RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Vaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress (Complete Opera) Gerald Finley, Rebecca Evans / Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Hickox [ Chandos Classics / 2 CD - released 21/Sep/2001 ] Rosette (Penguin Stereo Guide) - "The Chandos recording is superb, spacious and atmospheric, with the many onstage effects beautifully balanced, yet with words always clear…(an) overpowering recording." |
W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mozart: Don Giovanni (highlights from the opera recorded in 1991) Ingvar Wixell, Luigi Roni, Martina Arroyo, Stuart Burrows,Kiri te Kanawa / Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Sir Colin Davis [ Philips remastered / CD - released 20/Nov/1996 ] Originally recorded in London,1973 |
GIOACHINO ROSSINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rossini: La Cenerentola [Cinderella] (Highlights from the opera) Jennifer Larmore, Raul Gimenez, Gino Quilico, Alessandro Corbelli / Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Carlo Rizzi [ Teldec / CD - released 14/Jun/2004 ] "What really makes a reading of Cenerentola stand out is the handling of the ensembles. In this respect Carlo Rizzi is outstanding." (MusicWeb July 2004) |
GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore (complete opera recorded in 1971) [2 CDs with libretto] Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes, Nicolai Ghiaurov / Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Richard Bonynge [ Decca / 2 CD Box Set - released 27/Sep/2000 ] "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 |
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) |
PUCCINI
La Boheme (Complete Opera) Katia Ricciarelli / Jose Carreras / Ingvar Wixell / Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Sir Colin Davis [ Decca Opera! / 2 CD - released 1/Sep/2010 ] "Not Davis's normal repertoire, but he conducts a lively, detailed, idiomatic performance of this masterpiece, and has strong soloists. Carreras was then at his peak, and Ricciarelli is an affecting Mimi." (BBC Music) |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Tosca (Complete Opera recorded in 1976) Monserrat Caballe, Jose Carreras, Ingvar Wixell, Samuel Ramey / Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Colin Davis [ Philips Duo / 2 CD - released 4/Sep/1993 ] The great Caballé at the height of her career sings with her protégé Carreras, his voice still vibrant with the golden glow of youth. The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, is led by Sir Colin Davis. |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: Aida (Highlights from the opera) Montserrat Caballe, Placido Domingo, Fiorenza Cosottto, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Piero Cappuccilli, Luigi Roni / Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Muti [ EMI Classics Red Line / CD - released 1/Jul/1998 ] "Caballe's portrait of the heroine is superb, full of detailed insight into teh character and with countless examples of superlative singing." Penguin Guide |
BENJAMIN BRITTEN
The Prince of the Pagodas, Op. 57 (complete ballet) Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Benjamin Britten [ Decca Ballet Edition / 2 CD - released 16/Apr/2012 ] The first recording of The Prince of the Pagodas at the Royal Opera House, with Britten himself conducting. The Prince of the Pagodas is Britten's only full-length ballet - a glittering score full of the oriental harmonies and instrumental colour... |
PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Tchaikovsky: The Sleeping Beauty Op 66 (complete ballet) The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Mark Ermler [ Conifer / 3 CD Box Set - released 20/Nov/1990 ] "The orchestra respond idiomatically to Tchaikovsky dance music and with obvious familiarity and love. Ermler has a natural feeling for springing rhythms and moulding rubato persuasively." (Gramophone) |
PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Op 71 (complete ballet) [with Arensky: Variations on a theme by Tchaikovsky] The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Mark Ermler [ Conifer / 2 CD Box Set - released 20/Nov/1989 ] "The orchestra respond idiomatically to Tchaikovsky dance music and with obvious familiarity and love. Ermler has a natural feeling for springing rhythms and moulding rubato persuasively." (Gramophone) |
ADOLPHE ADAM
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Adam: Giselle [complete ballet] Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Richard Bonynge [ Decca / 2 CD - released 19/Apr/2012 ] "Richard Bonynge's performance on Decca restores Adam's original and is a bit more strongly characterised, while the Decca sound has a slightly sharper and brighter profile." (Three Stars penguin Guide) |
HECTOR BERLIOZ
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Berlioz: Opera Arias & Songs plus La Marseillaise Roberto Alagna (tenor) / Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Le Choeur de l'Armee Francaise / Bertrand de Billy [ EMI / CD - released 1/Jun/2006 ] "There are few tenors, from any era, who could embrace the many and varied challenges presented here and do so with such success." Editor's Choice - Gramophone Magazine (March 2003) |
RAVEL / MASSENET / STRAUSS / SATIE / LISZT
Ashton Celebration (choreography by Frederick Ashton recorded in 2013) BLU-RAY The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden / Mara Galeazzi, Rupert Pennefather, Emma Maguire, Valentino Zucchetti, Tamara Rojo, Christopher Saunders, etc [ Opus Arte Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 25/Nov/2015 ] "Ashton celebration is a valuable addition to the catalogue of ballet recordings, as well as an appropriate tribute to Tamara Rojo" (MusicWeb) |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Falstaff (complete opera recorded in 1999) Royal Opera, Covent Garden / Bryn Terfel, Barbara Frittoli, Roberto Frontali, Gwynne Howell / Bernard Haitink (cond) [ BBC / Opus Arte / DVD - released 1/May/2009 ] 'deliciously comic production...vividly filmed...The singers are on top form, dominated by Terfel's Falstaff...' Musical Opinion |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Simon Boccanegra (complete opera recorded in 1991) Royal Opera, Covent Garden / Kiri Te Kanawa, Alexandru Agache, Sylvesyer, Roberto Scandiuzzi / Sir Georg Solti (cond) [ Decca DVD / DVD - released 9/Nov/2007 ] A well-received, stylish 1991 Royal Opera production staged by Elijah Moshinsky and premiered with Kiri Te Kanawa and Sir Georg Solti. |
ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK
Humperdinck: Hansel und Gretel (complete opera recorded in 2008) BLU-RAY Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Angelika Kirchschlager / Diana Damrau / Elizabeth Connell / Thomas Allen / Colin Davis, conductor [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Aug/2009 ] "Diana Damrau, a plain-Jane Gretel with awkward pigtails, gets along famously with her brother, dancing, playing, being huffy. They work well off one another and their voices blend beautifully. The Sandman and Dew Fairy are lovely." 10/10 ClassicsTod |
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. |
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOSVKY
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op. 20 (complete ballet recorded in 2009) BLU-RAY Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Marianela Nunez, Thiago Soares, Elizabeth McGorian / Valeriy Ovsyanikov, conductor [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 10/Oct/2009 ] G : - 'Anthony Dowell's production…offers the ultimate classical experience, with the sights and sounds of a proud 19th century tradition running at full throttle.' The Times |
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... |