Truly this is one occasion that distinguishes Natalie Dessay above EVERY OTHER SOPRANO in the musical history. Not many people realize this number, while shorter, lies much higher and actually has much more difficult coloratura than “Martern aller Arten”, Konstanze’s best known number from this opera. And somehow, the key of Bb is tougher to sing for most singers than C/G (MaA). Not only did la Dessay so beautifully expressed that thrice-repeated highlight @4:37 -honestly EVERY OTHER SOPRANO just fakes it up there, I SWEAR!-she made it sound SO CLEARLY ARTICULATED, SO GRACEFUL, and SO full of YEARNING!!! Oh, don’t forget the WONDERFUL and STYLISH ORNAMENTS SHE ADDED to this ALREADY fiendishly difficult number. This is truly EXTRAORDINARY. I really wish she had recorded the whole opera with a great period orchestra, with perhaps Juan Diego Florez as Belmonte. Just IMAGINE! Oh, by the way, just by looking, I thought she was about to burst into the famous tap dance “grand scena” singing “Anything Goes” from the Cole Porter musical of the same name! LOL I BET she could EASILY DO THAT TOO! HAHAHA
Nous étions plusieurs à penser après avoir entendu la 'petite' Natalie sortant du conservatoire dans 'populi di Tessaglia' qu'elle ferait une superbe carrière grâce à son 'don' mais, quel bonheur de l'avoir entendue évoluer vers plus de pathos dans la voix à force de travail.... et devenir une actrice aussi intelligente avec des prises de risque sur scène. merci à elle d'avoir refusé les vieilles mises en scènes routières et mièvres et d'avoir eu le courage d'aller chercher le tréfonds de l'âme humaine dans l'opéra.
Ach, ich liebte, War so glücklich, Kannte nicht der Liebe Schmerz! Schwur ihm Treue Dem Geliebten, Gab dahin mein ganzes Herz: Doch wie bald schwand meine Freude, Trennung war mein banges Loos; Und nun schwimmt mein Aug' in Thränen, Kummer ruht in meinem Schoos.
Because for decades, opera theaters have given jobs to directors who show the most "originality", i.e. logical inconsistency with the libretto and the music. And the more shockingly inconsistent, the better. That is also why Constanze, who is supposed to embody absolute fidelity, and who later is offended and hurt that her faithfulness is called into question, is here shown to be attracted to - and even flirtatious with - Bassa (or should I say "Captain") Selim.
