Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world.

This week, audiences will get a chance to hear a debut album, a rarely performed bel canto work, an original version of a famed Verdi work, and a DVD recording of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece.

Birds

Spanish soprano Serena Sáenz makes her album debut with a program of operatic arias that capture the sound of birdsong. Featured composers include Gounod, Offenbach, Délibes, Saint-Saëns, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Granados.

Simon Boccanegra

First performed in 1857, the original version of Verdi’s “Simon Boccanegra” is a “masterpiece of concision and features several important differences from the more familiar 1881 version, including one of the composer’s most innovative central finales.” Argentinian baritone Germán Enrique Alcántara sings the title role, with Eri Nakimura as Amelia, Iván Ayón-Rivas as her lover Gabriele, and William Thomas as Fiesco, under the leadership of Sir Mark Elder.

Found Again

Navona Records releases Choral Ensemble Cantori New York’s new album. The album is an exploration of human connection, self-growth, and collective pursuit of a better world. It features three works espousing the power of transformative renewal. Each presents a revised version of an earlier work, offering an opportunity for rediscovery, recentering, and new understanding. “The New Amorous World” by Lembit Beecher, “Beauty by Beauty” by John Rommereim,” and “Found Again” by Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate are the three pieces on the album.

Dvořák’s Stabat Mater

PENTATONE releases a new version of Dvořák’s Stabat Mater featuring the Dresdner Philharmonie and Marek Janowski. They are joined by the MDR Leipzig Radio Choir and soloists Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, Roxana Constantinescu, Christian Elsner, and Tareq Nazmi.

This recording was made in connection to a live performance commemorating the bombing of Dresden on Feb. 13th, Memorial Day.

Lully’s “Alceste”

Chateau de Versailles released the new recording of Lully’s work with Véronique Gens, Nathan Berg, Cyril Auvity, Guilhem Worms, Camille Poul, Léo Vermot-Desroches, Geoffroy Buffière, Claire Lefilliâtre, Juliette Mey, and Cécile Achille. Les Epopées and Choeur de l’Opéra Royal will be conducted by Stéphane Fuget.

Donizetti: Alfredo il Grande

Naxos releases the CD version of Donizetti’s early work recorded at the Donizetti Opera Festival. The recording features Gilda Fiume, Antonino Siragusa, Lodovico Filippo Ravizza, and Adolfo Corrado. Corrado Rovaris conducts.

Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin

Naxos releases Laurent Pelly’s production of Tchaikovsky’s named opera featuring Stéphane Degout, Sally Matthews, Bogdan Volkov, Bernadetta Grabias, Cristina Melis, Lilly Jørstad, and Nicolas Courjal. Recorded at la Monnaie, the production is conducted by Alain Altinoglu.