Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Peter Schreier, Tapiola Sinfonietta :: Mozart: Arias

Bright- and beautiful-voiced Finnish soprano Soile Isokoski has a solid technique that allows her to leap the hurdles of these Mozart arias with real ease. She fails only occasionally, when the vocal line takes her way below the staff, as near the close of the great and otherwise gloriously sung concert aria "Ch'io mi scorda di te?" (K.5 05). Fiordiligi's "Com'e scoglio" (from Cosi) also lacks a bit of dramatic irony and a low note or two, but otherwise this CD gives unalloyed pleasure. In "Dove sono" she is the Countess of one's dreams, singing with pathos, no exaggerations and a stunning legato. The difficult "Ruhe sanft" from Zaide, with its many tempo changes, is simply lovely. "Ah, lo prevedi," Mozart's earliest great concert aria, offers generous tone and temperament. Isokoski may seem a bit cool, but much of it is a dignified reserve and a refusal to stoop to vulgarity. The Tapiola Sinfonietta plays with grace and accuracy under Peter Schreier, and pianist Marita Viitasolo is impressive in K. 505. Very highly recommended. --Robert Levine