompanying booklet Marina Viotti and Stephan MacLeod discuss the mezzo-soprano voice in Mozart’s day and how voice classifications, such as the Fach system, were not in use. Mozart would rarely describe a singer as a mezzo-soprano as he would usually refer to the term soprano when writing for a singer with a wider tessitura. Viotti talks about how today the voice of a female singer, such as mezzo-soprano, can accommodate a wealth of possibilities in Mozartian repertoire, including those roles designed for castrati or soprano. For example, the motet Exsultate, jubilate was written for the Italian castrato Venanzio Rauzzini, whom Mozart knew and whose voice had impressed him.
There is a broad range to Viotti’s flexible mezzo-soprano voice. It isn’t luxurious or heavy, but rather forthright, potent and expressive. Her glorious mid-range is her prime asset, conveying an attractive legato line with impressive Italian and Latin diction. Although used more moderately than I expected Viotti’s, coloratura is most effective, and her control of vibrato is a strong point. At times, I was left wanting additional tonal warmth as her lower register is not as rich as my ideal.
A arias demonstrating Viotti at her best is ‘Deh vieni, non tardar’, Susanna’s ‘rose’ aria, from Le nozze di Figaro, her lyrical statement of love for Figaro her betrothed. Viotti displays her lovely legato, creating an expressive mood of sweetness and enchantment. From the motet Exsultate, Jubilate the final section ‘Alleluia’ is an acknowledged gem that reminds me of a virtuosic concert aria rather than a sacred work. It is a beautiful coloratura piece of wide extremes in which Viotti excels. From the opera seria Mitridate, Farnace’s aria ‘Venga pur, minacci e frema’ is taken briskly here by MacLeod. Viotti sings with spirit and energetic resolve, and her telling use of coloratura and leaps up to the high notes are impressive.
Established in 2005, the ensemble Gli Angeli Genève is directed by its founder by Stephan MacLeod. Gli Angeli Genève use period instruments or modern copies and their playing is first rate, palpably alert as are MacLeod’s sensibly chosen tempi. A celebrated specialist of historic keyboard instruments Sebastian Wienand plays a fortepiano here. It is a handsome-sounding period copy after Anton Walter, Vienna (1795) built by Christoph Kern, Staufen im Breisgau (2014). I highlight this instrument, as Mozart bought a new fortepiano from Viennese maker Anton Walter that he used extensively in the last decade of his life.
The sound quality here is of a high standard. My thanks to Aparté for including in the booklet full sung texts with English translations positioned alongside. No essay is provided although there is the transcript of an interview with Viotti and MacLeod by musician and musicologist Philippe Albèra.
This album from Marina Viotti offers such great Mozart arias and such outstanding singing that it is irresistible.
Michael Cookson
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Contents
Cosi fan tutte, K588
1. Recitativo, Ah, scostati!
2. Aria Smanie implacabili, che m’agitate
Concert aria, K505
3. Recitativo, Ch’io mi scordi di te
4. Aria, Non temer, amato bene
Le nozze di Figaro, K492
5. Recitativo, Giunse alfin il momento
6. Aria, Deh vieni, non tardar
Mitridate, re di Ponto, K87
7. Aria, Venga pur, minacci e frema
Ascanio in Alba, K111
8. Recitativo, Perche tacer degg’io?
9. Aria, Cara, lontano ancora
Exsultate, jubilate, K165
10. i. Exsultate jubilate
11. ii. Fulget amica dies
12. iii. Tu virginum corona
13. iv. Alleluja
Le nozze di Figaro, K492
14. Arietta, Voi che sapete (act 2)
La finta giardiniera, K196
15. Aria, Va’ pure ad altri in braccio (act 3)
La clemenza di Tito, K621
16. Aria, Parto, ma tu ben mio (act 1)
Mass in C minor, K427 ‘Great’
17. iii. Gloria: Laudamus te
