Abduction From The Seraglio was quite popular. Vienna, at the time, was going mad about Turkish fashion and culture. A clear evidence on how Turkish-style music was dominating the musical scene is Mozart's "Alla Turca" sonata, embellished with bells to sound more Turkish. Abduction tells the story of Constanza, a beautiful Christian Englishwoman partially based on Mozart's own wife Constanze, who he was marrying at the time of the opera's completion. She is abducted from the comfort of her home and the arms of her betrothed Belmonte. Servants of hers are taken, too, including a comic maid that is almost like Susannah from Le Nozze Di Figaro. The Pasha is the master of a harem and imprisons Constanza in it. Belmonte devises a plan to rescue Constanza and when he penetrates the harem, the Pasha's forces surround them. But the Pasha is lenient and when he sees how much in love Constanza and Belmonte are, he lets Constanza free. This tale of romance and forgiveness is orchestrated with cheerful melody, especially in "Janissary music", the ensembles and the arias for Belmonte and the Pasha. Constanza's aria, "Allern Marte " is a showstopper and a great moment for sopranos, she hits an incredibly high series of notes and uses a vast range of coloratura technique, as she is singing about her desire for freedom. In this recording, John Elliot Gardiner has made the best recording of Mozart's classic comedy. It is well conducted and true to the score, with top-notch singers (Organosova as Constanza as truly the best), Seider, Olsen and Pepper, and a fine interpretation of German Singspiel and Turkish flavor.
Since I listened to Luba Orgonasova singing by the first time, it seemed to me so beatuful, so charming, so perfect... since then I've become a fan of hers and I try to get as much as possible of all her recordings and discographie...
in few words, SHE'S THE BEST SOPRANO I'VE EVER LISTENED TO.
If you are new to opera and want to learn why you should love it, this should be one of your early experiences because it will delight you and encourage further explorations. The "Turkish" music that was so in vogue in Mozart's time, keeps on delighting people today.
This performance / recording is very fine. I bought it because of Stanford Olsen who sings Belmote. He sang the tenor in a performance of "Messiah" here in Ann Arbor a couple of years ago and I was most impressed. He is terrific here as well (listen to the aria Mozart said was his favorite of the Singspiel on track 7). Olsen has a beautiful voice with great tone and facility. He sings with intelligence, wit, and delight in the music. I think he should be better known.
Cornelius Hauptmann is just magical as Osmin, Luba Orgonasova is a delightful treasure as Konstanze. I can understand why Belmonte goes to all the trouble to rescue her! Cyndia Sieden, Uwe Peper and Hans-Peter Minetti sing their roles wonderfully as well.
This recording on two CDs also provides a wonderful booklet that includes a nice essay on the historical background of the Opera (Singspiel, really, since it singing it in German deserved a German word rather than the Italian word opera) and its place in Mozart's life in Vienna, notes on this recording and the edition of the score from which it was performed, and a synopsis of the story. And, thankfully, there is a complete libretto. These are provided in English, French, German, and Italian.
There are nice pictures of the main soloists and Gardiner, but I can't find any biographical information on these artists in this booklet and that would have been nice to have. However, a delightful addition that is provided is the inclusion of the silhouettes of the singers who created the main roles in the original production. Most cool.
This recording would be a nice addition to your library and you will find it holds up well under repeated listenings. In fact, like all great music, it will reveal more to you with each hearing.
