Nahuel di Pierro, Mikheil Sheshaberidze & Stanislas de Barbeyrac Lead New CD/DVD Releases
By Francisco SalazarWelcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world.
As the holiday arrives, audiences will be able to experience a Puccini extravaganza as well as world premiere recording and debut albums. There are also two DVDs that should be seen.
Giacomo Puccini – The Warner Classics Edition
Celebrated for his masterful compositions and poignant storytelling, Giacomo Puccini remains one of the most beloved opera composers of all time. Warner Classics releases a collection, designed for opera enthusiasts and newcomers alike and brings together his most renowned masterpieces alongside lesser-known gems. The operas are presented in performances by world-class orchestras, conductors, and singers, alongside Puccini’s Messa di Gloria and five CDs of recitals, including the iconic 1954 performance by Maria Callas.
The Romance of the Rose
Pulitzer Prize finalist composer, performer, and writer Kate Soper releases the world premiere recording of her critically acclaimed opera “The Romance of the Rose,” featuring the dynamic Wet Ink Ensemble. The new recording is released on New Focus Recordings.
The cast includes Soper alongside Phillip Bullock, Anna Schubert, Devony Smith, Ariadne Greif, Ty Bouque, and Lucas Steele.
Fra l’ombre e gl’orrori
Argentinian opera bass Nahuel Di Pierro joins Ensemble Diderot for its debut orchestral recording, bringing the baroque operatic bass
voice out of the shadows and into the light through 100 years of orchestral opera history. Audax Records releases the album which includes music by Monteverdi, Cavalli, Sartorio, Ziani, Giannettini, Bononcini, Scarlatti, Vivaldi, and Handel.
Credo
Life’s Sweet Shadows
Soprano Ellaina Lewis honors composer Richard Thompson’s art song oeuvre in this new album which was created in collaboration with sound liberator Joe Williams. Immersed in the rich text of Paul Laurence Dunbar and Langston Hughes, Lewis gives a profoundly emotional performance, her rich timbre pronouncing the story within each song and elevating the complexities of Thompson’s compositional style.
Airs sérieux of Joseph Chabanceau de La Barre
Les Épopées presents the two-part Airs by Joseph Chabanceau de La Barre. This new recording sees the renowned Les Épopées, led by Stéphane Fuget, join forces with the acclaimed vocalists Claire Lefilliâtre (soprano) and Luc Bertin-Hugault. Ramée label releases.
Two Orchestras, One Symphony,
Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra releases the new album produced in collaboration with the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. The album is an interpretation of the Symphony No. 5 by the Quebec composer Jacques Hétu. Led by NAC Orchestra Music Director Alexander Shelley, the project captures a remarkable fusion of Canadian orchestral and choral excellence.
Arrigo Boito: Nerone
Dynamic Releases Boito’s opera from the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari. The production by Fabio Ceresa stars Mikheil Sheshaberidze, Franco Vassallo, Roberto Frontali, and Valentina Boi. Francesco Cilluffo conducts.
Georges Bizet: Carmen
Palazzetto Bru Zane releases Bizet’s “Carmen” from the Opéra de Rouen Normandie. The opera stars Deepa Johnny, Stanislas de Barbeyrac, Nicolas Courjal, Faustine de Monès; Floriane Hasler, Nicolas Brooymans, Yoann Dubruque, and Thomas Morris. Ben Glassberg conducts.
