Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
La Betulia liberata, Azione Sacra in Due Parti, K118 (1771)
Teresa Iervolino (alto) - Giuditta
Pablo Bemsch (tenor) - Ozia
Sandrine Piau (soprano) - Amital
Nahuel di Pierro (bass) - Achior
Amanda Forsythe (soprano) - Cabri , Carmi
Accentus Choir; Les Talens Lyriques/Christophe Rousset
rec. 22, 29 June, 01 July 2019 La Seine Musicale, Boulogne-Billancourt
CDs in limited edition hardbound book with texts and translations in English, French, German
APARTÉ AP235 [66:00 + 65:00]
Mozart wrote his only oratorio at the age of 15 in 1771. It was composed in the same period as his operas Mitridate re di Ponto and Ascanio in Alba. The commission for the oratorio came from the Aragonese Prince who was at that time living in Padua and who intended to have it performed at his residence. The libretto was by Pietro Metastasio and had already been used by the composers Reuter, Jommelli and Holzbauer. Unfortunately for Mozart there seems to be no record of it having been performed during his lifetime. In the brief research I was able to undertake there is mention of a performance in Vienna in 1784 which was poorly received. The oratorio is in my opinion a rather undramatic affair which relates the story of Judith and Holofernes, who doesn’t actually appear as a character. The climactic scene of the beheading of Holofernes is only described after the fact, in rather grisly detail by Judith, in which Mozart chose to compose a long accompanied recitative. Mozart’s music for this opera is very beautifully finished and sounds in no way immature. He did go on to develop a greater dramatic sense, and a remarkable ability to define character and imbue his music with a touch of humanity. By 1781 it becomes obvious that he came of age compositionally with stunning clarity in the opera Idomeneo. I have long thought Betulia a dull and lifeless piece, at least until I auditioned this new recording.
The recording begins with a performance of the overture that has tremendous bite and energy. The period orchestra is exceptionally responsive to Rousset’s direction. In every piece Rousset has clearly put a great deal of thought into how to bring this music vividly to life. Les Talens Lyrique and Rousset triumph in a performance that is dramatically alert and of nailbiting intenstity. Together they show that there is much more to this early work than meets the eye.
As Ozia, the Prince of Betulia tenor Pablo Bemsch is a technically impressive singer who animates his lines with a well-produced, mellifluous voice. He sings the rapid passages with confidence and style. His work on this recording puts him on the international stage as having the makings of a lyric tenor of star quality. As the Israelite leaders Cabri and Carmi, Amanda Forsythe uses her creamy-toned soprano to marvellous effect and actually manages to make each leader sound slightly different. The Israelite noblewoman, Amital is sung with grace and style by Sandrine Piau. I note that her voice is growing in power and amplitude yet there has been little loss of sweetness in her upper range. After hearing this I can see that she will probably be extending her repertoire in the same manner as her compatriot Veronique Gens, has done and I heartily wish that she will have equal success with it. The central character of Giuditta (Judith) has been cast with the equally winning voice of Teresa Iervolino. I had admired her in the Dynamic DVD release of the Leonardo Leo’s 1718 reworking of Handel’s Rinaldo [CDS783103]. There she was a mezzo Almirena of rare distinction and sensuous voice. Giuditta as a character is a bit of a downer, but with Iervolino’s beautifully rounded and disciplined tone that is brushed with the merest hint of resin I wanted to celebrate her every appearance. She is fleet in her coloratura with an exciting trill and excellent breath control. Her powerful singing of the entrance aria is a highlight of this recording and more than once her voice put me in mind of the great mezzo Lucianna D’Intino. On the lowest end of the vocal spectrum Nahuel Di Pierro gives his plush voice to the role of Achior, the Prince of the Amonites. He has a forthright top and really solid low notes. The opening of Part Two is a long recitative between himself and Pablo Bemsch. Together they provide an abject lesson on how to sing recitative with dramatic truth and conviction as if they are living each new second. This track, at just over 5 minutes of knife-edged intensity makes for one of the most splendid achievements of the entire recording. Well done gentlemen!
The Accentus chorus doesn’t have a lot do in Mozart’s oratorio but they do perform their music with distinction. The recording was made in the splendid concert hall that sits on an Island in the middle of the Seine River in western Paris. The engineers have delivered a wonderfully vivid sound which does full justice to Mozart and this great cast of musicians. Only in the brief offstage cries of the chorus did they sound to be too near the microphones; a little audio trickery would have been welcome here but this is a tiny detail of no real importance. Aparté’s deluxe hardbound book is well documented with some historic images, and concert photos that do full justice to the recording. There are a number of recordings of Betulia that are still around if one hunts hard enough. I have heard only Leopold Hager’s 1978 Philips version which was the very first commercial recording. Listening to it today, the enire thing seems an awfully stodgy affair despite the excellent singing of Mozart stylists Peter Schreier and Ileana Cotrubas. I cannot imagine that there will ever be a more successful recording of Betulia Liberata than Rousset’s. Like he did with his Mitridate re di Ponto for Decca, Rousset and his forces have given new life to Betulia and for that reason he wins the laurel wreath. Perhaps one day he may choose to set fire to Ascanio in Alba to make a trilogy of early Mozartean achievement. This is something I will live in hope for.
Mike Parr
