PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin (complete opera recorded in 1968) Maria Glavachevich, Miro Changalovich, Dušan Popović, Vladeta Dimitrievich / Chorus And Orchestra Of The Nat Theatre, Belgrade, Oskar Danton [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 10/Feb/2019 ] This Onegin was welcomed with open arms as the first widely available recording in the original Russian, but it was also valued for the idiomatic singing, informed by the company's tradition of Russian opera performance. |
PUCCINI / DONIZETTI / MOZART / VERDI / etc
An Evening with Montserrat Caballe Montserrat Caballa, soprano, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent garden, new Philharmonia Orchestra, New Philharmonia Orchestra, London Sympho [ Philips Eloquence / CD - released 25/Jan/2003 ] Eloquence - the specially priced quality label from Europe |
ROYAL BALLET GALA
Royal Ballet Gala (Incls 'Nutcracker Suite', 'La Boutique fantasque' & 'Les Sylphides') Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Ernest Ansermet [ Decca ABC Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 20/Jun/2008 ] "This is the stuff of which dreams are made. The Royal Ballet Gala is one of the finest RCAs recorded in London's Kingsway Hall. The chunks of great ballet music are well served by orchestra, conductor and engineer." Audiophilia Online Magazine |
PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Ballet at the Opera (from Eugene Onegin, Oprichnik, The Maid of Orleans, etc) Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Sir Colin Davis [ SBS Decca Australian Eloquence / CD - released 1/May/2009 ] "An unhackneyed sample of the operatic-balletic Tchaikovsky culled from the well known and the neglected operas - brilliant performed and recorded." (MusicWeb Aug 2007) |
MESSAGER
Les Deux Pigeons (Complete ballet) Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera, Richard Bonynge [ Decca Eloquence / CD - released 1/May/2005 ] A real rarity of the ballet world, this marvellous score, 'rediscovered' by Sir Frederick Ashton, was one of Decca's most glorious recordings of ballet music by that pioneer of this genre, Richard Bonynge. Not included on the 10CD Penguin... |
MIKHAIL IVANOVICH GLINKA
Glinka: Ivan Susanin (A Life For The Tsar) (complete opera recorded in 1955) Maria Glavachevich, Miro Changalovich, Drago Startz, Vladeta Dimitrievich / The Yugoslav Army Chorus, Belgrade National Opera Orchestra, Oskar Danon [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 3 CD Box Set - released 28/Sep/2018 ] 'The stereo sound is remarkable for its time ... Cangalovc is quite moving as Susanin prepares for the supreme sacrifice in his country's cause.' - Gramophone, June 1974 |
CHARPENTIER / FRANCK / LALO / MASSENET
Fete a la Francaise [incls 'Rhapsodie Norvegienne' & Phedre - Overture] Paris Conservatoire Orchestra & Orchestre de l'Opéra-Comique Paris, Albert Wolff [ Australian Decca SBS Eloquence / 2 CD - released 20/Dec/2010 ] "beautifully warm and clear orchestral sound … a most excellent recording" Gramophone Magazine (Liszt) // "played with finesse and recorded with clarity" Gramophone Magazine (Massenet) |
GLUCK
Alceste (complete opera recorded in 1956) Raoul Jobin, Kirsten Flagstad, Joan Clark. Alexander Young / The Geraint Jones Orchestra & Singers / Geraint Jones [ Decca SBS Eloquence / 2 CD Box Set - released 12/Dec/2009 ] Flagstad in, perhaps, less that her usual stellar voice is still an extraordinary, mesmerizing artist, as listeners to Decca's classic recording can attest. |
VERDI
Verdi - La Traviata (Highlights from the complete opera) Giacomo Aragall, Virgilio Carbonari, Mirella Fiorentini, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Pilar Lorengar / Orchestra of the Deutsche Opera Berlin, Lorin Maaz [ Decca Australian Eloquence / CD - released 20/Mar/2016 ] Classic recordings now available at a budget price |
PUCCINI
Tosca (highlights from the complete opera) Renata Tebaldi, Monaco del Monaco, George London / St Cecilia, Rome, Francesco Molinari-Pradel [ Decca SBS Australian Eloquence / CD - released 16/Nov/2014 ] Highlights from the classic recording |
SCHUBERT
Rosamunde (complete incidental music) Rohanzig Yachmi (contralto) / Vienna State Opera Chorus / Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Karl Munchinger [ Decca SBS Australian Eloquence / CD - released 20/Feb/2011 ] "glows with an affectionate warmth... one of Munchinger's very best records... the VPO is at its magnificent best" (Penguin Guide) |
NICOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
Rimsky-Korsakov: The Snow Maiden [Snegurochka] (complete opera recorded in 1957) Sofiya Jankovic, Militza Miladinovich, Valeria Heybalova, Biserka Cvejic, Lubitza Versaykoun / Belgrade National Opera , Kreshimir Baranovich [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 3 CD Box Set - released 10/Feb/2019 ] 'The sound is amazingly smooth and clear, and the stereo spread even in those experimental days is really first rate.' - Opera magazine, August 1974 |
GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Rodelinda (complete opera) Joan Sutherland, Alicia Nafe, Curtis Rayam, Isobel Buchanan / Welsh National Opera Orchestra, Richard Bonynge [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 1/Jun/2019 ] "[The recorded sound] is vivid, rather spacious … Dame Joan Sutherland produces generous quantities of golden tone … Nafé does ['Dove sei'] very beautifully, gently yet with firm, well-formed tone." gramophone |
MODEST MUSSORGSKY
Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov (complete opera recorded in 1955) Miroslav Čangalović, Sofija Janković, Zlata Sesardić, Milica Miladinović, Stepan Andrashev / Belgrade National Opera Chorus, Kreshimir Baranovich [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 20/Aug/2018 ] A first release on CD of Mussorgsky's epic tragedy recorded by the Belgrade National Opera. With this and six companion issues, Eloquence makes available for the first time on CD the seven complete Russian operas recorded in 1955 by Decca with the... |
RICHARD STRAUSS / WAGNER / BEETHOVEN
Hans Knappertsbusch: The Opera Edition Wiener Philharmoniker, Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Hans Knappertsbusch, with Kirsten Flagstad, Martti Talvela, Hans Hotter, George London, etc [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 19 CD Box Set - released 11/Feb/2022 ] A priceless collection of Hans Knappertsbusch's opera recordings made for Universal Music, including the legendary live Parsifal performances of both 1951 and 1962, the Vienna studio Die Meistersinger of 1950-51, the Munich Fidelio of 1961, etc. |
STRAUSS II / REZNICEK / SUPPE / HEUBERGER / NICOLAI
Romantic Overtures - Vol. 4: Overtures of Old Vienna Wiener Philharmoniker [Vieena Philharmonic], Willi Boskovsky [ Decca Australian Eloquence / CD - released 1/Apr/2018 ] During the 1950s, 60s and 70s, Decca recorded a number of albums with some of its key conductors of Overtures. Many of these were singled out by the press for their terrific sound quality (the fabled 'Decca Sound') and for their often adventurous... |