bass

Handmaid’s Tale

Victor Carr Jr

For a modern opera to become an instant classic is nearly unheard of today, but with The Handmaid’s Tale, a powerful and gripping new work

Lully – Persée – Astree naïve C

Robert Levine

The plot of this opera concerns Perseus and his love for Andromeda (who returns his love but feels duty-bound to Phinée as well), Mérope’s own

THE SINGERS: MARTTI TALVELA

Dan Davis

It’s hard to realize that it’s been more than a dozen years since the death of Finnish bass Martti Talvela, so vividly does his resonant

Mozart: Requiem/Exsultate/Rilling, etc.

David Vernier

Instead of Arleen Augér and the Requiem, the cover of this Sony Essential Classics disc should feature Judith Blegen and Exsultate, jubilate, for it’s this

Wagner Ring Knappertsbusch 58/Melodram C

Jed Distler

At the outset let me say that Melodram now offers the best sounding incarnation yet of Hans Knappertsbusch’s live 1958 Bayreuth Festival Ring Cycle. The

Tannhauser – Barenboim -Teldec C

Robert Levine

For the most part, this is the Dresden version of Tannhäuser, although the sirens’ song after the overture borrows from the Paris edition. (For the

Bach Cantatas 140 & 147/Gardiner

David Vernier

In keeping with his cantata series as a whole, these performances suffer from inconsistency and unevenness due to John Eliot Gardiner’s general lack of feeling

Missa Solemnis on Arte Nova C

ClassicsToday

This Missa solemnis seems to have clarity as its aim–a sharp, Boulez-like sound that strives to make every note audible. And David Zinman’s main mission

Manon Lescaut – Met ’49 – Naxos C

Robert Levine

Jussi Bjoerling recorded the role of Des Grieux in the 1950s for RCA with Licia Albanese as Manon, and that set always has had many

Wagner Siegfried Met/Guild C

Jed Distler

Wagner mavens with a nose for vintage opera broadcasts may have encountered this splendid Siegfried, aired January 30, 1937 live from the Metropolitan Opera, via