Riccardo Chailly, Charles Castronovo & Philippe Jaroussky Lead New CD/DVD Releases

By Francisco Salazar

This week audiences will get a chance to hear songs by Enrico Caruso, a rare Mascagni opera, Verdi choruses, and Spanish songs, among others things. Here is a look at the new releases of the week.

1915: A Trip to Granada

The new album features American mezzo Anna Tonna and American pianist Mac McClure taking a journey undertaken back in April of 1915 to Southern Spain, by composer Manuel de Falla and playwright María Lejárraga.

The disc showcases the first recording of the song cycle Pascua florida (2017) by Miquel Ortega, two solo piano works by Isaac Albéniz, songs by María Rodrigo (1888-1967) and Manuel de Falla (1876-1946). There are also songs by  Matilde Salvador (1918-2007), with texts by Uruguayan poet and feminist Juana de Ibarbourou; as well as the rarely heard “Corazón de mujer” by Joaquín Turina (1882-1949), with text by Cristina de la Cruz Arteaga.

Visions Illuminees

Signum releases soprano Mary Bevan’s third album. The new CD sees Bevan return to French songs by composers such as Ravel, Debussy, and Fauré. This multifaceted program brings pieces composed or adapted for voice and chamber ensemble, always with strings but often with other instruments too.

Passacalle de la Follie

Philippe Jaroussky releases his latest album curated by Christina Pluhar. The program includes French baroque music with Pluhar’s ensemble L’Arpeggiata. Centering around the “air de cour,” a refined song form popular in the 17th century, Pluhar takes the listener on an audio-visual journey featuring works by Robert de Visée, Antoine Boesset, Etienne Mouliné, Michel Lambert, and many others.

Verdi Choruses

Riccardo Chailly and Decca Classics release a new album celebrate his 70th birthday shortly after his latest release, Verdi Choruses. Recorded in Dolby Atmos in the auditorium of Teatro all Scala, the album includes the classic “Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves” (“Va, pensiero” from “Nabucco”) as well as the Triumphal Chorus, March and Ballet from “Aida” and highlights from another seven Verdi operas.

Celebrating Offenbach

Opera Rara releases a boxset dedicated to the works of Jacques Offenbach. The set features remastered versions of the complete studio recordings of “Vert-Vert,” “Robinson Crusoe,” and “Entre Nous,” a selection of rare arias, duets and ensembles from more than twenty of the composer’s lesser-known works. This Opera Rara Classics boxset includes a specially commissioned essay by musicologist Marco Ladd and features, amongst others, Yvonne Kenny, Jennifer Larmore, Loïc Félix, Toby Spence, and Lucy Crowe.

Girondines

Wilmington Concert Opera has released the concert premiere recording of “Girondines” with libretto by Indigenous soprano extraordinaire Kirsten C. Kunkle. The work features a vocal sextet (soubrette soprano, lyric soprano, spinto soprano, dramatic soprano, lyric mezzo-soprano, and dramatic mezzo-soprano/contralto) accompanied by piano, violin, and cello.

La Vie Parisienne

Naxos releases Jacques Offenbach’s “La Vie Parisienne” featuring Jodie Devos, Rodolphe Briand, Marc Mauillon, Franck Leguérinel, and Sandrine Buendia. Christian Lacroix directs the production with the Les Musiciens du Louvre led by Romain Dumas.

L’Amico Fritz

Dynamic releases Mascagni’s “L’Amico Fritz” is set to be released from the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino with Salome Jicia, Charles Castronovo, Teresa Iervolino, Massimo Cavalletti, Dave Monaco, Francesco Samuele Venuti, and Caterina Meldolesi. Rosetta Cucchi directs the production with Riccardo Frizza conducting

His Songs

In celebration of Enrico Caruso’s 150 years, tenor Mark Milhofer and pianist Marco Scolastra page homage to the legendary singer. The album includes songs written for and by Caruso. It will mark the world premiere of these pieces.

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