Mozart: La finta giardiniera, K196

This page lists all recordings of La finta giardiniera, K196, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91) on CD, DVD & Blu-ray. Generally, more recent releases are listed first, but with priority given to those that are in stock.

Prices shown exclude VAT. (UK tax is not payable for deliveries to United States.)
See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates.

Mozart: La finta giardiniera, K196

Mozart: La finta giardiniera, K196

Live Recording from The Zurich Opera House, 2006


Eva Mei (Sandrina), Isabel Rey (Arminda), Liliana Nikiteanu (Il Cavalier Ramiro), Christoph Strehl (Il Contino Belfiore), Rudolf Schasching (Il Podestà Don Anchise), Julia Kleiter (Serpetta), Gabriel Bermudez (Nardo)

Orchestra “La Scintilla” der Oper Zürich, Nikolaus Harnoncourt (conductor) & Tobias Moretti (director)

In Mozart’s anniversary year, Nikolaus Harnoncourt presented his interpretation of La Finta Giardiniera, a long-forgotten wonderfully tragicomic opera by the young Mozart. Almost a quarter of a century ago Harnoncourt had released his reading of the rediscovered work on CD, but in this version from the Zurich Opera House, the great Mozart magician conducted a staged production for the first time, making the premiere an event in itself.

The Zurich Opera House gathered a star studded cast for this production: Italian soprano Eva Mei sings the Countess Violante while Spanisch soprano Isabel Rey is her opponent Arminda. Liliana Nikiteanu as Cavaliere Ramiro, Rudolf Schasching as Il Podestà Don Anchise and Christoph Strehl as Il Contino Belfiore make this production an overwhelming experience. Tobias Moretti, a popular Austrian actor with a musical background presented his second opera staging, to high praise from audience and critics alike. He sees this opera about mistaken identities and true love within a hierarchical order as a play on societal conditions at the onset of the enlightenment. This interpretation is supported by the simple and effective stage and costume design by the team Glittenberg/Martin/Dornhauser.

Sound Format: PCM Stereo, dts-HD Master Audio 7.1

Picture Format: 16:9

Resolution: 1080i FULL HD

Subtitle Languages: IT (Original Language), GB, DE, FR, IT, ES

Running Time: 187 mins

Blu-ray Disc: 50 GB (Dual Layer)

FSK: 0

Released or re-released in last 6 months

Blu-ray Disc

Region: all

Blu-rays - up to 40% off

Arthaus Musik - 108044

(Blu-ray)

Normally: $39.25

Special: $29.43

Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days.

Mozart: La finta giardiniera, K196

Mozart: La finta giardiniera, K196

Sung in Italian. Directed by Jean Jourdheuil


Daniel Ohlmann (Don Anchise), Alexandra Reinprecht (Marchesa Violante/Sandrina), Norman Shankle (Contino Belfiore), Cellia Costea (Arminda), Helene Schneiderman (Cavaliere Ramiro), Irena Bespalovaite (Serpetta) & Rudolf Rosen (Nardo)

Staatsorchester Stuttgart, Lothar Zagrosek

Recording Date: 2006
Place of recording: Live from the Staatsoper Stuttgart
Running Time: 139 min
Picture Format: 16:9
Sound Format: PCM Stereo

Menu Languages NTSC: D, F, GB, SP
Subtitle Languages NTSC: D, F, GB, I, SP

DVD Video

Region: 0

Format: NTSC

Arthaus Musik - 101253

(DVD Video)

$32.75

Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days.

Mozart: La finta giardiniera, K196

Mozart: La finta giardiniera, K196

From Drottningholm Court Theatre 1988


Ann Christine Biel, Annika Skolund, Richard Croft, Stuart Kale, Britt-Marie Aruhn, Eva Pilat, Petteri Salomaa

The Drottningholm Court Theatre Chorus and Orchestra, Arnold Östman, stage direction by Göran Järvefelt

Recording Date: 1988
Place of recording: From the Drottningholm Court Theatre
Running Time: 150 min
Picture Format: 4:3
Sound Format: PCM Stereo

Language: I
Menu Languages NTSC: D, F, GB, SP
Subtitle Languages NTSC: D, F, GB, I, SP

“Early Mozart comedy contemporary with the theatre where it's staged, with period style extending to the players' costumes. Likeable piece, likeably performed.” BBC Music Magazine, April 2006 ****

DVD Video

Region: 0

Format: NTSC

Arthaus Musik - 102007

(DVD Video)

$32.75

Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days.

Mozart: La finta giardiniera, K196

Mozart: La finta giardiniera, K196

posthumous version from 1796


Sophie Karthäuser (Sandrina/Violante), Nicolas Rivenq (La Podesta), Jeremy Ovenden (Il Contino Belfiore), Alex Penda (Arminda), Marie-Claude Chappuis (Ramiro), Sunhae Im (Serpetta), Michael Nagy (Nardo/Roberto)

Freiburger Barockorchester, René Jacobs

'La finta giardiniera' has long been one of the lesser-known operas of the young Mozart, perhaps because the original Munich version, sung in Italian, quickly disappeared from the repertoire until it was revived in German from 1779 onwards.

A posthumous version from 1796 displays skilful reorchestration: extremely ‘symphonic’ and typical of late Mozart – to such an extent that numerous specialists have thought they detected the composer’s own hand. It is this so-called ‘Námest' version that is recorded here by René Jacobs, who sees in this amazingly lively opera "a very ancient form of theatre, which blithely mingles farce with great passions (...) and elements typical of a 'modern' initiatory opera". René Jacobs reputation in the operas of Mozart is unsurpassed and this major rediscovery is a priority for the Autumn. The luxury packaging includes an essay on the Prague score and the customary scholarly notes from René Jacobs on his performing version.

“Finta's anticipations of the later, greater operas, Figaro especially, are underlined in this version...The hallmarks of Jacobs' Mozart recordings are clear here, too – especially the fondness for fast tempi and for favouring a cast of light, young voices, though the continuo playing in these recitatives seems less hyperactive than it sometimes has been.” The Guardian, 26th September 2012 ****

“if Jacobs thinks this richer orchestration is more likely to appeal to modern ears than the sparser original, he’s probably right – and it’s impossible not to be won over by the total commitment of his vibrant account...As always with Jacobs, some of his idiosyncrasies can begin to grate on repeated listens, but that is a small quibble for what is an overwhelmingly joyous set.” Graham Rogers, bbc.co.uk, 28th September 2012

“the richer orchestrations...make this comic sin of Mozart’s youth sound even more like a portent of masterpieces to come than usual. Jacobs can’t resist improvisatory antics...But his conducting is so lively, and his cast so committed, I can’t imagine even purist Mozartians wanting to go back to the sparser, tamer original.” Sunday Times, 7th October 2012

“Jacobs's interpretations are always interesting, but here they slip between the magically unique and the quirky. The magical elements include the beautifully effective new orchestration of the reconciliation duet...Sophie Karthauser as the gardener is effortlessly lyrical...Sebastian Weidanz accompanies the recitatives on a fortepiano with great dramatic understanding throughout.” BBC Music Magazine, December 2012 ****

“The highlights are too many to mention … In Jacobs’s flawless conducting, tempos are astutely judged, the more vigorous pages are given a thrilling punch and lyrical numbers are sculpted with the utmost legance...Karthauser’s Sandrina is a joy...the new top choice for this opera” International Record Review, November 2012

“Jacobs now offers the best sung and characterised La Finta Giardiniera on disc...The brilliant, minutely responsive Freiburg period band, too, plays words as well as tones. And the cast, several of them Jacobs regulars, do well both individually and as a quick-witted ensemble team” Gramophone Magazine, November 2012

“Mr. Jacobs has done it again. His recordings of Mozart’s operas bring back some of the thrill that must have attended these works when they were new.” New York Times, 23rd November 2012

“The Freiburger Barockorchester is in great form and gives an outstanding performance under Jacobs’ leadership, expressing all the colours, witty and moving moments with great clarity. Jacobs generally increases the tempi, which I personally found an enhancement to the score. It makes it more lively, brighter, thus leaving a more lasting impression. Mozart would probably have applauded this exceptional performance.” MusicWeb International, March 2013

Harmonia Mundi - HMC902126/28

(CD - 3 discs)

$34.75

In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day.

Mozart: La finta giardiniera, K196

Mozart: La finta giardiniera, K196


Warner Classics Das Alte Werk - 2564686977

(CD - 3 discs)

$14.75

In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day.

Mozart at Drottningholm

Mozart at Drottningholm

Arnold Östman’s Legendary Mozart-Cycle


Mozart:

Così fan tutte, K588

La finta giardiniera, K196

La clemenza di Tito, K621

Die Entführung aus dem Serail, K384

Die Zauberflöte, K620

Idomeneo, K366


Chorus & Orchestra of the Drottningholm Court Theatre, Arnold Östman

Recording Date: 1991
Place of recording: From the Drottningholm Court Theatre
Running Time: more than 850 min
Picture Format: 4:3
Sound Format: PCM Stereo

Language: D, I
Menu Languages NTSC: D, F, GB, SP
Subtitle Languages NTSC: D, F, GB, I, SP

“I had already known and admired Idomeneo, Così fan tutte, and Die Zauberflöte, but La clemenza di Tito was new to me: happily it is quite up to the excellent standard of the others, all of them notable for the clarity of the period-instrument sound and for a production wholly appropriate to the tiny Drottningholm space.” Gramophone

DVD Video

Region: 0

Format: NTSC

Arthaus Musik - 102095

(DVD Video - 6 discs)

$161.75

Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days.

Mozart - Operas II

Mozart - Operas II


Mozart:

La finta giardiniera, K196

Edita Gruberova (Sandrina), Dawn Upshaw (Serpetta), Monica Bacelli (Ramiro), Uwe Heilmann (Belfiore), Anton Scharinger (Nardo), Thomas Moser (Podesta), Charlotte Margiano (Arminda)

Lucio Silla, K135

J Patrick Raftery (Lucio Silla), Melanie Walz (Giunia), Kristina Hammarström (Cecilio), Sophie Marin-Degor (Celia), Sinead Mulhern (Cinna), Simon Edwards (Aufidio)

Il re pastore, K208

Ann Murray (Aminta), Eva Mei (Elisa), Inga Nielsen (Tamiri), Roberto Saccà (Alessandro), Markus Schäfer (Agenore)

Thamos, König in Ägypten, KV 345

Thomas Thomaschke (Sethos), Janet Perry (soprano), Anne-Marie Mühle (alto), Marius van Altena (tenor), Harry van der Kamp (bass)

Der Schauspieldirektor, K486

Magda Nador (Madame Herz), Krisztina Laki (Mademoiselle Silberklang), Thomas Hampson (Vogelsang), Harry van der Kamp (Buff)


Warner Classics Mozart 250th Anniversary Edition - 2564623302

(CD - 8 discs)

$58.50

Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days.

Copyright © 2002-13 Presto Classical Limited, all rights reserved.