Deutsche Grammophon Releases Ildebrando D’Arcangelo’s Recording of Mozart Arias, Available 9/13

Italian bass-baritone Ildebrando D'Arcangelo returns to the start of his international career with his new Deutsche Grammophon recording of Mozart arias. He is joined by conductor Gianandrea Noseda and the Orchestra del Teatro Regio di Torino for a selection of both popular and rare opera and concert arias, available September 13th in advance of his performances at the LA Opera in Mozart's Così fan Tutte. 

"Mozart is my god," says Ildebrando D'Arcangelo simply. "He is the composer who inspired in me the passion for music and my career." Right from the bass-baritone's 1994 breakthrough performance in Parma as Leporello under Gardiner which established the young singer as a velvet-voiced charmer, to the recent triumphant addition of Don Giovanni to his repertoire, Mozart has been central to the singer's work. "I feel that he is my ‘house composer', and I think - I hope - my voice is ready to do him justice."

D'Arcangelo sings Mozart regularly and has performed in the composer's operas around the world for almost 20 years. It is no surprise then to find arias from Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro and Così fan Tutte on the disc. These have been and remain the cornerstone of D'Arcangelo's performance repertoire. In fact, he will make his LA Opera debut as Guglielmo in Così fan Tutte this September.

The album also includes a number of concert arias. "They're not often sung because of their difficulty," explains the soloist. "You need a huge vocal range and considerable agility. But I love a challenge." Per questa bella mano (a lover's vow of fidelity) was written for Franz Gerl, the first Sarastro in The Magic Flute. The aria features an obbligato double bass, a rather unusual choice especially with such virtuosic writing that demands technical brilliance and musical maturity from both the instrumentalist and singer.

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo recently performed opposite Anna Netrebko and El?na Garan?a at the Vienna State Opera in Donizetti's Anna Bolena. Prior to that, Netrebko and D'Arcangelo appeared at the Salzburg Festival in 2006 in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, a performance that was recorded by Deutsche Grammophon for both CD and DVD release. D'Arcangelo has appeared on a number of Deutsche Grammophon and Decca releases including opposite Cecilia Bartoli and Juan Diego Flórez in La Sonnambula, with Jonas Kaufmann in Carmen, with Thomas Hampson in Don Giovanni and many more.

US Performance Dates

September 18, 22, 24 & October 2, 5, 8
Los Angeles, CA
LA Opera
Così fan Tutte

ILDEBRANDO D'ARCANGELO - MOZART

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791)

1 Aria: "Madamina, il catalogo è questo" (Leporello) 5:51
Don Giovanni, Act 1, no. 4

2 Recitative: "Bravo, signor padrone!" 0:47
3 Cavatina: "Se vuol ballare, signor contino" (Figaro) 2:32
Le nozze di Figaro, Act 1, no. 3
Relja Lukic, cello • Giannandrea Agnoletto, harpsichord

4 Recitative: "Alcandro, lo confesso" - 1:11
5 Aria: "Non so d'onde viene" (Clistene) 5:54
for bass and orchestra, K. 512

6 Recitative: "Ehi, sor paggio!"* 0:59
7 Aria: "Non più andrai" (Figaro) 3:59
Le nozze di Figaro, Act 1, no. 10
*New critical edition by Francesco Lora

8 Canzonetta: "Deh, vieni alla finestra" (Don Giovanni) 2:04
Don Giovanni, Act 2, no. 16
Dora Filippone, mandolin

9 Aria: "Mentre ti lascio, oh figlia" (Dario) 7:58
for bass and orchestra, K. 513

10 Aria: "Fin ch'han dal vino" (Don Giovanni) 1:30
Don Giovanni, Act 1, no. 11

11 Aria: "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo" (Guglielmo) 5:14
Così fan tutte, Act 1, no. 15a

12 Recitative: "Tutto è disposto" 1:22
13 Aria: "Aprite un po' quegli occhi" (Figaro) 2:30
Le nozze di Figaro, Act 4, no. 27

14 Recitative: "Così dunque tradisci" 1:26
15 Aria: "Aspri rimorsi atroci" (Sebaste) 2:31
for bass and orchestra, K. 432 (421a)

16 Aria: "Donne mie, la fate a tanti" (Guglielmo) 3:22
Così fan tutte, Act 2, no. 26

17 Aria: "Per questa bella mano" 6:52
for bass, obbligato double bass and orchestra, K. 612
Davide Ghio, double bass solo

18 Recitative: "Hai già vinta la causa!" 1:21
19 Aria: "Vedrò mentr'io sospiro" (Conte) 3:16
Le nozze di Figaro, Act 3, no. 18

ILDEBRANDO D'ARCANGELO bass-baritone
Orchestra del Teatro Regio di Torino
GIANANDREA NOSEDA

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