This was the first opera Rossini composed for the Teatro San Carlo in Naples starring the remarkable Isabella Colbran. In fact, all four main roles–Elisabetta,
This is an “abridged” version of Chandos’ formerly 3-CD Faust-in-English set: the important Church Scene is missing, as is the whole of Act 5 scene
Much of the material on this well-packed CD has been culled from previously released Opera Rara recordings; the new selections are scenes from Donizetti’s Buondelmonte
As the valuable, informative notes accompanying this release tell us, this opera was so poorly received at its premiere in 1835 that Giovanni Pacini stopped
Those who are crazy about either opera in English or Jane Eaglen will have to own this set; for most opera lovers, it simply does
Though not absolutely top-drawer Rossini, Bianca e Falliero, which was composed between La donna del lago and Maometto II, nonetheless has enough fine music to
Donizetti’s Rosmonda was first performed in Florence in 1834; it comes between Lucrezia Borgia and Maria Stuarda and lacks the distinction of either. The melodies
Giovanni Mayr is known today primarily as the teacher of Donizetti, but in the very late 1700s and first two decades of the 1800s, this
Il trovatore is a notoriously difficult opera to cast these days: Singers with true Verdi voices are scarce and those who might have the equipment
Do we really need a Tosca in English? Well, forget the question, because if you think we do you’ll want this set regardless of its