Gioachino Rossini - La donna del lago - "Ah si pera: ormai la morte" (Marilyn Horne)

I was just listening to "La donna del lago" and suddenly got an idea for another upload: the two final numbers, Malcolm's and Elena's respective arias.

I'm providing a list of all the soloists in the present two excepts, as to avoid any kind of confusion:

Elena - Frederica Von Stade,
Malcolm - Marilyn Horne,
Albina - Susan Mentzer,
Serano - Bruce Ford.

To be honest, Malcolm's cavatina is better than his second aria which is perhaps less immediate in its' emotional weight, but... we are comparing two beautiful arias, both of which are certainly among Rossini's best creations.

What one notices immediately, even before the voice enters is the noble character of the music as Malcolm laments the possible loss of his love. Another striking feature is a very light (almost unexisting) accompaniment which leaves the singer almost entirely alone and which, thus, suits the oppressive situation perfectly. A chorus of warriors then appears in the tempo di mezzo to take Malcolm to the king which instigates his desperate and furious at the same time cabaletta, perfectly showing his conflicting feelings.

Marylin Horne is really hard to beat in this except on both expressive and vocal grounds. Enjoy :)!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Rossini
• belcanto
• coloratura
• classical
• la
• donna
• del
• lago
• marylin
• marilyn
• horne

[noiz667]

:X i love it

[italianoperafan]

Brilliant! Perfect in all regards... If perfection exists, the match Rossini-Horne has always been close to heaven. Marilyn Horne (and Lucia Valentini-Terrani in that instance) brings much more in that aria, and many other Rossini's arias, than technical skills: a lot of sensitivity!