J. S. BACH
Bach: St. John Passion (complete oratorio recorded in 2021) [CD + Blu-ray video in Dolby Atmos] Nick Pritchard, William Thomas, Alex Ashworth, Julia Doyle, Alexander Chance / The Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner [ Deutsche Grammophon CDs + Blu-ray audio/Dolby Atmos / 2 CD Box Set - released 10/Apr/2000 ] "Don't expect polish at every corner as one would a studio recording; both the deliberate and undeliberate rough edges are part of possibly the most incandescently full-blooded interpretation to date." Gramophone Editor's Choice March 2022 |
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 |
JULES MASSENET
Massenet: Werther (complete opera recorded in 2010) BLU-RAY Paris National Opera / Jonas Kaufmann, Sophie Koch, Ludovic Tezier / Michel Plasson (cond) [ Decca Music Group Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 14/Sep/2015 ] "..comes beautifully to life, with Sophie Koch's Charlotte much more involving in close-up than she was at a distance and Jonas Kaufmann an absolute dream of a Werther. Their scorching Act 3 duet will simply blow your head off." (Daily Telegraph) |
GILBERT & SULLIVAN
Gilbert & Sullivan: The Mikado / Trial By Jury Peter Pratt, Donald Adams, Thomas Round, Jean Hindmarsh, Kenneth Sandford, Julia Goss / D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, Isadore Godfrey, Royston Nash [ Australian Decca Eloquence / 2 CD - released 12/Dec/2015 ] I am pretty safe in saying that this recording is probably one of the best G & S recordings..ever! A cast to die for! Listen to Thomas Round's most beautiful rendering of "Wand'ring minstrel" and the horrific crazy laugh of Donald Adams as the Mikado |
ANTONIO VIVALDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Vivaldi; Operas Vol. 2 [highlights] Philippe Jaroussky, Julia Lezhneva, Romina Basso, Sandrine Piau, etc. [ Naive / CD - released 2/Sep/2013 ] This special project gathers the finest arias from the operas released in the naive Vivaldi Edition, to commemorate the 50th title in the series 'Catone in Utica'. |
MAURY YESTON
Yeston: "Nine" Raul Julia & Karen Akers / Original Cast Recording [ Sony Columbia Broadway Masterworks / 2 CD - released 17/May/1982 ] Nine is a musical whose original conception and music and lyrics are by Maury Yeston, with a book by Arthur Kopit. It is based on Federico Fellini's semi-autobiographical 1963 film 8½. |
RICHARD STRAUSS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Strauss, (R.): Der Rosenkavalier (complete opera) BLU-RAY Renee Fleming / Diana Damrau / Sophie Koch / Franz Hawlata / Munich Philharmonic Orchestra / Christian Thielemann (cond) [ Decca Music Group Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 5/Nov/2009 ] Renée Fleming finally appears on DVD in one of her greatest roles - the Marschallin, in Richard Strauss's magnificent period-comedy of ever-changing love, Der Rosenkavalier. Her peerless performance is supported by "a galactic cast" (Thielemann). |
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 |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute) (complete opera recorded in 2021) Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Mauro Peter, Siobhan Stagg, Roderick Williams, Sabine Devieilhe, Mika Kares / Julia Jones (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 26/Nov/2021 ] "This spirited performance, with good video direction by Jonathan Haswell, will give a great deal of pleasure." Gramophone |
RAVEL / DUTILLEUX / DELAGE
Ravel, Dutilleux, Delage BLU-RAY / DVD Sir Simon Rattle, London Symphony Orchestra, Leonidas Kavakos, Julia Bullock [ LSO Blu-ray + DVD / Blu-ray Disc/DVD - released 27/Oct/2017 ] "Rich sound and crystalline picture quality make this an enjoyable viewing experience." Gramophone |
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 |
GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel In Italy Vol 1 Sophie Bevan (soprano), Mary Bevan (soprano) & Benjamin Bevan (baritone) / London Early Opera, Bridget Cunningham (director) [ Signum Classics / CD - released 10/Sep/2015 ] "it opens an enjoyable showcase for Sophie, Mary and Benjamin Bevan: two sisters and their youthful uncle. Sophie sings it peachily, with a richer-sounding soprano than previous recorded exponents." (Sunday Times) |
FELIX MENDELSSOHN
Mendelssohn: Songs and Duets Sophie Daneman (soprano) Nathan Berg (baritone) Eugene Asti (piano) [ Hyperion / CD - released 10/May/2005 ] 'An exceptionally engaging disc' - Classic CD |
FELIX MENDELSSOHN
Mendelssohn: Songs and Duets Vol 3 Sophie Daneman (soprano) Sarah Connolly (mezzo soprano) Mark Padmore (tenor) Stephan Loges (baritone) Eugene Asti (piano) [ Hyperion / CD - released 28/Nov/2003 ] "'There is much to recommend in this collection. First of all, the songs themselves, some deeper than others, are sweet and forthright, and shown to their best advantage by the equally sweet and forthright playing of Eugene Asti." Fanfare |
FELIX MENDELSSOHN
Mendelssohn: Songs and Duets - Vol 2 Sophie Daneman (soprano) Stephan Loges (baritone) Eugene Asti (piano) [ Hyperion / CD - released 16/Sep/2001 ] 'Attractively and intelligently presented by Sophie Daneman and Stephan Loges … the warm baritone of Loges making a particularly strong impression' (BBC Music Magazine) |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Requiem in D minor, K626 Sophie Karthauser, Marie-Claude Chappuis, Maximilian Schmitt, Johannes Weisser Freiburger Barockorchester, RIAS Kammerchor, René Jacobs [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 15/Nov/2017 ] "The results are sometimes stimulating, often jarring. There is fine work from the soloists under René Jacobs, and plenty of force in his direction" Observer |
GIOVANNI BATTISTA PERGOLESI
Septem verba a Christo (in cruce moriente prolata) Sophie Karthäuser, Christophe Dumaux, Julien Behr, Konstantin Wolff / Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Rene Jacobs [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 10/Feb/2013 ] "this hybrid cycle of seven early-18th-century cantatas based on the Seven Last Words is deeply impressive...The mood ranges wide, from fiery, coloratura-laden anger to a touching lyricism." Sunday Times |
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Bach: Dialogue Cantatas for soprano & bass Sophie Karthäuser (soprano), Michael Volle (bass), Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin & RIAS Kammerchor [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 25/May/2018 ] "The Akademie orchestra and the RIAS Kammerchor round off a fine well-balanced recording. Highly recommended." Nicholas Butler/Marbecks |
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: The Complete Songs, Vol. 10 - Sophie Rennert Sophie Rennert (mezzo-soprano), Graham Johnson (piano), Lawrence Power (viola) [ Hyperion / CD - released 2/Oct/2020 ] 'Sophie Rennert's voice is magnificently burnished, full and deep … the songs with viola form the centrepiece of the disc, and one could hardly hope for a finer exponent of the obbligato part than Lawrence Power' (MusicWeb) |
BACH / DUPHLY / COUPERIN / RAMEAU / HANDEL / SCARLATTI
La Sophie - Popular Harpsichord Music of the 18th Century Sophie Yates (harpsichord) [ Chamdos Chaconne / CD ] "If this disc fails to ignite your enthusiasm for the harpsichord and its repertoire, then probably nothing else will…" BBC Music Magazine |