An Opera Rara is a love letter to Bel Canto fans. Not only does the company research, rediscover, restore, record, and perform the forgotten operatic heritage of the 19th century, but they offer it up to collectors in a vibrant and potent packaging that includes a generous booklet with a extended article about the opera, photos and lithographs from the {…}
In line with its commitment to promote the sidelined repertoire of the 19th century, Opera Rara has released the world premiere recording of “Le Willis,” the one-act opera that Puccini submitted to the Concorso Sonzogno and later turned into the revised version of “Le Villi.” Not only does it testify to the musical panorama of the pre-Verismo decades, it also {…}
Canadian-born soprano and teacher Ludmilla “Milla” Andrew has passed away. Andrew, writes Alexander Campbell for ClassicalSource, “is probably best remembered for her mettlesome dramatic voice that was heard to advantage in the dramatic corners of the repertoire.” She made her Canadian Opera Company debut in 1955 as the Foreign Woman in Menotti’s “The Consul” after completing her studies at Toronto Conservatory. She {…}
Opera Rara has announced that Carlo Rizzi will be Opera Rara’s Artistic Director succeeding Sir Mark Elder, who will step down in September 2019. Rizzi first collaborated with Opera Rara in 2017 on two discs of bel canto arias with Joyce El-Khoury and Michael Spyres titled Écho and Espoir and set to conduct numerous future projects with the company. Elder finishes his tenure conducting Puccini’s first {…}
Celso Albelo has canceled his participation in Opera Rara’s performances of Donizetti’s “Il Paria.” The work, which is scheduled to be performed at the Barbican Theatre on June 8, will now star René Barbera. The tenor will join a cast that includes Albina Shagimuratova, Misha Kiria, and Marko Mimica with Sir Mark Elder conducting the performance. The Britten Sinfonia and the {…}
Opera Rara has announced that it will transfer its music library to The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. The new library will be called The Foyle Opera Rara Collection in honor of The Foyle Foundation which made the donation that enabled the transfer. The Foyle Opera Rara Collection will be comprised of over 5,000 volumes of first and {…}
Opera Rara and Warner Classics are ramping up their partnership with a number of upcoming releases to follow up the collaboration on a recent recording of Rossini’s complete “Semiramide.” At a luncheon in New York City, the chief participants in the partnership, including conductor and Opera Rara musical director Sir Mark Elder, talked about the future plans, which included three {…}
Warner Classics has announced that it will now be distributing all of the recordings made by Opera Rara. Per a press release, the company announced that its first such release will be a new recording of Rossini’s “Semiramide.” “Warner Classics is proud to announce complete distribution of all of Opera Rara’s new recordings, beginning with a complete studio recording of {…}
Joyce El-Khoury is quickly rising the ranks of the opera world for her versatility and artistry. She has also gained a reputation for bringing newly discovered and rarely performed works to life, collaborating with Opera Rara, and performing them with numerous important companies. She has also performed in many of the great theaters in the world bringing an immense repertoire. {…}
Since 2009 Opera Rara has been bringing obscure operatic works to the resplendent royal city of Kraków in Poland. Even though this year’s Opera Rara Festival included works by Charpentier, Gluck, Purcell and John Blow (the latter performed by John Butt and the superb Dunedin Concert) it is not just baroque bijoux which are presented to the receptive and appreciative {…}