This release of a 1986 recording of Così fan tutte features
Bernard Haitink leading the
Glyndebourne Chorus and the
London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Haitink's conducting is brisk, with a light touch, but the playing he elicits from the orchestra doesn't have the sparkle to reveal the opera in its very best light. The pacing is nuanced and lively, but
Haitink fails to bring out the opera's sly wit; he's more successful in its moments of deep, sincere feeling, such as Fiordiligi's "Per pietà, ben mio, perdona," which is genuinely moving. Much the same could be said about the singers' approach; as an ensemble, they fail to generate the sense of fun the opera requires, but are affectingly earnest when required to be. The vocal performances are very fine, but none are exceptionally strong.
Carol Vaness is most impressive, negotiating Fiordiligi's extravagantly wide tessitura with solidity throughout. She and
Delores Ziegler don't have the tonal purity to achieve the blend to make their duets really shimmer.
John Aler is most effective in Ferrando's lyrical moments, but lacks the vocal heft to bring his rage persuasively to life. As Guglielmo, Dale Duesing is solid and forceful.
Claudio Desderi and Lillian Watson are idiomatically convincing and comically effective as schemers Don Alfonso and Despina, and bring them fully to life. EMI's sound is clean, but somewhat one-dimensional, and doesn't create much of a sense of dramatic space.