What would you like her to record?

Hi everyone,

What would you dearly love to hear Magdalena Kozena record, or hear her perform? For my part, I would love the songs of Mahler (especially, "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen" as well as Henryk Gorecki's Third Symphony.

Best regards,
Chris

Christopher, I agree with you, this would be superb. But I can imagine The last four Lieder from R.Strauss too, then from the operas Rossini Cene-rentola and Rosina in Barbiere, then La Favoritta of Donizetti and last but not least Adalgisa in Norma from Bellini- together with E.Gruberova as Norma would be a dream. Many greetings

I particularly would die for a complete recording of Massenet's Cendrillon (if possible with Von Otter on the prince role)... I once heard or red some bells about this project...

I agree with all the above - all of it please! And particularly with the pleas for the Mahler songs and for "Cendrillon". I would add requests for a CD of folk-songs -both Czech and British - she's been superb in the Britten ones I've heard her sing, and there must be some more Martinu/Novak for her to do. She's also very good at playing the wronged woman - I've heard her do Haydn's Ariadne auf Naxos in concert and it was stunning. And what about Cavalli's La Calisto, Debussy's P and Melisande, and Donizetti's Maria Stuart. If possible I would like some operas and recitals to come out in DVD format -so far we've only had "Orpheus" -an odd production to my mind - and the Bach Year of Pilgriminage.

Whilst Magdalena is recuperating (if a young mother is ever allowed to do that!) she might do worse than have a look at the songs of Mark Minkov. I heard his "Cryng of the Guitar" song cycle at a concert earlier this week and thought it would sit nicely within her, admittedly very wide, register. They are songs by a 60 year old Russian.

I would especially love to hear her record the Mozart aria 'Ch'io mi scordi di te.. Non temer'. I absolutely love that aria and think it would suit her beautifully. Sadly, she seems more interested in making forays into unknown repertoire at the moment. Maybe some time....

I would also love to hear her do 'Sesto' in La Clemenza di Tito' but I also feel that that may be unlikely too!

I would love to hear Magdalena Kožená singing Ravel's Scherezade, she sang it on some concerts and I missed them and in any other French melodies or any other song repertoire she chooses because her taste in this regard is very much the same as mine.
It would also be very nice if they made a recording of Peleas et Melisande especialy if it were on DVD! She must have been a beautifull Melisande... Anyone seen it?
I must dissapoint Bruno Schreibar, because I think she is not going to record Rossini in the near future, because she doesn't really like him according to the recent interviews I read, she said Rosini is a bit shalow, which I think is a view a bit shalow also, but I understand her point. But anyway I would love her in this repertoire too,l especialy with J. D. Flórez!
As for Mahler, she also said something like she is not ready for that yet, but that was some time ago and I hope she will change her mind. I heard her at a concert singing "Lob des hohen Verstandes" and it was just miraculous! I never heard it as beautifull and as funny (and as daring) as with her.
But with Mahlers lieder like "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen" or "Um Mitternacht" or Kindertotenlieder, all those I love very much, I am not sure about Magdalena singing them now, despite all the deepest respect and love and admiration I have for her.
I think she should wait yet with Last Songs from Strauss (whom I also love very much) as well as with Duparc whom she sings on concerts and I am not satisfied with that too. These songs are very heavily romantic and require maybe age, maybe some kind of pathos or sentiment in voice, I don't know, how to describe it.

I agree with the previous article. I like very much the singing of Magdalena Kožená and her interpretation as well. Still the idea often came to me, that I cannot imagine her singing Mahler´s songs like "Kindertotenlider" or the Third Symphony by H. Gorecky. As for the song "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen", I think that it is also bound to the context of the other "dramatic" Mahler´s songs and I think, but it is my opinion, that it should be sung only when there is already experiance with the other Mahler´s songs such as "Kindertotenlieder", "Um Mitternacht" or "Irdischeleben"...
I would like to thank Mrs. Kožená for the pure beauty and inspiration she gives us ... and I´m looking forward to the striking suprise for my opinion and prejudice...

Yes, I suppose you're right, Mahler is best sung by a voice limned with grief and pain - not at all what one would hope for a new mother! Kindertotenlieder would be especially inappropriate! Perhaps a collection of lullabies/berceuses?

Best regards,
Chris

Magdalena Kozena's voice is most spiritual. She beautifully sings ancient music, her Johann Christoph Bach lamento and the Sebastian Bach's cantatas are a wonder .Hopefully she will go that wayChristopher wrote:

Having said I would love to hear her do Sesto in an earlier post on this discussion it appears that my prayers may have been answered!

On DG's latest newsletter, under 'In the Studio' for August it says:

Magdalena Kožená, mezzo-soprano / Mozart: La clemenza di Tito / Edinburgh, Usher Hall

After hearing her in Paride ed Elena, I can't wait to hear another complete role, especially this one: my favourite role in my favourite opera!

Ed

Certainly she got rave reviews for Sesto in Edinburgh, so it's great if it's going to be issued (on CD presumeably since it was a concert performance). I heard a broadcast performance today of her song recital there, breaking new ground as far as I am concerned with Richard Strauss songs (including Morgen) and some Ravel songs which I had not heard from her before. As you might expect in these still relatively early days, she gets better and better, but I feel she has very definite, and sensible. ideas on what she should and should not tackle at this stage.

I, too, wish I had heard her performance of Melisande and think it would be wonderful if she were given the opportunity to record it. It seems *the* perfect role for her. What about the wonderful song literature by Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff? She would be splendid in this material, I think. There is something uncannily beautiful, however, at least to my ears, about the way her voice sounds in French....

I agree with Bryan. Czech and English folk songs would be great. I would also like to hear Czech opera.

Apparently more Mozart from Kozena to be released.

Just checked the Mozart Forever website:
www.mozartforever.com

If you go to latest releases it says that La Clemenza, Die Zauberflote, and Mozart arias with Rattle are to be released by her.

Does anyone know which arias are to be released on that CD? Also, I thought Roschmann was taking the role of Pamina in Abbado's Zauberflote recording, but perhaps that is my imagination.

Ed