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

This week, audiences are in for a treat with two solo highly anticipated solo albums and a complete opera with an all-star cast.

Sea Songs

Bryn Terfel’s new album “Sea Songs” presents a rich and diverse repertory of traditional music with sea shanties, spirited sailor songs, and maritime folk tunes in brand new arrangements. Deustche Grammophon releases the album, which also features Sting, Sir Simon Keenlyside, Fisherman’s Friends and Calan.

Alcina

Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre record Handel’s “Alcina” for Penatone. The title role is interpreted by Magdalena Kožená and she is joined by Erin Morley (Morgana), Anna Bonitatibus (Ruggiero), Elizabeth DeShong (Bradamante), Alois Mühlbacher (Oberto), Valerio Contaldo (Oronte) and Alex Rosen (Melisso).

Breathe

Soprano Hera Hyesang Park releases her second album for Deutsche Grammophon which explores the bravery humans require to emerge from life’s most difficult circumstances and thrive. The album includes operatic classics by Rossini, Verdi, Massenet and others, alongside contemporary works by such composers as Luke Howard, Cecilia Livingston, Hyowon Woo and Bernat Vivancos. The album was recorded in Genoa with the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Carlo Felice and conductor Jochen Rieder. Park is joined on select tracks by mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo.

Hanns Eisler. Hollywood Songbook

Mezzo-soprano Valerie Eickhoff released her latest album which is dedicated to famed composer Hanns Eisler. Eisler left behind a vast number of works which not only included film music but also numerous other genres.