It’s an interesting collection, The excerpts aren’t always the obvious ones…Some of the singing isn’t terrific…but Prince Yeletsky in the Queen of Spades (1999) was the perfect role for him: aristocratic, luscious, long legato lines, beautifully poised and noble. Hvorostovsky at his finest.

A valuable tribute to one of the greatest singers of his generation.

He delivers with nuance and subtlety the scene at the end of Act 1 of Onegin…Unsurprisingly, there is some diminishment in the three items recorded in the year before his death – though not, in fact, a great deal. He hurls himself impressively at the ‘Plebe! Patrizi! Popolo!’ ensemble from Boccanegra…Observant of Germont’s stern character and equally notable for long-breathed lyricism as well as the odd variant in Germont’s line, [the Traviata duet], too, is a considerable achievement.

The late Dmitri Hvorostovsky is presented in a selection of scenes from the Staatsoper, ranging from a smooth Puritani for his debut performance in 1994 to a dignified Germont in Traviata, caught on the last evening he sang in the house in 2016. His mastery of rich-toned legato is wonderful to hear, and this is a moving tribute.