“The finest singing of the evening came from Christiane Karg … her exquisite soprano voice and level of interpretive sensitivity were outstanding”
– Opera News (at the Salzburg Festival)
The enchanting young German soprano Christiane Karg shines in Amoretti, a sparkling new recording which examines love in all its facets, from tenderness to passion to despair. Arias by Gluck —including “Amor” from Orphée et Eurydice, Karg’s much-talked about star turn at the Salzburg Festival— and by Mozart are heard alongside their lesser-known French contemporary, André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry, including three world premiere recordings. Reviewing the new recording in The Sunday Times, Hugh Canning calls Karg “a light soprano who can sing the most demanding high notes and coloratura … [she] has impressed at Glyndebourne and in Salzburg.” Christiane Karg was also heard at this summer’s Mostly Mozart Festival where James R. Oestreich of The New York Times described how the soprano “reveled in the coloratura and sang beautifully throughout.” The Berlin Classics release is available from Allegro Classical on October 9.
Conductor Jonathan Cohen and his vibrant London-based Arcangelo ensemble join Karg for this delightful program of arias, all of which were composed during a period of just 10 years, despite the diversity of styles. Three operas from Mozart’s youth are featured, including the aria “Amoretti” from his La finta semplice. Gluck is heard in both his well-known and lesser-known operas, including the world premiere recording of “In mezzo a un mar crudele” from Telemaco, ossia L’isola di Circe. Grétry, who has fallen into oblivion despite the fact that he wrote more than 60 operas, proves to be a real discovery with the lovely “Il va venir… Pardonne, o mon juge” from Sylvain and “Au bien supreme” from Lucile, both heard here on CD for the first time.
Christiane Karg’s previous release for Berlin Classics, a Lieder recording entitled Verwandlung, received an ECHO Klassik award in 2010.