Mozart: Ultimate Mozart Album
This collection contains highlights from Mozart's five greatest operas and not only is the perfect collection for those wishing to get their Mozartian feet wet, but often selects the ideal choice for each particular excerpt. It's almost a who's who in Mozart nowadays (Bryn Terfel, Cecilia Bartoli, Renée Fleming, and Samuel Ramey) as well as a who-was-who-recently: Kiri Te Kanawa at her most melting as the Countess inFigaro, Leontyne Price as a fiery, agile Donna Elvira, Cesare Valetti--still unbeatable after 40 years as Don Ottavio--and Cesare Siepi as a dangerously sexy seducer inDon Giovanni. Birgit Nilsson's Donna Anna is a tad clumsy and, at times, one wishes that conductor Georg Solti would lighten up, but otherwise this is a splendid hour-plus of the Wolfman. It's recommended to one and all.--Robert Levine