This week audiences are in for two different opera recordings. One comes from the contemporary repertoire and the other comes from the classical period.

Here is a look.

Akhnaten

The Metropolitan Opera releases its acclaimed production by Phelim McDermott on DVD, Blu-Ray, and CD on Philip Glass’ label Orange Mountain Music. The cast includes Anthony Roth Costanzo, J’Nai Bridges, Dísella Lárusdóttir, Zachary James, Richard Bernstein, Aaron Blake, and Will Liverman. Karen Kamensek conducts the production OperaWire called, “The Best Met Production of the Year.”

Haydn: L’isola disabitata

PENTATONE releases Haydn’s opera with a cast that includes Anett Fritsch, Sunhae Im, Krystian Adam, and André Morsch. The Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin is conducted by Bernhard Forck

Officially called an “azione teatrale,” “L’isola” is a serious opera about love, loss, and misunderstanding with a happy ending, set on an exotic deserted island. Special about this opera is that Haydn chose orchestral accompaniment for the entire work, with colourful and dramatic accompagnato recitatives.

The recording marks the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin ilatest album for PENTATONE which already includes Telemann’s “Miriways” (2020), CANTATA with Bejun Mehta (2018), as well as Handel’s Messiah (2020) and Concerti grossi Op. 6. The recording is available exclusively on PENTATONE and will available everywhere on August 6, 2021.