ALBAN BERG
Berg: Lulu (complete opera recorded in 2009) BLU-RAY Royal Opera House / Agneta Eichenholz / Michael Volle / Klaus Florian Vogt / Jennifer Larmore / Antonio Pappano (cond) [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Aug/2010 ] "Antonio Pappano's electrifying conducting is razor-sharp in the manner of Pierre Boulez, and the orchestral playing is magnificent." (The Telegraph) |
ERIK SATIE
Best of Satie Aldo Ciccolini, Anne Queffelec (piano) / Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House [ Warner Classics Inspiration Series / CD - released 20/Jun/2015 ] Meditative piano sounds and glitter of Parisian cabaret. Satie was one of the most interesting figures of early 20th century Paris moving in the same artistic circles as Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau and Man Ray. He was known for his droll sense of... |
WAGNER
Die Walküre Anita Välkki, Claire Watson, Hans Hotter, Jon Vickers / The Royal Opera House, Georg Solti [ Testament / 4 CD Box Set - released 31/Jul/2014 ] This release marks the first appearance of Georg Solti on Testament as an opera conductor in an historic performance of Die Walküre at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in October 1961. |
RICHARD. STRAUSS
Der Rosenkavalier (complete opera recorded in 1995) Royal Opera House / Ann Murray / Anna Tomowa-Sintow / Kurt Moll / Barbara Bonney / Andrew Davis (cond) [ Opus Arte CD / 3 CD - released 22/Dec/2010 ] "All three characters are splendidly drawn here, Octavian (a winning Ann Murray, not too feminine), Baron Ochs (Kurt Moll) with a rich low register to all but dignify his underlying boorishness, and Anna Tomowa-Sintow a commandingly sympathetic,... |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Great scenes from Aida (with Wagner: Wesendonck Lieder) Birgit Nilsson (soprano), with Grace Hoffman, Luigi Ottolini / Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, John Pritchard [ Decca Most Wanted Recitals Vol. 31 / CD - released 16/Oct/2016 ] [This recording captures] the voice of the soprano at the zenith of his means. The stamp is bright and beautiful, perfect intonation, vibrato absent, acute triumphant! Technically, Nilsson is close to perfect, with perfect breath control, flawless... |
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... |
WOLF-FERRARI / VERDI / PONCHIELLI
Overtures and Ballet Music (Recorded 1958-1960) Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Charles Mackerras [ Testament / CD - released 20/Apr/2011 ] Recorded 1958-1960, some tracks mono |
GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti: Lucia Di Lammermoor (complete opera recorded in 1972) Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes, Nicolai Ghiaurov / Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Richard Bonynge [ Decca / 2 CD - released 24/Oct/2011 ] "Though some of the girlish freshness of voice which marked the 1961 recording had disappeared by the 1971 set, Sutherland's detailed understanding was intensified. Power is there as well as delicacy, and the rest of the cast is first-rate." Penguin |
MAURICE RAVEL
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe (complete ballet) / Rapsodie espagnole / etc Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / London Symphony Orchestra / Pierre Monteux [ Decca Historic / CD - released 10/Apr/1990 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1901-1950) "There is only one word for this work, this performance, and this recording, and that is - ravishing." Gramophone |
VERDI / PUCCINI / DONIZETTI / MASCAGNI / ROSSINI
Italian Opera Choruses Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Lamberto Gardelli [ EMI Studio / CD - released 25/Jan/1995 ] 11 masterpieces from Italian opera. |
GILBERT and SULLIVAN
Gilbert & Sullivan: Ruddigore (Complete opera) coupled with Sullivan's Cox and Box D'Oyly Carte Opera Company with John Reed; Kenneth Sandford; Jean Hindmarsh / Orchestra of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Isidore Godfrey [ Decca Records / 2 CD - released 1/Apr/2003 ] *** Three Stars. Penguin Stereo Guide. |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV / JOBY TALBOT
Two Ballet Favourites by Christophen Wheeldon: Prokofiev: Cinderella / Talbot: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Recorded 2011 & 2012) BLU-RAY Dutch National Ballet / Royal Opera House / Anna Tsygankova, Matthew Golding, Lauren Cuthbertson, Sergei Polunin / Ermanno Florio & Barry Wordsworth ( [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 15/Oct/2017 ] "Lauren Cuthbertson, as Alice, is excellent, her every movement suggesting the actions and emotions of this curious, spirited pre-adolescent...Christopher Wheeldon's choreography is very imaginative and fitting for every character" MusicWeb on Alice |
LIAM SCARLETT / LOWELL LIEBERMANN
The Royal Ballet's Frankenstein Federico Bonelli, Laura Morera, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Koen Kessels (cond.) [ DVD - released 22/Sep/2017 ] Inspired by Mary Shelley's Gothic masterpiece, Frankenstein is the world premiere of Liam Scarlett's new full-length ballet. A story of betrayal, curiosity, life, death and, above all, love, exploring the very depths of human nature. Federico... |
W. A. MOZART
Fernando Corena: Arias for Bass Fernando Corena (bass) / Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino / Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden [ Decca Australian Eloquence / CD - released 20/Sep/2015 ] "'Corena sings with a fine, resonant, clean tone. His production is easy and completely natural, and his diction, phrasing and general musicianship are most praiseworthy" (Gramophone) |
DEBUSSY
Pelleas et Melisande (Complete opera recorded in 1970) George Shirley, Elisabeth Söderström & Yvonne Minton / Royal Opera House Chorus and Orchestra, Pierre Boulez [ Sony Opera House / 3 CD Box Set - released 20/Feb/2010 ] "Boulez's sharply dramatic view of Debussy's atmospheric score is a performance which will probably not please the dedicated Francophile but it rescues Debussy from the lanquid half-tone approach which for long has been accepted as authentic. He is... |
VERDI / DONIZETTI / GOUNOD / ARDITI
La Stupenda Joan Sutherland (soprano) / Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden & Paris Conservatoire Orchestra [ Alto / CD - released 10/Aug/2013 ] (* Penguin Guide Rosette on Art of Prima Donna vol.2) "this 1959 recital** at once put her on the map as one of the greatest recording artists of all time" "most cherishable of all operatic recital records" (Penguin Guide) "breathtaking display" re... |
VINCENZO BELLINI
Bellini: I Puritani (complete opera) Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Piero Cappuccilli, Nicolai Ghiaurov / Royal Opera House Covent Garden / London Symphony Orchestra / Richard Bonyng [ Decca / 3 CD - released 10/Aug/2006 ] 1001 Classical recordings to hear before you die (1801-1850) -- Building a Library First Choice - January 2005 |
MOZART / WAGNER / DONIZETTI / SPOHR
The Golden Age of Covent Garden Joan Sutherland (soprano) Jon Vickers (tenor) / Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Rafael Kubelik / with Richard Bonynge (piano) [ Pearl / CD - released 1/Jan/2005 ] Joan Sutherland and Jon Vickers in roles they never recorded commercially, at the very peak of their powers in 1957 and 1958. |
VERDI
Un Ballo in Maschera (The Masked Ball) Complete Opera Jose Carreras, Montserrat Caballa / Royal Opera House / Colin Davis [ Philips Compact Opera / 2 CD - released 1/Nov/2002 ] Compact Opera - Great opera recordings repackaged |
JULES MASSENET
Massenet: Cendrillon [Cinderella] (the complete opera, recorded in 2011) Royal Opera House / Joyce DiDonato, Alice Coote, Eglise Gutierrez, Ewa Podles / Bertrand de Billy (conductor) [ Virgin Classics DVD / 2 DVD - released 11/May/2012 ] "Bertrand de Billy leads a highly sympathetic reading of the score...revelling in the pomposity of the court dances while conjuring magic in the duets." (International Record Review) |