For eight years, Sir Mark Elder has been the Artistic Director of Opera Rara, a London-based opera company and recording label specializing in recording and performing forgotten operatic repertoire. In this capacity, Elder has discovered new pieces and has recorded and performed such works as Donizetti’s “Dom Sebastien,” “Imelda di Lambertazzi,” “Linda di Chamounix,” “Maria di Rohan,” “Les Martyrs” and {…}
Opera Rara has announced the release of Donizetti’s “Il Paria.” The new recording is set to be released on Jan. 15 by Warner Classics and marks the 26th complete opera by Donizetti for Opera Rara. Sir Mark Elder conducts the work with a cast that includes Albina Shagimuratova, René Barbera, and Misha Kiria. “Il Paria” was recorded in the studio {…}
(Credit: Russell Duncan/Opera Rara/ROH) A little over a year ago, Opera Rara, whose commitment is to record unknown, forgotten and rarely performed works from the 19th century, released a reconstructed version of Donizetti’s then-never performed “L’ange de Nisida.” This world premiere recording reveals the work to be an authentic Bel Canto jewel, providing deep immersion into Donizetti’s style of composition {…}
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 {…}