C Major
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Wagner: Kaufmann Sings
Recorded at the Semper Oper Dresden, 2013
Jonas Kaufmann (tenor)
Staatskapelle Dresden & Sächsischer Staatsopernchor Dresden, Christian Thielemann
aside from his musical achievement [Kaufmann] has both natural presence and the ability to put over the content of the narrations in gripping but unhistrionic fashion...The music-making is absolutely... —
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Bernstein was periodically accused of self-indulgence in other repertoire. That’s a charge that could never stick in these joyous performances of three G major symphonies…Rather, there is grace,... —
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Solti: Journey of a lifetime
Celebrating the 100th birthday of Sir Georg Solti
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti
Talking heads opine that Solti's career only soared after Bohm retired and Karajan died...it does provide some remarkable anecdotes...such as Solti becoming great cronies with Theodor Adorno...Most... —
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A hugely enjoyable performance of what many see as John Cranko’s masterpiece. —
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Mahler: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6
Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (HRSinfonie Orchester), Paavo Järvi
Järvi has clearly thought long and hard about both scores and his orchestra backs him up marvellously...Collectors who are following this Järvi cycle – the only cycle so far on Blu-Ray, I believe... —
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Rossini: La Cenerentola
Serena Malfi (Cenerentola), Juan Francisco Gatell (Ramiro), Alessandro Corbelli (Don Magnifico), Vito Priante (Dandini), Damiana Mizzi (Clorinda), Annunziata Vestri (Tisbe), Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Alejo Pérez, Emma Dante
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The UNESCO Beethoven Symphony No. 9
Erin Wall (soprano), Annika Schlicht (mezzo-soprano), Attilio Glaser (tenor), René Pape (bass)
Members of the Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, World Orchestra for Peace & Würth Philharmonike, Donald Runnicles
Appeals for peace and unity in Europe may ring hollow soon enough but the performance itself bears repetition, unfailingly lucid and rhythmically sprung in the Toscanini mould…The sound-mixing... —
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It’s fascinating viewing, by turns enchanting and disquieting, but you might, as I did, find your eye simply being drawn back to Goerne. He sings the cycle now with a new and powerful tragic... —
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Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice
Anita Rachvelishvili (Orfeo), Maite Alberola (Euridice), Auxiliadora Toledano (Amore)
Orquesta BandArt, Gordan Nikolić
Rachvelishvili is a natural performer with a beautifully full mezzo-soprano, but as yet a lightweight Gluckian. —