Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world.

This week audiences cannot miss the new album by one of the world’s most renowned tenors and the world premiere of two contemporary operas composed by acclaimed female composers.

Akathist

Bright Shiny Things releases “Akathist,” a large-scale oratorio by composer Benedict Sheehan. Featuring The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, Downtown Voices, Trinity Youth Chorus, and NOVUS NY along with Sheehan’s Artefact Ensemble, “Akathist” is based on a 27-stanza Eastern Orthodox hymn of thanksgiving.

The Old Man and The Sea

Paola Prestini’s “The Old Man and The Sea” is being released on VIA Records. The opera is the first-ever approved operatic adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s novel and was co-created by Karmina Šilec.

The work which was written for percussion, electronics, and cello is performed by cellist Jeffrey Zeigler and percussionist Ji Hye Jung. Mila Henry conducts a cast that includes Armando Contreras as Hemingway/Santagio, Measha Brueggergosman Lee as La Mar, Rodolfo Girón as Manolin, and Yvette Keong as La Virgen del Cobre. The piece also features the Phoenix Chorale.

Awake

Fourth Wall Ensemble and Samuel Siskind team up for “Awake,” released by Tiger Turn. The album features a song cycle composed by Siskind who makes his album debut. 

Johnathan McCullough spoke about Siskind’s talent and said, “I first knew Samuel as a principal singer with a strong baritone voice, but then found out that he composed as well. I asked to hear some of his pieces and knew right away that he had a very special talent. It is vitally important that the music we make spreads messages of what we are passionate about and Samuel does just that.”

“Douce France: Mélodies & Chansons

French star tenor Benjamin Bernheim released his latest album for Deutsche Grammophon. The new album will be his first solo song album entitled “Douce France: Mélodies & Chansons” and is inspired by his long study and experience of French song. Bernheim interprets songs by Berlioz, Chausson, Duparc, Brel, Kosma, and Trenet. The tenor is joined by pianist Carrie-Ann Matheson, who transcribed the relevant orchestral scores into the more idiomatic versions on the album.

Adriana Mater 

Deutsche Grammophon releases the world premiere recording of Kaija Saariaho’s “Adriana Mater.” Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen and the San Francisco Symphony lead the recording which was captured at a June 2023 performance of a staged production directed by Peter Sellars. The cast includes mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron singing the title role, Axelle Fanyo (Refka), Nicholas Phan (Yonas), and Christopher Purves (Tsargo).

Freezing