Magdalena Kožená Essentials

Kožená's flexible, smoothly produced mezzo is perfect for music of the Baroque and she constantly returns to earlier repertoires like it's her natural center of gravity. But she is a magnificent interpreter of more modern repertoire like Ravel or Mahler songs (her recording of the Knaben Wunderhorn songs with Boulez is magnificent), or operatic roles like Debussy's Mélisande. With her husband, Simon Rattle, she has recorded Bach and Mozart to inspirational effect: having a great maestro as a husband has its advantages.