Below I have presented three different versions of the famous duet, La ci darem la mano, from Mozart's Don Giovanni, and I want you to choose which among the three is your favorite and why. I won't tell you mine until after everyone has had a chance to make their choice.
Thomas Allen and Susanne Mentzer -
ReplyDeletetheir voices enchant me. It's as simple as that.
Thank you for your information about "Abendempfindung" - I own the "Mozartball" DVD, one of my Christmas presents!
I plugged my posh speakers into my laptop to listen to these to full effect!
ReplyDeleteI have seen both Bryn Terfel and Thomas Allen singing Don Giovanni live in the Royal Opera House in London (lucky me!). I suppose I ought to vote for the Welshman, and I do love his voice, but in these clips I feel that Thomas and Susanne are more sparkling in duet and therefore, as a pair, they have my vote.
Good morning, Lynette!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to find out about your favorites. ;-)
I listened once more to all three versions, paying more attention to the acting this time around. Same winners, Thomas Allen and Susanne Mentzer (Bryn Terfel is quite insistent, mamma mia! *giggle*).
Là ci darem la mano,
Là mi dirai di sì,
Vedi, non è lontano,
Partiam, ben mio, da qui.
...
A ristorar le pene
D'un innocente amor ... (The innocent love part always makes me smile, that Giovanni!)
I must agree with everyone else, the Allen/Mentzer pairing is probably my favorite musically, but as Merisi aptly put it, Bryn Terfel is so Mama mia...I just wish he was paired with a different soprano. So Allen & Mentzer it is for me as well. :)
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