This week, baroque dominates the forthcoming releases. One of the new albums showcases the latest solo effort by one of today’s leading countertenors, while the other showcases a recent production from an Italian festival.

Cavalli: Ombra mai fù

Countertenor Philippe Jaroussky releases a new album made up of vocal and instrumental highlights from more than a dozen of Francesco Cavalli’s operas, ranging from comparatively well-known works such as “Calisto,” “Ercoleamante,” “Ormindo,” “Giasone,” and “Eliogabalo,” which was recently staged in both Paris and Amsterdam.

Other works in the album include such rarities as “Statira, principessa di Persia” and “La virtù dei strali d’Amore.” The album also sees Jaroussky collaborating with soprano Emőke Baráth and contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux, who spars with him in the duet “Ninfa bella” from “Calisto.”

Rinaldo

Dynamic releases a new DVD of the Festival Valle d’Itra’s production of “Rinaldo.” The production, conducted by Fabio Luisi, stars Carmela Remigio and Teresa Iervolino in leading roles. Giorgio Sangati directs the production that OperaWire called, “hugely popular.”

For more on the production check out our interview with Carmela Remigio who spoke about the music and the festival. The release for U.K and U.S. is set for later this month.