Description:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Mitridate Re Di Ponto (2007) [DVD9 NTSC]
# Actors: Richard Croft, Miah Persson, Marc Minkowski, Bejun Mehta, Ingela Bohlin
# Directors: Gunter Kramer
# Language: Italian (Dolby Digital 5.1), Italian (PCM Stereo)
# Subtitles: English
# Region: All Regions
# Number of discs: 2
# Studio: Decca
# DVD Release Date: February 13, 2007
# Run Time: 151 minutesVideo: Colour, 16:9, NTSC
Audio: PCM Stereo, DTS 5.1
Subtitles: Italian (original language), German, English, French, Spanish, Chinese
Mitridate, re di Ponto (Mithridates, King of Pontus), K. 87 (74a), is an early opera seria in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto is by Vittorio Amadeo Cigna-Santi after Giuseppe Parini's Italian translation of Jean Racine.
Mozart wrote Mitridate while touring Italy in 1770. The musicologist Daniel E. Freeman has recently demonstrated that it was composed with close reference to the opera La Nitteti by Josef Mysliveček.[1] The latter was the opera being prepared for production in Bologna when Mozart met Mysliveček for the first time with his father in March of 1770. Mysliveček visited the Mozarts frequently in Bologna during the summer of 1770 while Wolfgang was working on Mitridate. Mozart gained expertise in composition from his older friend and also incorporated some of his musical motives into his own operatic setting. It was first performed at the Regio Ducal Teatro, Milan, on 26 December 1770 (at the Milan Carnival). The opera was a success, having been performed twenty-one times despite doubts because of Mozart’s extreme youth — he was 14 at the time. No revival took place until the 20th century. This opera features splendid virtuoso arias for the principal roles, but only 2 ensemble numbers: the Act II ending duet between Aspasia and Sifare (Se viver non degg’io), and the brief quintet that ends the opera, very characteristic of standard baroque opera seria where the opera ends with a short coro or tutti number.
Initially, this stimulating set of Mozart's Mitridate, taped in Salzburg, was only going to get a 3-star rating. Notwithstanding the musical qualities of the evening, the pleasure one gets from hearing this amazing team of musicians is slightly spoilt by a rather boring production, whose only aim seems to demonstrate to the audience that Mitridate's family was very dysfunctional...We believe that there is more to this opera than exploring the son/brother/father/lover relationship. In particular the political side of the piece is for the most part ignored...so this review was going to be a mix between a 1-star for the production and 5-star for the musical performance...but then, towards the end of the opera, when Farnace sang his heart-breaking aria "Gia dagli occhi il velo e tolto", I was moved to tears by the ability of the production to express the forgiveness between father and son - even if this had a lot to do with the beautifully lyrical alto voice of Bejun Mehta and his fantastic acting capability, turning him from psychopath/spoiled brat in Acts I and II to eventually an adult facing his responsibilities towards the end of the piece. This in itself is enough to forgive the inconsistencies of Guenther Kraemer's production: chorus of Mozart look-alikes sliding down a mud-covered slope, irrelevant balletic moves reflected on a giant mirror on the roof, permanent presence of the main singers on stage whether they are singing or not...overall, all this makes for a rather pointless, crowded and unfocussed production, which is way too static and gets boring after a while. This is a shame because the conductor, Marc Minkowski, and his Musiciens du Louvre transcend this score with their passion, their lyricism and their audible love for the music. The orchestra also has an unusual depth for a period-instrument, which means that this opera is sounding brilliantly. Minkowski was obviously born to conduct this music, even if he confesses a lack of initial interest in Mitridate in the very good bonus feature on the DVD.
As for the team of singers, they simply are world class. Richard Croft as the title role goes effortlessly through the lethal virtuosity of his part with mastery and panache. Miah Persson is a radiant, very moving Sifare while we have talked about the possessed incarnation of Bejun Mehta as Farnace. We cannot conclude this review without mentioning the beautiful Netta Or as Aspasia and the delightful Ingela Bohlin as Ismene - the latter a small part but the singer makes it memorable.
Overall an extremely good performance that could have become an instant classic had it not been for a questionable staging
PLEASE GIVE AT LEAST WHAT YOU HAVE TAKEN
STAY IN SEED PLEASE
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