Opera

A musically and emotionally intense opera by a composer at the peak of his career [EJW]

Powerful performances, but spare and drab staging [LW]

This concert performance of Cardillac makes a strong case for the opera [MC]

A staging of French baroque opera at its finest [MP]

The singing doesn’t quite match the wonderful staging [DJB]

(Déjà Review) Recommendable both to lovers of zarzuela and to those new to it [RH]

A superior reissue of Peter Hall’s other superlative Britten production from Glyndebourne [PCG]

A welcome release, but with one important shortcoming [MP]

The first recording of Ethel Smyth’s Der Wald is severely underwhelming [JW]

A palpable improvement over the remastering of the original mono recording and a fine performance in itself [RMo]

(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]