Arleen Auger - Mozart: Concert aria K.217 Voi avete un cor fedele, Avery Fisher Hall, 1984

THE MUSIC: Listen to Arleen Auger (1939 - 1993) pour her musical magic all over this Mozart concert aria in a 1984 concert from Avery Fisher Hall. The aria, written in 1775, reminds me of something Despina or Blonde might sing. It contains some very fast passage work, but was not written for one of the Weber sisters, so the score never goes higher than quickly touching two B's -- which makes it infinitely more accessible for soubrette and lyric sopranos to program. It's never been a favorite of mine, but truly comes to life with Auger's elan and seemingly spontaneously musical embellishments and cadenzas, perfectly synchronized with the conductor.