ALBAN BERG
Berg: Wozzeck (Complete Opera) Katarina Dalayman / Carl Johan Falkman / Ulrik Qvale / Sten Wahlund / Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera Stockholm / Leif Segerstam [ Naxos Opera Classics / 2 CD - released 1/May/2002 ] Editor's Choice - Gramophone Magazine (March 2002) |
KIRI te KANAWA
I Could Have Danced all Night (Concert & Portrait) Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano) / New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, John Hopkins / Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Stephen Barlow [ Arthaus DVD / DVD - released 1/Oct/2015 ] The Portrait Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's story has all the best elements of an operatic fairytale. Coming from a part-Maori background she went on to become one of the world's most famous opera stars. In this exciting portrait, Kiri Te Kanawa talks about... |
Klemperer/Royal Danish Opera
Beethoven:sym 3/Mozart No.29 [ Testament / 2 CD - released 6/May/2002 ] |
RUGGIERO LEONCAVALLO
Leoncavallo: Zingari (complete opera) Krassimira Stoyanova, Arsen Soghomonyan, Stephen Gaertner, Lukasz Golinski / Opera Rara Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Carlo Rizzi [ Opera Rara / CD - released 23/Sep/2022 ] "it's hard to imagine it better done, either. Arsen Soghomonyan was the dark-voiced, passionate Radu, slowly losing control when faced with Krassimira Stoyanova's imperious, self-determined Fleana, gloriously sung." The Guardian |
TCHAIKOVSKY
Cherevichki (The Slippers) (complete opera recorded in 2009) Larissa Diadkova / Maxim Mikhailov / Vladimir Matorin / Olga Guryakova / Vsevolod Grivnov / Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Alexander Polianichko [ Opus Arte Royal Opera House Collection DVD / DVD - released 19/Dec/2010 ] |
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.... |
PUCCINI / BELLINI / ROSSINI / BIZET / VERDI / BELLINI / etc
Maria Callas: In Concert London, Hamburg & Paris BLU-RAY Maria Callas (soprano) / Orchestra & Chorus of the Paris National Opera, Symphonieorchester des NDR, Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Cove [ Warner Classics Blu-ray / 3 Blu-ray Disc - released 25/Sep/2017 ] Callas at Covent Garden (London 1962 & 1964) Callas in Concert (Hamburg 1959 & 1962) Toujours (Paris 1958) |
PUCCINI / BIZET / VERDI
Maria Callas at Covent Garden: London 1962 & 1964 Maria Callas (soprano) / Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden [ Warner Classics Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Nov/2015 ] This Blu-ray disc is part of a collection of three that gather together concert and stage performances from the latter phase of Callas's career, 1958-1964. These are the only professional video recordings of Callas in performance on stage. |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Tosca (Complete Opera) (Rec 1938) Maria Caniglia / Beniamino Gigli / Armando Borgiolo / Royal Opera Theatre / Oliviero de Fabritiis [ Naxos Great Opera Recordings / 2 CD - released 1/May/2002 ] an old-fashioned, flesh-and-blood, no-subtleties, stand-and-deliver Tosca |
PYOTR Il'yich TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake (complete ballet recorded in 2009) Royal Opera House / Marialela Nunez, Thiago Soares, Elizabeth McGorian, Christopher Saunders / Valery Ovsyanikov (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 1/Aug/2011 ] 'The production as a whole is beautifully formed and dramatically convincing… And praise, too, for the corps, who made us feel the sorrow and anger of the swans' collective misfortune.' The Times |
GIACOMO MEYERBEER
Meyerbeer: Le Prophete (Complete opera recorded in 1976) Marilyn Horne, Renata Scotto, James McCracken, Jerome Hines / Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Henry Lewis [ Sony Classical Opera / 2 CD Box Set - released 1/Aug/2016 ] "The role calls for a Brünnhilde range with an Amneris-type voice: the vocal flexibility and dramatic punch needed are extraordinary. Miss Horne has them all, and she brings out the pathos of the part without sentimentalizing it." (Gramophone) |
WAGNER
Tristan und Isolde (Complete opera) Martina Dike, mezzo-soprano / John Erik Eleby, bass / Hedwig Fassbender, mezzo-soprano / Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra / Leif Segerstam [ Naxos Historical Opera / 3 CD - released 26/Aug/2005 ] "If you were judging this recording only on the soloists (the excellent German soprano Hedwig Fassbender and the lackluster Wolfgang Millgram) it wouldn't be in the running but what lifts it above average is the wonderful playing of the Swedish Opera... |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Manon Lescaut (complete opera) Mirella Freni, Placido Domingo, Renato Bruson / Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / [ Deutsche Grammophon Grand Prix / 2 CD - released 1/May/2007 ] "The sound is consistently spacious and free to bring out the strongly dramatic and characterful qualities of Sinopoli's reading" - Gramophone |
PUCCINI
Tosca (complete opera) Monserrat Caballa / Josa Carreras / Ingvar Wixell / Samuel Ramey / Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Sir Colin Davis [ Pentatone SACD / 2 SACD - released 26/Sep/2006 ] The blissfully melodic drama full of delicate weaknesses, La bohème, was followed by the chamber of horrors which was Tosca. Giacomo Puccini demonstrated the artistic acrobatics of which he was capable in two of his most successful works. |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Aida (Complete Opera recorded in 1973) Montserrat Caballe, Placido Domingo, Piero Cappuccilli, Nicolai Ghiaurov / Royal Opera House Chorus & Orchestra, Riccardo Muti [ Warner Classics Home of Opera / 3 CD Box Set - released 1/Feb/2016 ] 'An outright winner. Muti is the undoubted hero, so compelling is his interpretation of the score, and there are no weaknesses in his cast, which features five of the biggest operatic 'names' of the day.' (Gramophone) |
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 |
VERDI / MOZART / MONTEVERDI / OFFENBACH / PUCCINI / WAGNER
The Essential Opera Collection (19 DVD) Muziektheater Amsterdam / Glyndebourne Opera / Madrid Teatro Real / Gran Teatre del Liceu / Netherlands Opera / Royal Opera House / Paris Opera [ Opus Arte Essential Opera Collection DVD / 19 DVD Box Set - released 20/Nov/2015 ] The 'Essential Opera Collection' is an exciting new mid-price series that brings together popular operas and classic productions in simple stylish packaging. The ten launch titles represent the leading opera houses of the world, including The Royal... |
TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op. 20 (The Royal Swedish Ballet) Nathalie Nordquist, Anders Nordström, Marketta Kaila, Christian Rambe Royal Swedish Ballet, Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra, Michel Quéval [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 8/Nov/2002 ] This stunning production by The Royal Swedish Ballet, produced by Ross MacGibbon, stars Nathalie Nordquist as Odette/Odile and Anders Nordström as Prince Siegfried. Choreographer Peter Wright stages Swan Lake as a romantic Gothic tragedy. This... |
SMETANA
The Bartered Bride (Complete Opera) Neal Davies / Yvonne Howard / Susan Gritton / Geoffrey Moses / Philharmonia Orchestra / Royal Opera Chorus / Sir Charles Mackerras [ Chandos / 2 CD - released 1/Oct/2005 ] "A crisp, witty translation gives added sparkle to a terrific performance" - Editor's Choice Gramophoen Magazine November 2005 |
SAINT-SAENS / TCHAIKOVSKY / VERDI / BERLIOZ / de FALLA / MOUSSORGSKY / etc
Olga Borodina: Portrait Olga Borodina (mezzo) / Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Orchestra of Welsh National Opera / etc [ Philips Portrait of an Artist / 2 CD - released 10/Jun/2006 ] "A mezzo-soprano is usually a woman with a tragic past, a tragic life - strong women, wilful women, and these roles have strengthened me as a character" (Olga Borodina) |