“L’Italiana in Algeri” is quintessential Rossini, from its lighthearted tunes to the many twists of its delightfully ingenious plot. As a result, there is no shortage of exemplary recordings, with the 1978 DG release of Claudio Abbado standing out among the indispensable milestones in the piece’s discographic history. In 2024, it is the turn of Pan Classics to present their {…}
North Carolina Opera has released its casting for “The Barber of Seville,” which will take place Feb. 2 and 4, 2024. Baritone Luke Sutliff takes on the leading role of Figaro. Bass-baritone Musa Ngqungwana sings Don Basilio, with tenor David Walton as Count Almaviva, mezzo-soprano Lisa Marie Rogali as Rosina, who is joined by bass-baritone Ben Brady as her guardian, {…}
Santiago Ballerini as Poliuto. Credit: Steve Pisano Donizetti’s opera “Poliuto” is an odd duck with an intriguing history. Although completed in 1838, it did not premiere until ten years later, on November 30, 1848, at Teatro San Carlo. The delay resulted from disapproval from royal Neapolitan censors, who gave a big thumbs down to portraying a saint as a jealous {…}