Track listing
15 tracks · 54:31Listen to samples on selected tracks.
Richard Wagner
- 1 Dich teure Halle, from: Tannhäuser 3:16
Antonín Dvorák
- 2 Měsíčku na nebi hlobokém, from: Rusalka 5:26
Giuseppe Verdi
- 3 Ritorna vincitor, from: Aida 6:29
- 4 Pace, pace mio Dio, from: La forza del destino 5:18
Giacomo Puccini
- 5 Vissi d'arte, from: Tosca 2:56
Johann Strauss II
- 6 Ich lade gern mir Gäste ein, from Die Fledermaus 2:45
- 7 Mein Herr Marquis, from: Die Fledermaus 3:15
- 8 Klänge der Heimat, from: Die Fledermaus 3:52
Jean Sibelius
- 9 Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings möte (The Tryst), Op. 37/5 2:56
Leevi Madetoja
- 10 Luulit, mä katselin sua (You Thought I Was Watching You) 2:49
Oskar Merikanto
- 11 Miksi laulan (Why I Sing) 1:15
Ralp Maria Siegel
- 12 Ich hab' noch einen Koffer in Berlin (I Still Have a Suitcase in Berlin) 3:48
Friedrich Holländer
- 13 Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuss auf Liebe eingestellt (Falling In Love Again) 4:07
Jules Styne
- 14 Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend 3:45
George Gershwin
- 15 Summertime 2:34
About this recording
"Karita Live!" was recorded live on 2 September 2000 at the Helsinki Arena in front of an audience of 11,000 people. On the occasion of her 40th birthday, the Finnish star soprano Karita Mattila gave a glorious "monster concert," exhibiting a complete warehouse of repertoire, styles and moods, most of which is presented on this CD. Jukka-Pekka Saraste conducted the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Features
Booklet with liner notes in English, German, French and Finnish and the sung texts in the original languages and in English
The artists
Karita Mattila
Winner of the first 'Singer of the World' competition in Cardiff, Karita Mattila is recognised as much for the beauty and versatility of her lyric voice as for her extraordinary stage ability. Under such conductors as Claudio Abbado, James Levine, Sir Simon Rattle and Esa-Pekka Salonen, she has sang in all the major opera houses and festivals of the world performing repertoire which encompasses Mozart, Strauss, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Puccini, Wagner and Janácek. Her affinity with the dramatic side of opera has produced marvellous results when working with fine stage directors such as Luc Bondy who helped her to achieve a remarkable performance in his highly acclaimed Don Carlos, seen in Paris, London and at the Edinburgh Festival. Likewise, Lev Dodin in his productions of Elektra for the Salzburg Easter Festival and Pique Dame and Salome at the Opera Bastille, Peter Stein for his production of Simon Boccanegra in Salzburg, Robert Carsen in his production of Lohengrin at the Bastille and Jürgen Flimm for his Fidelio in New York.
Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Jukka-Pekka Saraste (b. 1956) has established himself as one of the exceptional conductors of his generation, demonstrating considerable musical depth and integrity. He has been music director of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra since the 2006/07 season until 2013. In November 2008, the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne announced the appointment of Saraste as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2010–2011 season. He served in the post through the 2018–2019 season. In April 2022, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra announced the appointment of Saraste as its next chief conductor. He previously held positions as music director of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (1987-2001) and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (1994-2001). From 2002 to 2005 he was principal guest conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. For the Finnish Chamber Orchestra he founded the Tammisaari Festival. Guest conductor engagements have included the Filarmonica della Scala in Milan, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, the London Philharmonic, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouworkest Amsterdam, the Chicago Symphony, the Boston Symphony and the Orchestre National de France.