Carolyn Sampson, Allan Clayton & Christian Immler Lead New CD/DVD Releases
By Francisco SalazarThis week many solo recital albums are set to be released as well as two complete operas. Here is a look.
L’incoronazione di Poppea
Opus Arte releases John Eliot Gardiner’s performance of Monteverdi’s work celebrating his 450th anniversary. The cast includes Kangmin Justin Kim, Hana Blažíkova, Gianluca Buratto, Marianna Pizzolato, and Carlo Vistoli. Gardiner leads his Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists.
Kerstin Meyer Memorial Edition
Sterling releases a compilation of the esteemed Swedish mezzo-soprano Kerstin Meyer in some of her prolific recording. The two discs offer a well-rounded sample of her talents, from opera (Rossini, Verdi, Wagner, Bizet, Richard Strauss) to song (complete performances of Schumann’s Frauenliebe und -Leben, Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer, Mussorgsky’s Sunless, and Grieg’s Haugtussa, along with a Debussy set and a chunk of Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire). The program closes with a treasurable souvenir of Meyer’s longtime musical partnership with soprano Elisabeth Söderström: the “Cat Duet” by Rossini.
Das heisse Herz
German baritone Christian Immler releases a new album pairing Robert Schumann with contemporary German composer Jörg Widmann, whose first song cycle gives the album its title. Alpha releases the album which also features pianist Andreas Frese as the accompanist.
Italienisches Liederbuch
Soprano Carolyn Sampson and tenor Allan Clayton record the forty-six short songs of Wolf’s Italienisches Liederbuch, with Lieder specialist Joseph Middleton at the piano. BIS releases the album.
In Real Life
Robert Paterson and David Cote’s work takes a look at the vagaries of online dating, from both a “hers” and a “his” perspective. American Modern Recordings releases the work featuring soprano Marnie Breckenridge and baritone Jorell Williams. Steven Osgood leads the American Modern Ensemble.
Carolyn Sampson
Carolyn Sampson releases an album on Signum Classics featuring the Schoenberg’s String Quartet no. 2, paired with Berg’s String Quartet, op. 3, and Webern’s Langsamer Satz. The Heath Quartet accompanies.