Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Don Giovanni K. 527, opéra en 2 actes

Nicolai Ghiaurov, basse (Don Giovanni)
Victor von Halem, basse (Le Commandeur)
Gundula Janowitz, soprano (Donna Anna)
Stuart Burrows, ténor (Don Ottavio)
Teresa Zylis-Gara, soprano (Donna Elvira)
Geraint Evans, baryton (Leporello)
Rolando Panerai, baryton (Masetto)
Olivera Miljakovic, soprano (Zerlina)
Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor
Wiener Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan, direction

Au chapitre des Don Giovanni « live » selon Herbert von Karajan, l’un (Vienne 1963, avec Wächter, Price, Schwarzkopf, Valletti), éclipsa toujours l’autre : l’un de ceux de Salzbourg, celui du 27 juillet 1970, prisé des amateurs, rare jusqu’à ce qu’Orfeo l’édite enfin d’après les bandes originales. Soirée sombre, le feu de l’orchestre ne peut masquer le ton perdu de l’Anna de Gundula Janowitz, du Don Ottavio de Stuart Burrows, couple maudit sur lequel le Don plus impérieux que carnassier de Nicolai Ghiaurov jette un regard désabusé. Quelle soirée, sinistre et fascinante, où seul le Masetto de Rolando Panerai apportera un peu de soleil avec sa Zerlina délicieuse (Olivera Miljakovic ) et qui conserve une perle absolue : l’Elvira de Teresa Zylis-Gara, furieuse mais stylée au possible, un modèle fuyant l’hystérique habituelle. La perfection ! Si Geraint Evans ne plastronnait ce Leporello qui fait tâche mais que le public fête, se raccrochant à ce qu’il croit reconnaitre du drame de Mozart que Karajan renouvelle drastiquement : dramma oui, giocoso non. Nicolai Ghiaurov, trouvant là le tempo exact de son personnage que lui avait refusé au studio Otto Klemperer en 1966, et Victor von Halem, Commendatore ivre de vengeance pour un banquet d’anthologie, le hanteront jusqu’à l’amer. (Discophilia - Artalinna.com) (Jean-Charles Hoffelé)

Herbert von Karajan’s relationship with Mozart’s operas was quite ambivalent, especially in his early years. Later, however, he increasingly returned to the works, conducting Don Giovanni at the Salzburg Festival in three different productions; this recording from 1970 is of the 1968 production, with only two roles in the original top-flight cast of singers being recast. While the Festival audience was impressed, the critical response was mixed. From today’s perspective, the live recording from 1970 sets this Don Giovanni among the legendary performances of the Salzburg Festival. The title role is sung by the Bulgarian bass Nicolai Ghiaurov, whose performances at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, the Sofia Opera and La Scala in Milan established him as a great dramatic singer. The role of Leporello is performed by the noted Welsh baritone Geraint Evans, who had already proven his extraordinary abilities as a character actor at the Festival between 1962–67, as Mozart’s Figaro. In the role of Donna Anna, Gundula Janowitz is heard at the zenith of her career, which was largely promoted by Karajan. Polish-born Teresa ylis-Gara, who had impressed as a Mozart singer at Glyndebourne and elsewhere, also fitted perfectly as Dona Elvira in Karajan’s concept of the role: sensitive, wavering between her pain and her feelings for Don Giovanni, which surface again and again.