Maurizio Pollini - Rossini: La donna del lago (1992)

This recording is clear, sharp and well-executed. The last two numbers with Katia Ricciarelli are stunning. She has a clear and lush voice with a dark, luminous quality that is finer than any clarinet. I could not get enough of her singing "Tanti affeti" at the end of the opera. What an incredible soprano. Certainly Joyce DiDonato is the current reigning Rossini mezzo but she (Ms. DiDonato) sings this at a slower tempo, with more ornamentation, perhaps to display her gifts better, though I think with less overall emotional impact. Ms. Ricciarelli's voice has a haunting quality that is difficult to describe but impossible to resist. While Ms. Ricciarelli was not always this good, she was at the top of her form in this recording. And having Maurizio Pollini conducting is a treat: he does a very nice job. The orchestra takes proper tempi and sounds good. This is a delightful recording with really decent sound. Of course opera fans will disagree: that is self-evident. But Rossini gets excellent treatment on this set. It also comes with a libretto, translated into English.

Track List:

CD1:
01. Sinfonia (4:38)
02. O mattutini albori (3:48)
03. Qual suon (6:18)
04. Uberto, ah, dove t'ascondi (4:04)
05. Sei gia nel tetto mio (4:02)
06. D'Inibaca Donzella (3:14)
07. Sei gia sposa (2:17)
08. Quali accenti (2:45)
09. Ma son sorpreso (4:58)
10. Mura felici (2:29)
11. Elena, o tu (3:20)
12. O quante lacrime (3:01)
13. Figlia, E cosi (2:10)
14. Taci, lo voglio (4:01)
15. E nel fatal conflitto (1:29)
16. Vivere io non potro (3:29)
17. Qual rapido torrente (3:26)
18. Eccomi a voi (2:12)
19. Ma dov'e colei (2:31)
20. Se a' miei voti (2:09)


CD 2:
01. Alfin mi e dato, o Prence (1:29)
02. Vieni o stella che lucida (1:40)
03. Quanto a ques'alma amante (4:43)
04. La mia spada (1:28)
05. Questo amplesso (1:12)
06. Crudele sospetto (2:05)
07. Sul colle a Morve opposto (2:09)
08. Gia un raggio forier (2:58)
09. Su… amici! guerrieri! (1:41)
10. Act 2. Oh fiamma soave (8:00)
11. Va, non temer (1:44)
12. Alla ragion, deh! rieda (3:51)
13. Nume, se a' miei sospiri (2:17)
14. Vincesti Addio! (2:17)
15. Qual pena in me gia desta (1:33)
16. Parla chi sei? (3:26)
17. Io son la misera (3:04)
18. Quante sciagurein un sol… (3:51)
19. Ah! si pera: ormai la morte (4:00)
20. Douglas! Douglas! ti salva (1:09)
21. Che sento (1:51)
22. Attendi: il Re fra poco (1:02)
23. Che sento! Aurora ah sor… (1:40)
24. Stelle! sembra egli stesso! (0:22)
25. Eccolo! amica sorte (1:10)
26. Imponga il Re (1:38)
27. Ah! che vedo! (2:43)
28. Tanti affetti in tal momento (3:18)
29. Fra il padre, e fra l'amante (3:25)


Performers:
Uberto/Giacomo - Dalmacio Gonzalez
Douglas - Samuel Ramey
Rodrigo - Dano Raffanti
Elena - Katia Ricciarelli
Malcolm - Lucia Valentini Terrani
Albina - Cecilia Valdenassi
Serano - Oslavio di Credico
Bertram - Antonio d'Uva

The Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Maurizio Pollini