GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Rigoletto (Complete Opera recorded in 2021) BLU-RAY Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Carlos Alvarez, Liparit Avetisyan, Lisette Oropesa / Antonio Pappano [ Opus Arte Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 31/Mar/2023 ] "Antonio Pappano's conducting is masterly, offering one of the best accounts available." BBC Music |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Rigoletto (complete opera) Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Marcelo Alvarez, Lisette Oropesa, Blaise Malaba, Liparit Avetisyan / Antonio Pappano (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 18/Nov/2022 ] Director Oliver Mears makes his Royal Opera debut with his 'thrilling new production' (The Times ★★★★), which frames Verdi's masterpiece as a modern morality play, pitting power against innocence in a decadent world of corruption and social decay. |
Stephen Clothier, Ross Harris, Neil Johnstone, Sam Leamy, Steve Burridge, Steve Garden
Collapsed Clouds [ Rattle Records / CD - released 8/Jul/2022 ] How many columns of clouds Had risen and crumbled, I wonder Among other things, these two lines of Japanese poetry by Sora (an Edo period Japanese poet) evoke the natural balance between order and chaos. They inspired and inform the core ideas of... |
ARNE / HANDEL / BELLINI / ROSSINI / MEYERBEER / MOZART / VERDI / etc
Joan Sutherland - The Art of the Prima Donna Joan Sutherland (Soprano) / Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Francesco Molinari-Pradelli [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 11/Mar/2022 ] Sutherland's sensational debut recital album, long unavailable on its own, reissued with photographs and rarely seen costume designs for the soprano's signature roles. |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute) (complete opera recorded in 2021) Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Mauro Peter, Siobhan Stagg, Roderick Williams, Sabine Devieilhe, Mika Kares / Julia Jones (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 26/Nov/2021 ] "This spirited performance, with good video direction by Jonathan Haswell, will give a great deal of pleasure." Gramophone |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute) (complete opera recorded in 2021) BLU-RAY Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Mauro Peter, Siobhan Stagg, Roderick Williams, Sabine Devieilhe, Mika Kares / Julia Jones (cond) [ Opus Arte Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 26/Nov/2021 ] David McVicar's classic production embraces both the seriousness and comedy of Mozart's work. The audience is transported to a fantastical world of dancing animals, flying machines and dazzlingly starry skies. The setting provides a wonderful... |
Neil Johnstone, Sam Leamy, Steve Garden
Chalk Dogs [ Rattle Records / CD - released 2/Oct/2020 ] CHALK DOGS is a series of multi-layered works created during (and in response to) New Zealand's Covid-19 lockdown between April and June 2020. The project was developed and completed entirely in isolation and explores the blurred lines between inner... |
FERDINAND HEROLD / PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY / ADOLPHE ADAM
The Art of Natalia Osipova: La Fille mal gardée / Swan Lake / Giselle / Force of Nature BLU-RAY Royal Ballet, Covent Garden / Natalia Osipova, with Steven McRae, Philip Mosley, Christopher Saunders, Matthew Golding, Elizabeth McGorian & others [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / 4 Blu-ray Box Set - released 25/Sep/2020 ] Russian dance superstar Natalia Osipova joined The Royal Ballet as a Principal in 2013 and has since filled each of her leading roles with an unforgettable passion, fiery energy and technical prowess. |
IVAN ZAGNI / STEVE GARDEN
Trouble Spots Ivan Zagni, Steve Garden [ Rattle Records / CD - released 12/Jun/2020 ] The originally audio for this album was recorded in 1983-84 and released on the Ode label as A Selection of Trouble Spots (1984). This album is a reinterpretation of the original multi-track recordings, which have been re-edited, added to, subtracted... |
The Garden
Kiss My Super Bowl Ring [ Epitaph / CD - released 13/Mar/2020 ] Fourth studio album from The Garden (Wyatt and Fletcher Shears)! Though primarily self-produced, the album includes tracks co-produced by Dylan Brady, and Wharfwit, along with tracks featuring Ariel Pink, Khalif Jones (aka Le1f) and even a... |
The Garden
Kiss My Super Bowl Ring (LP) [ Epitaph / LP - released 13/Mar/2020 ] |
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOSVKY
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op. 20 (complete ballet recorded in 2018) BLU-RAY Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Marianela Nunez, Vadim Muntagirov, Elizabeth McGorian / Koen Kessels (cond) [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Oct/2019 ] Swan Lake has a special place in The Royal Ballet's repertory. This new production by Artist in Residence Liam Scarlett features additional choreography whilst remaining faithful to Petipa and Ivanov's classic. John Macfarlane's opulent designs... |
GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore (complete opera recorded in 1971) [2 CDs plus Blu-ray audio] Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes, Nicolai Ghiaurov / Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Richard Bonynge [ Decca 2 CDs plus Blu-ray audio / 3 CD Box Set - released 27/Sep/2019 ] "The "L'elisir" set was one of the loveliest things Sutherland ever did on record . . . As Donizetti's Adina she is charming -- touching, exuberant, virtuoso (her coloratura is astounding), and always very human." (Gramophone) |
Savage Garden
Affirmation (Reissue) [ Sony Music / CD - released 9/Aug/2019 ] In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Savage Garden's highly successful follow-up album Affirmation is now reissued! Affirmation delivered further hit singles including, The Animal Song, I Knew I Loved You, Affirmation, Hold Me and The Best Thing. |
Savage Garden
Savage Garden (Reissue) [ Sony Music / 2 CD - released 9/Aug/2019 ] American imported disc. |
MAX RICHTER
Richter: Recomposed - The Four Seasons, Vasks, Pärt Fenella Humphreys (violin), Covent Garden Sinfonia, Ben Palmer [ Rubicon / CD - released 28/Jun/2019 ] "Humphrey's utter absorption and delight shines forth at every turn… strong toned, easy fluidity and immaculate technique" - Gramophone Since winning the BBC Music Magazine Instrumental award in 2018 Fenella Humphreys has been in demand throughout... |
GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti: Lucia Di Lammermoor (complete opera recorded in 1971) Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes, Nicolai Ghiaurov / Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Richard Bonynge [ Decca 2 CDs plus Blu-ray audio & Libretto / 3 CD/Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Jun/2019 ] Remastered in ultra-high quality 96kHz/24-bit audio at Abbey Road Studios in 2014 under the supervision of long-term Decca balance engineer Philip Siney. |
VINCENZO BELLINI
Bellini: Norma (complete opera recorded live in 1952) Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, Mirto Picchi / Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Vittorio Gui [ Warner Classics Maria Callas Live Remastered / 2 CD - released 1/Feb/2019 ] 'Bellini's Norma is an epic and multi-faceted role, often considered the ultimate vocal challenge for an operatic soprano. Callas sang it on stage 92 times, more often than any other heroine, and her achievement casts a long shadow: more than 50... |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Tosca (complete opera remastered recorded live 1964) Maria Callas, Renato Cioni, Tito Gobbi, David Sellar / Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Carlo Felice Cillario [ Warner Classics Maria Callas Live Remastered / 2 CD - released 1/Feb/2019 ] There are obvious parallels between Tosca - the passionate, but vulnerable Roman diva - and Maria Callas. 'Vissi d'arte' (I lived for art), the character's moving Act II aria, has acquired a particular symbolism since the soprano's death in 1977.... |
Tania Giannouli, Rob Thorne, Steve Garden
Rewa [ Rattle Records / CD - released 15/Jun/2018 ] The ancient cultures of Greece and Aotearoa inform this expressive set of textural tapestries from pianist Tania Giannouli and one of the leading taonga pūoro exponents, Rob Thorne. REWA was recorded over a two-day period in May 2017, less than a... |