For his first recital with an orchestra, the young Salzburg baritone Rafael Fingerlos alternates between arias from concerts, and the operas by his compatriot Mozart, his beloved composer, whose works he frequently sings with the Vienna Opera company, of which he has been a member since their 2016-2017 season. His repertoire spans opera, recital—which he loves to perform—and sacred music. In demand throughout Europe, Rafael Fingerlos has recorded a good dozen Bach cantatas with Christoph Spering, and several recital albums. Accompanied here by the Mozarteum Orchester from his home town conducted by the veteran Leopold Hager, he presents a varied selection of eighteen arias in which he exploits every facet of his talent and vocal possibilities.
Among the well-known baritone arias from The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan tutte and The Magic Flute, there are a few rare gems on this album, such as the short arietta Männer suchen stets..., K. 433, undated, which anticipates both Osmin's aria from The Abduction from the Seraglio and Monostatos' aria from The Magic Flute, as well as the splendid Nur mutig, mein Herze taken from Zaïde. And when Mozart dips into politics, the result is Ich möchte wohl, der Kaiser sei, K. 539, an aria composed to satisfy the imperial propaganda demands for the war against the Turks in 1788... © François Hudry/Qobuz