Jessica Pratt, Kevin Thompson & Lucile Richardot Lead CD/DVD Releases
By Francisco SalazarThis week audiences will get a chance to hear three complete recordings of three very diverse operas. Here is a look at this week’s releases.
Hamlet
Navona Records presents “Hamlet” by Joseph Summer. In this installment of the Shakespeare Concert Series, composer Joseph Summer’s adaptation of the famous play is performed by Bulgaria’s State Opera Ruse orchestra, choir, and selected Bulgarian soloists with nine international soloists singing the lead roles. The cast is led by Omar Najmi, Brianna Robinson, Kevin Thompson, Evan Bravos, Michelle Trainor, Katherine Pracht, and Neal Ferreira.
I Capuleti e I Montecchi
Naxos releases a production of Bellini’s opera from 2015 at the Teatro La Fenice. The recording stars Jessica Pratt and Sonia Ganassi in the lead roles alongside Shalva Mukeria, Rubén Amoretti, and Luca Dall’Amico. The Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro La Fenice are led by Omer Meir Wellber.
Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria
Opus Arte releases “Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria” from a semi-staged production at the Teatro La Fenice. The production is conducted by John Eliot Gardiner and directed by Elsa Rooke. The production stars Lucile Richardot, Furio Zanasi, Hana Blažiková, Kristian Adam, Michal Czerniawski, Gareth Treseder, and Gianluca Buratto.
To Fight or Surrender
Composers Julie Herndon and Davor Vincze’s To Fight or Surrender, a pair of audiovisual operas that question the nature of love and manipulation are being released Infrequent Seams. The wors feature soloists Jessica Aszodi and Nina Guo along with Decoder Ensemble. The operas were directed by Heinrich Horwitz.