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ANTONIO VIVALDI
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin) / Wiener Philharmoniker [Vienna Philharmonic], Herbert von Karajan [ Warner Classics Redline / CD - released 15/Oct/2018 ] Anne-Sophie Mutter's reading of Vivaldi's 'The Four Seasons', conducted by the man who discovered her, Herbert von Karajan, was the first classical CD to go platinum. And to this day, its legendary status remains untarnished. |
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PRAETORIUS / J C'ph BACH / HAMMERSCHMIDT / BRIEGEL / FLOR / BERNHARD / SCHUTZ /TUNDER / SELLE
O Jesulein... A German Baroque Christmas Oratorio Julia Wischniewski, Paulin Bündgen, Philippe Favette (soloist) / Clematis [ Ricercar / CD - released 14/Oct/2022 ] This innovative programme presents an imaginary Christmas oratorio made up of works by German composers of the 17th century. Many of these works are unpublished and come from the splendid Düben collection in the library of the University of Uppsala;... |
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WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
Mozart: Zaide, K. 344 Sophie Bevan (soprano), Allan Clayton (tenor) Stuart Jackson (tenor) / The Orchestra of Classical Opera, Ian Page [ Signum / CD - released 9/Jun/2017 ] "Page's performance offers firmness and mastery of tempo … As Gomatz, Allan Clayton brings energy and definition to his singing … Excellent sound." BBC Music |
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GLUCK
Orphee et Eurydice (recorded at the Palais Garnier February 2008) Paris Opera Ballet / Maria Riccarda Wesseling / Julia Kleiter / Sunhae Im / Agnes Gillot / Yann Bridard / Thomas Hengelbrock (cond) [ Bel Air Classiques DVD / DVD - released 20/Feb/2012 ] Filmed in HD at the Palais Garnier February 2008 Orpheus and Eurydice is Pina Bausch's masterpiece and the ultimate symbol of the genius of this German choreographer, who died last June, five days after being diagnosed with cancer. Bausch was the... |
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GLUCK
Orphee et Eurydice (recorded at the Palais Garnier February 2008) BLU-RAY Paris Opera Ballet / Maria Riccarda Wesseling / Julia Kleiter / Sunhae Im / Agnes Gillot / Yann Bridard / Thomas Hengelbrock (cond) [ Bel Air Classiques Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Dec/2009 ] G - Filmed in HD at the Palais Garnier February 2008 Orpheus and Eurydice is Pina Bausch's masterpiece and the ultimate symbol of the genius of this German choreographer, who died in June 2009, five days after being diagnosed with cancer. |
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LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Folk Songs Paula Sophie Bohnet (soprano) Daniel Johannsen (tenor) Georg Klimbacher (baritone) Bernadette Bartos (piano) [ Naxos / CD - released 20/Jul/2020 ] "I have a feeling that these folk song arrangements are fairly little known, but they are definitely worth investigating. All in all a wholly delightful programme, excellently performed." MusicWeb Recommended July 2020 |
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JOHANN ADOLF HASSE
Hasse - Serpentes ignei in deserto Philippe Jaroussky, Jakub Józef OrliĆski (counter-tenors), Julia Lezhneva (soprano), Bruno de Sa (male soprano) David Hansen (countertenor) / Les Acce [ Erato / Warner Classics / 2 CD - released 14/Feb/2025 ] "The score is demanding for all the singers," continues Thibault Noally. "Every character is very different from the others and each of our soloists has a unique personality and a unique vocal timbre." |
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CARL MARIA von WEBER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Weber, completed Mahler: Die Drei Pintos (The Three Pintos) [complete opera] Robert Holzer, Sophie Marilley, Peter Furlon / Wexford Festival Opera Chorus, National Philharmonic Orchestra of Belarus Paolo Arrivabeni [ Naxos / 2 CD - released 1/Mar/2004 ] Recorded: 22, 25, 28 & 31 October 2003 Recording Venue: Theatre Royal, High Street, Wexford, Ireland |
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JOSEPH HAYDN
Haydn: Il Ritorno di Tobia (complete oratorio) Roberta Invernizzi, Sophie Karthauser, Ann Hallenberg / Capella Augustina / Andreas Spering [ Naxos / 3 CD Box Set - released 11/Jan/2008 ] Although Haydn's place in the history of the oratorio has been secured by his great vocal masterpieces The Creation and The Seasons, his first oratorio, Il ritorno di Tobia (The Return of Tobias), is among the better-kept secrets of music history.... |
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GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Theodora (complete opera recorded in 2022) BLU-RAY Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Joyce DiDonato, Julia Bullock, Jakub Jozef Orlinnski / Harry Bicket (cond) [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Jun/2009 ] Julia Bullock, Joyce DiDonato and Jakub Jozef Orlinski star in Katie Mitchell's thrilling new production of Handel's Theodora in an alternative modern-day reality, Theodora, a religious fundamentalist, plots for the resistance against the Roman... |
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RICHARD STRAUSS
Strauss, R.: Der Rosenkavalier (complete opera recorded in 2014) BLU-RAY Salzburg Festival / Krassimira Stoyanova, Sophie Koch, Mojca Erdmann, Silvana Dussmann / Franz Welser-Möst [ C Major / Blu-ray Disc - released 2/Feb/2015 ] This unabbreviated version of The Rosenkavalier from Salzburg Festival 2014 became a triumph and received fantastic reviews. Staged by legendary Harry Kupfer. Great cast incl. Krassimira Stoyanova, Günther Groisböck, Sophie Koch, Mojca Erdman,... |
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FRANZ SCHUBERT
Schubert: Fierrabras (complete opera recorded in 2014) BLU-RAY Salzburg Festival / Michael Schade, Julia Kleiter, Benjamin Bernheim, Dorothea Röschmann / Ingo Metzmacher (cond) [ C Major / Blu-ray Disc - released 25/Oct/2015 ] Fierrabras of 1823 is the last of Franz Schubert's stage works. Rarely performed to this day, this heroic-romantic opera has now been staged for the first time ever at the Salzburg Festival by famous director Peter Stein. |
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GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Alcina / Tamerlano (complete operas recorded in 2015) BLU-RAY Sandrine Piau, Maite Beaumont, Christophe Dumaux, Jeremy Ovenden, Sophie Karthauser, Ann Hallenberg / Les Talens Lyriques, Christophe Rousset (conduct [ Alpha BLU-RAY / 2 Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Feb/2017 ] "This is essential viewing for those who take Handel as a dramatist seriously." Gramophone DVD of the Month January 2017 |
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RICHARD STRAUSS
Intermezzo (Complete opera recorded in 2011) Simone Schneider, Markus Eiche, Martina Welschbach, Peter Nice, Sophie Mitterhuber, Brigitte Fassbaender / Müncher Rundfunkorchester, Ulf Schirmir [ CPO / 2 CD - released 20/Sep/2014 ] Scenes from a Marriage: The tension between a high-flying artistic existence and down-to-earth middle-class life was the theme of the Richard Strauss Festival in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 2011. The musical highlight of the festival was without a... |
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SCHUBERT
Schubert: Swansong Sir John Tomlinson (bass), Christopher Glynn (piano), Sophie Bevan (soprano), Juian Bliss (clarinet), Alec Frank-Gemmill (horn) [ Signum / CD - released 12/Oct/2018 ] Christopher Glynn continues his series of late Schubert song cycles in English, joined by celebrated soloists Sir John Tomlinson, Sophie Bevan, Julian Bliss and Alec Frank-Gemmill. Titled by the works first publisher following Schubert's death,... |
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GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti: Messa di Gloria and Credo in D major (with works by Johann Simon Mayr) Siri Karoline Thornhill, Marie-Sophie Pollak, Marie-Sande Papenmeyer, Mark Adler / Bavarian State Opera Chorus & Concerto de Bassus, Franz Hauk [ Naxos / CD - released 2/Dec/2016 ] While the German tradition observes a strict distinction between sacred and secular styles, the 19th-century Italian Mass can feel more akin to attending an operatic performance. Donizetti's church music, consisting of at least a hundred items, has... |
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STEPHEN SONDHEIM
Sondheim: Follies (complete musical comedy recorded in 2015) Opera Toulon / Graham Bickley, Liz Robertson, Charlotte Page, Marilyn Hill Smith, Julia Sutton / David Charles Abell (cond) [ BelAir Classiques DVD / DVD - released 20/Mar/2017 ] "The choice of the soloists is of irreproachable quality. The Follies' production in Toulouse is shining with a thousand fires." MUSICALAVENUE.FR |
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Sophie B Hawkins
If I Was Your Girl: The Best.. [ Columbia / CD - released 9/Dec/2002 ] |
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HANDEL
The Triumph of Time and Truth Sophie Bevan, Mary Bevan (sopranos), Tim Mead (countertenor), Ed Lyon (tenor), William Berger (bass) / Ludus Baroque, Richard Neville-Towle [ Delphian / 2 CD - released 20/Oct/2014 ] "The small orchestra playing is stylish and characterful...Excellent, spirited singing from both choir and soloists throughout - Ludus Baroque's most valuable Handel recording so far confirms that this unclassifiable, peculiar work is well worth rev |
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GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel In Italy Vol. 2 Sophie Bevan (soprano), Mary Bevan (soprano) & Benjamin Bevan (baritone) / London Early Opera, Bridget Cunningham (director) [ Signum / CD - released 23/Sep/2016 ] "All three [Bevans] sing together in the delicious Quel fior che all'alba ride and Se tu non lasci amore, making a persuasive argument for a complete survey of the chamber cantatas." BBC Music |