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NILS PETTER MOLVAER
Ibsen's Ghosts (recorded in 2017) Norwegian National Ballet / The Norwegian National Ballet School [ BelAir Classiques DVD / DVD - released 10/Jun/2019 ] Ibsen's Ghosts is an evocative production in a modern dance style. Nils Petter Molvær has composed new music, which he performs on-stage together with Jan Bang. |
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CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI
Monteverdi: L'Incoronazione di Poppea (complete opera recorded in 2010) Norwegian National Opera / Birgitte Christensen, Jacek Laszczkowski, Tim Mead, Marita Sølberg / Alessandro de Marchi [ EuroArts DVD / DVD Box Set - released 20/Jun/2017 ] "There is, though, some truly terrific singing here. Birgitte Christiansen (Poppea) is an amazingly assured musical presence, who can colour her voice to fit every occasion. Jacek Laszczkowski (Nero) is expressively menacing and lascivious by turn" |
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GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: La Boheme (complete opera recorded in 2012) Norwegian National Opera / Diego Torre, Marita Salberg, Vasily Ladyuk, Jennifer Rowley / The Norwegian National Opera Orchestra, Eivind Gullberg [ Naxos DVD / DVD - released 10/Jun/2022 ] Who among us doesn't already have a personal relationship to La Bohème? Probably a deep and intimate one: this opera, perhaps more than any other, strikes a chord that resonates in us where we are most sensitive. Puccini, one could say, was the... |
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GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: La Boheme (complete opera recorded in 2012) BLU-RAY Norwegian National Opera / Diego Torre, Marita Salberg, Vasily Ladyuk, Jennifer Rowley / The Norwegian National Opera Orchestra, Eivind Gullberg [ Naxos Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 10/Jun/2022 ] 'The cast's singing is clearly invigorated by these fresh staging ideas… Tenor Diego Torre has a wonderfully robust high C; soprano Marita Sølberg is a stylistically Italianate as any Mimì I've ever heard.' Gramophone |
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CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI
Monteverdi: 3 x Poppea - L'Incoronazione di Poppea (complete operas recorded in 1993, 2010 & 2013) Norwegian National Opera with Birgitte Christensen, Jacek Laszczkowski / Concerto Koln, Rene Jacobs / Theaterhaus Stuttgart, Eric Gauthier, Anneleen R [ EuroArts DVD / 3 DVD Box Set - released 2/Feb/2018 ] Three different approaches to the enigmatic mistress of Roman Emperor Nero - in one box: watch Poppea in two contrasting opera productions plus as a futuristic ballet performance. Monteverdi: L'incoronazione di Poppea Orchestra of the Norwegian... |
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BENJAMIN BRITTEN / ELIZABETH POSTON
Britten: A Ceremony of Carols / Poston: An English Day Book NYCoS National Girls Choir, Christopher Bell [ Signum / CD - released 20/Sep/2010 ] "The voices are rich-toned, well-balanced and powered by developing teenage musculature...The singers' Scottish brogue suits the antique poetry" ClassicFM |
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BENET CASABLANCAS
The Dark Backward of Time / 3 Epigrams / Postlude / Love Poem Ofelia Sala (soprano) / Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra / Salvador Mas-Conde [ Naxos Spanish Classics / CD - released 1/Aug/2010 ] Expressive power, meticulous virtuosity and a refined musical language combining the traditional and the avant garde have made Benet Casablancas one of today's most widely recognised Spanish composers. |
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DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13 'Babi Yar' Oleg Tsibulko (bass) / Russian National Orchestra, Kirill Karabits [ Pentatone / CD - released 14/Aug/2020 ] "This beautifully engineered studio recording under Kirill Karabits has all the necessary adrenaline to keep the listener fully engaged." BBC |
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RACHMANINOV / GRECHANINOV / TCHAIKOVSKY
Vespers (All-Night Vigil) / Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom [5 CD set] Olga Borusene (Sop) Yuri Korinnyk (Tenor) Mykhaylo Tyshchenko (Tenor) / The National Academic Choir of Ukraine Dumka. / Valery Polyansky [ Brilliant Classics / 5 CD Box Set - released 20/Nov/2011 ] "If only for the sake of the Liturgy, buy it!! " (MusicWeb Sept 2002) |
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RACHMANINOV
Vespers Op 37 Olga Borusene, Yuri Korinnyk, Mykhaylo Tyshchenko / The National Academic Choir of the Ukraine 'Dumka' [ Brilliant Classics Musica Sacra / CD - released 1/Sep/2009 ] Rachmaninoff was not a great churchgoer, and in fact had stopped going completely by the time he composed his Vespers, and his other great a cappella work, the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom op.31. Nevertheless, he retained a love for and interest in... |
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LUTOSLAWSKI
Twenty Polish Christmas Carols / etc Olga Pasichnyk, Jadwiga Rappé / Polish Radio Chorus, Kraców, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Katowice), Antoni Wit [ Naxos / CD - released 10/Apr/2012 ] "The faster carols have the same sort of energy and modality that you find in Kodály… it's a lovely collection of pieces for dipping into, and they're affectionately performed and recorded." (BBC Music) |
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WITOLD LUTOSLAWSKI
Orchestral Works Volume 6 (Incls 'Symphony No. 1' & 'Silesian Triptych') Olga Pasiecznik (Soprano) / Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra / Antoni Wit [ Naxos / CD - released 20/Jun/2008 ] "...not only a sizzling account of the First Symphony, but a fine performance of the late song-sequence Chantefleurs et Chantefables." - Gramophone Critics' choice 1999(Arnold Whittall) |
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MARK BOWDEN
Bowden: Sudden Light Oliver Coates (cello), Julian Warburton (percussion), Hyeyoon Park (violin), Huw Watkins (piano), BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Grant Llewellyn (co [ NMC / CD - released 16/Jan/2017 ] "the systems Bowden sets up [in Sudden Light] generate climaxes of great power, and his confidence in handling such large orchestral forces is unmistakable." The Guardian |
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JULES MASSENET
Massenet: Thérèse (complete opera) Nora Gubisch, Charles Castronovo, Étienne Dupuis, François Lis Opera National Montpellier / Opéra national Montpellier Languedoc-Roussillon, Alain Alt [ Bru Zane Ediciones Singulares / CD/Book - released 20/May/2013 ] "The scale is small, the plot thin, but the opera has its moments: one of them is the flowing 'O Therese, regarde', sensitively phrased by Etienne Dupuis. Nora Gubisch and Charles Castronovo are splendid" Gramophone |
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WAGNER
Lohengrin (recorded live at the Festspielhaus, Baden-Baden in 2006) Opera National de Lyon / Klaus Florian Vogt, Solveig Kringelborn, Hans-Peter Konig, Waltraud Meier / Tom Fox / Roman Trekel / Kent Nagano (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / 3 DVD - released 6/Dec/2006 ] G :- "Very highly recommended for those not allergic to updated Wagner" (MusicWeb May 2007) |
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Orch National De France/Gatti
Debussy: La Mer/Prelude A L'ap [ Sony Classical / CD - released 16/Apr/2012 ] |
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Orch National De France/Gatti
Stravinsky: Pretrouchka/Le Sac [ Sony Classical / CD - released 27/May/2013 ] |
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Orch National De L'opera De Mo
Saint-Saens: Cello Concertos N [ Pentatone / Hybrid SACD - released 15/Aug/2011 ] |
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Orchestra National De Lyon
Bartok: Miraculous Mandarin [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 8/Jul/2002 ] |
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MESSAGER
Les Deux Pigeons (Complete ballet) Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera, Richard Bonynge [ Decca Eloquence / CD - released 1/May/2005 ] A real rarity of the ballet world, this marvellous score, 'rediscovered' by Sir Frederick Ashton, was one of Decca's most glorious recordings of ballet music by that pioneer of this genre, Richard Bonynge. Not included on the 10CD Penguin... |