Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Mitridate, Re di Ponto, K. 87 (74a) (1770)
Mitridate – Michael Spyres (tenor)
Aspasia – Julie Fuchs (soprano)
Sifare – Elsa Dreisig (soprano)
Farnace – Paul-Antoine Bénos-Dijan (counter-tenor)
Ismene – Sabine Devielhe (soprano)
Marzio – Cyrille Dubois (tenor)
Arbate – Adriana Bignani Lesca (soprano)
Les Musiciens du Louvre/Marc Minkowski
rec. 19-23 November 2020, Philharmonie de Paris
Booklet with Italian libretto, translations in English, French, German
ERATO 9029661757 [3 CDs: 151:11]
Mozart’s early tragedy based on the subject of Racine’s play Mithridates was first premiered in Milan in December 1770, as part of the carnival season that year. The 14 year old composer already had his first full scale opera seria behind him in Lucio Silla. The opera has always struck me as a work of full-fledged dramatic achievement, every bit as worthy to stand by his later opera serie Idomeneo and La Clemenza di Tito. Racine’s play, along with his other great tragedy Phèdre, were desperate family dramas, sort of the I Claudius of their day. The unusually fine libretto for its day, written by Vittorio Amedeo Cigna-Santi, provided the teenage Mozart with a vehicle tailor which reveal an astute ability to convey emotion and build dramatic pace. This is something that he would build upon in his later operas, although it is worth noting that this one is not without its flaws. The disappointing death scene of the title character is a very lost opportunity indeed. However, this opera has the potential to be enormously rewarding when entrusted to the right hands as it has been in this new recording.
Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre are no strangers to this opera; their performances of at the “All Mozart Year” at the Salzburg Festival in 2006 were among of the most critically admired that season. Minkowski mines this surprisingly rich score for the full depths of passion and drama that is contained within its music. He brilliantly illustrates the turbulent emotions that churn away during the Overture while not neglecting the dance forms that underpin the music. He astutely highlights the little dissonances that show up in the grand march that heralds Mitrdate’s first appearance. On the whole he whips up the drama relatively fast tempi. In a direct comparison with timings of each Act against the celebrated Decca set conducted by Christophe Rousset, Minkowski finishes Act One a surprising eleven minutes faster, while the remaining acts are shorter by eight minutes (Act Two) and six minutes (Act Three). This might lead one to suspect that things sound rushed for Minkowski, but that is far from the case. In general, Minkowski’s tempi propel the emotional turmoil of the characters forward in a way that Rousset and his excellent team don’t quite manage.
Erato has assembled a top-notch cast of nearly all French singers for this Italianized version of a French tragedy. The entire ensemble , Michael Spyres included, deliver their music with a clear stylistic link to the great tragedies lyriques of Lully and Rameau. Minkowski and his team trace that lineage quite audibly in the recitatives as much as the arias proper, throughout the three CDs. Michael Spyres is the one non French singer in the cast, but his ability to assimilate a French style is without question. In Mitridate he has found a role that suits his voice down to a T. His spectacular opening aria, and indeed all of his arias, are filled with wild vocal leaps which illustrate the highly unpredictable nature of the King of Nymphaea. The role makes wonderful use of the warmth and fullness of Spyres’ lower register. In one aria he delivers an astonishing run from the highest range down into the depths usually associated with the deepest of Basses. He even briefly displays a most impressive trill.
As the heroine Aspasia, Julie Fuchs surprised me with the success of her interpretation. She attacks her first aria like a galleon in full sail. Her tone is pure silver, focused and she produces it with stunning torque and thrust. There is a limpid clarity to her vocal line despite the occasional lower note being a bit underpowered. This is definitely her finest achievement on disc thus far. As her beloved Sifare, Elsa Dreisig’s coloratura soprano also reveals new facets to this accomplished singer. Her voice is like warmed brandy compared to Fuchs’ classical eau-de-vie. They blend together in a headyl performance of the duet that closes Act two; together with Minkowski, they weave a musical magic that is far more tastefully decorated at the conclusion than Rousset and his celebrated duo subject us to on the Decca recording. Dreisig displays a breathtaking purity of line in her big cavatina “Lungi da te”. Minkowski and Dreisig prove once and for all that this particular castrato role is best assumed by a soprano rather than mezzo, who has to struggle with high tessitura of Sifare.
Paul-Antoine Bénos-Dijan is yet another of the series of fine counter-tenors that have come out of France. He brings a fine sneer to his series of vengeful arias. His aria which opens Act Two is sung with all of the passion of a Lion’s roar. His beautifully moulded line and the hint of astringency in his tone ensure that the interior moments are as sweet as Mozart would have intended. Sabine Devielhe contributes an Ismene that is notable for her finely spun tones and delicate phrasing. In the smaller roles Adriana Bignani Lesca as the city’s governor Arbate brings a fluent soprano with a deal of tonal refulgence and a fine sense of attack to her aria. At times her voice reminded me a little of Jessye Norman. Cyril Dubois brings a true haute-contre tenor voice to Marzio’s one aria; Dubois’ singing of the role is the finest I’ve encountered on any set.
I have heard only a little of Ian Page’s 2013 recording on the Signum label (review). My prior familiarity with the Rousset and Hager recordings of Mitridate, prompt me to make the bold claim that this is probably the most successful recording of Mozart’s opera we will ever see on disc; there is no doubt in my mind that it is the most exciting by a long stretch.
Mike Parr
