mp
Mike Parr
Verdi: Il trovatore (Pristine Audio)
A finely produced package of golden age singing, splendidly refurbished for a new generation [MP]
Stravinsky: Le Rossignol (Erato)
Roth andLes Siècles provide enough musical revelations to make this the top choice among stereo versions [MP]
Manon (Opus Arte)
A good choice for the ballet enthusiast but it doesn’t outperform older versions of this production [MP]
Verdi: Complete Ballet Music (BR Klassik)
A superb release which should not be missed [MP]
Boito: Nerone (Dynamic)
A valiant effort all-around but the cast is largely disappointing in vocal accomplishment [MP]
Bellini: Norma (Pristine Audio)
Five stars for Pristine’s sound rejuvenation but apart from Callas, the performance doesn’t live up to the quality of the transfer [MP]
Mozart: Mitridate, Re di Ponto (C Major)
Very high musical standards are let down by a disappointing production [MP]
Minkus: Don Quixote (Opus Arte)
A delightfully Spanish cornucopia of exuberant dances with an appealing cast and showing the Royal Ballet Company in top form [MP]
Paris 1913: L’Offrande lyrique (Nimbus)
A pleasing recital of French chansons all tied to the year 1913 [MP]
Bizet: Carmen (Pristine Audio)
Pristine Audio newly preserves Le Conte’s achievement in making Carmen as crisp and light as a freshly made churro [MP]
Donizetti: Il diluvio universale (Dynamic)
A strong cast is sabotaged by a pointless production which is visually distracting in the extreme [MP]
Weber: Der Freischütz (C Major)
An extravagant, gothic horror funfest from beginning to end [MP]
Tchaikovsky: Pique Dame (RCA)
A fine testament to five great singers at the top of their game in this beautifully engineered live recording [MP]
Wagner: Tannhäuser (Warner Classics)
After 64 years this recording remains a major contender despite a couple of flaws in the casting [MP]
Ponchielli: La Gioconda (Pristine Audio)
Pristine’s fine new transfer gives a boost to Maria Callas’ first recording of La Gioconda with impressive results [MP]
Mussorgsky: Sorochintsï Fair & Salammbô Suite (Naxos)
A completely convincing account of a rarely performed opera in a new orchestration for chamber orchestra [MP]
Raff: Die Eifersüchtigen (Naxos)
A delightful and musically substantial premier recording [MP]
Raff: Samson (Schweizer Fonogramm)
An operatic discovery which delivers a musical and dramatic feast despite some deeply flawed vocal performances [MP]
Cimarosa: L’Olimpiade (Château de Versailles)
Rousset and his team earn a gold medal for this premiere recording of a long-unheard opera [MP]
Wagner: Das Rheingold (Deutsche Grammophon)
A stunning new high resolution transfer of this classic recording [MP]
Gerhard: La Dueña (Chandos)
An opera with patches of real brilliance in a more than acceptable recording [MP]
Donizetti: Don Pasquale (Warner Classics)
A good alternative choice recording featuring some very winning performances among the cast [MP]
Mozart: Idomeneo (Archiv Produktion)
Idomeneo tastefully presented but takes the risk of being too often over-refined [MP]
Rimsky-Korsakov: Kashchey the Immortal (Philips)
A decent representation of Rimsky-Korsakov’s rarely staged opera [MP]
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Featured Naxos review |
Featured Naxos review |
Featured Naxos review |
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