Opera

(Déjà Review) Truly one of the ‘Great Recordings of the Century’ [CF]

A star Is born! Let’s hope he will resist overexposure [GF]

A well-performed Stravinsky masterpiece, and a related work by Pizzetti [RWe]

This sole studio recording of a thoroughly entertaining opera makes a strong case for its rehabilitation [RMo]

(Déjà Review) Mascagni is a powerful advocate of his own music – his fluid, dramatic reading is filled with moving moments and telling detail [FC]

A recording for the ages, revealed in full splendour in a new re-mastering [JQ]

A fine tribute to the late conductor which currently has the field to itself on CD [MP]

Cuts aside, a very fine performance of one of Fux’s works for the stage [JV]

A colourful and dramatic performance of “The only perfect English opera” – with a modern twist [GF]

The superb Asmik Grigorian sings all three female leads in the generally impressive performances from the 2022 Salzburg Festival [RWe]

A beautifully sung Faust, expertly conducted and superior to the later studio recording in everything but sound [RMo]

A powerful, idiomatic vintage recording of an unjustly neglected opera with some fascinating bonuses [RMo]

Neglected for almost 200 years, but undoubtedly worthy of its revival [MC]

A compilation of superb recordings by some of the finest voices in this neglected opera [RMo]

A buttoned–up attempt to transfer verismo opera to Poland, simply misses the point [MP]

Fine historical performances indispensable to any Britten collection [WH]

Schippers’s great Osaka Die Walküre is one of the great treasures of the Wagner discography [MB]

A compilation demonstrating the versatility and musicality of Toscanini’s favourite tenor [RMo]

An interesting pair of early operas with roots in the African-American musical tradition [GF]

(Déjà Review) Not just for anoraks, this is a marvellous introduction to Puccini [CF]

Not an ‘icon’ perhaps, but unmissable for admirers of Callas and Puccini [WH]

Pristine revitalises another indispensable gramophone classic but the improvement over the RCA issue is only marginal [RMo]

This recording is superb in every respect; nobody is likely to be disappointed by either the singing or the music [GF]

Werner Herbers’s swansong with his Ebony Band: more previously unrecorded Weimar delights [JW]