This week audiences will get to experience the world premiere recording of a recent opera, two acclaimed productions on DVD, and the debut album for one of today’s rising stars.

Let’s have a look.

Rhapsody

Cecilia Bartoli continues her series ‘Mentored by Bartoli’ series in partnership with Decca Classics. The second album will feature Varduhi Abrahamyan’s debut recording and music by Rossini, Gluck, Brahms, Gounod, Saint-Saëns, Meyerbeer, and Komitas. Les Musiciens du Prince-Monaco is featured with Gianluca Capuano conducting.

dwb (driving while black)

Albany Records releases Susan Kander and Roberta Gumbel’s work which features New Morse Code. Roberta Gumbel performs the solo part of the work. There will also be a film adaptation featuring Karen Slack being released.

Pagliacci/Cavalleria Rusticana 

Naxos will release the Dutch National Opera’s double-bill production by Robert Carsen. The production stars Brandon Jovanovich as Canio, Ailyn Pérez as Nedda, and Brian Jagde as Turiddu, Anita Rachvelishvili as Santuzza, Roman Burdenko in the roles of Tonio and Alfio, and Mattia Olivieri as Silvio. Lorenzo Viotti conducts the production that OperaWire called, “A Genius Production.”

La Bohème

Opus Arte releases the Royal Opera House’s acclaimed Richard Jones production of Puccini’s most popular work. For this release, the production stars Charles Castronovo, Sonya Yoncheva, Simona Mihai, Andrzej Filonczyk, Peter Kellner, and Gyula Nagy. Emmanuel Villaume conducts.

Visca l’Amour: Catalan Art Songs of the XX and XXI Centuries

Isaí Jess Muñoz releases an album alongside pianist Oksana Glouchko on Bridge Records. The new album entitled, “Visca L’Amor: Catalan Art Songs of the XX and XXI Centuries” is an exploration of the rich Catalan tradition, including six song cycles, among them a world premiere of a new work by composer, Elisenda Fábregas.

Var – Er

The new single is the apotheosis of Eilífur (Eternal), Icelandic contemporary composer Viktor Orri Árnason’s first PENTATONE album. Var – Er presents a dialogue between a father and a son about embracing what is now and finding excitement in thought about the future. This story is captured through vast orchestral sounds mixed with distinctive electronics which were meticulously manipulated in time, establishing a sound world that is eerie and enticing at the same time.

Var – Er was composed, produced and mixed by Viktor Orri Árnason, with additional production from Oscar winner Hildur Guðnadóttir. The Karlakórinn Fóstbræður (male choir) was conducted by Árni Harðarson, and the Budapest Art Orchestra was conducted by Viktor Orri Árnason. Mastered by Zino Mikorey. The entire album will be out June 18, 2021.