Edda Moser & Arleen Auger - Mozart: MITRIDATE, Se viver non degg'io duet, 1971

SOPRANO DUET SONGBIRDS:
Arleen Auger (1939 - 1993) was born in Los Angeles and graduated from college in Long Beach. After privates studies and competition wins, she relocated to Europe. The Vienna State Opera signed her with a debut in 1967 as Queen of the Night, followed by 47 more performances of the role over five seasons. Additional roles in Vienna included Konstanze, Gilda, and Olympia. In the U.S., her debut came in 1969 at New York City Opera, again as Queen of the Night, and she sang just four performances at The Met (Marzelline in "Fidelio" in 1978). Countless operatic, concert, and recital appearances all over the world made up Auger's career, but her largest audience (estimated at 700 million!) was for singing "Exsultate, Jubilate" at the royal wedding of Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew, which was televised worldwide in 1986.

Edda Moser was born in Berlin in 1938, the daughter of the musicologist Hans Joachim Moser. She studied at the Stern Conservatory and made her debut as Kate Pinkerton in Berlin in 1962. After singing in the Würzburg Opera Chorus, she sang principal roles at the opera houses in Hagen, Bielefeld, Hamburg, and Frankfurt. Moser joined the Vienna State Opera in 1971, debuting as Konstanze. She made her U.S. debut in 1968 in "Das Rheingold" at The Met. Other roles there over nine seasons included Donna Anna, Queen of the Night, and Liù.

THE MUSIC: Mozart wrote his first opera seria "Mitridate, re di Ponto" K.87 in 1770 when he was 14 years old; it premiered in Milan late that same year. The plot is loaded with interwoven political and amorous rivalries and complications. The leading soprano role is Aspasia, who is pledged to marry Mitridate (the King and the lead tenor) while being romantically pursued by Farnace (a general and an alto) -- meanwhile she is in love with Farnace's brother Sifare (another soprano). This great duet for two sopranos concludes the second act as the lovers pledge themselves to each other and vow to die together.