CDs: Opera

CA IRA, released this past Tuesday, is an opera set during the time of the French Revolution, is the work of Pink Floyd bassist and lyricist Roger Waters. But though Waters is known more for his involvement with rock music, there are no guitars, there is no "caterwauling," or any Lloyd Weber rock opera conventions. I've only heard snippets of it ... (See the whole review)

French opera had its moments... and this was definitely one of them.  One of the most haunting, beautiful instrumental pieces in all of classical music is at the end of the first act of Thais... the "Meditation."  ... (See the whole review)

Fritz who? You may well ask, for the great Fritz Wunderlich died before he'd ever achieved true international stardom. But to my ears, at least, he possessed the most beautiful lyric tenor voice on record. He had it all - superb musicality, power, warmth, and a gorgeous and immediately recognisable timbre. He could also be exciting when he wanted t... (See the whole review)

Now aged 58, and very much in the twilight of his career, Jose Carreras is often dismissed by arbiters of public taste as the least accomplished of The Three Tenors. Yet to many who heard him in his heyday during the 1970s, there was no greater contemporary tenor. Possessed of one of the most ravishing timbres on record, the young Carreras was also... (See the whole review)

What a pleasure to find two great Lanza LPs on one CD. The compilation album You Do Something To Me, first released in 1958, was arguably the best sampling of Lanza's versatility that RCA ever put together. Whether by accident or design, the album offered stunning examples of Lanza's prowess in different genres: popular ballads, operetta, opera, an... (See the whole review)

This album can be summed up in one word: sharp! The word-play of Cole Porter lovingly entwined around his wonderful melodies by this superb songstress. For me, the best collection of songs that both artists would ever do - even Vol. 2 never scaled the same heights. An absolutely essential album.

What a magical album. There have been many recordings of Canteloube's Songs of the Auvergne, but all fall short of emulating Anna Moffo's creamily seductive interpretations. Moffo in her prime had everything that one could wish for in a lyric soprano - warmth, power, thrilling high notes, and a beguiling sense of phrasing. (Not for nothing was she ... (See the whole review)

The Ring Cycle is 'music-drama' as it could be and should be. Laden with drama; teeming with endless melodic richness; oozing with romantic heroism and thunderous power - love, death, desire, justice, sex, fire, gold, lust - all appear here; all drenched in music! We begin in the Rhine - "In it!" as Anna Russell reinforces - with three naked... (See the whole review)

Beautiful woman, unflinchingly self-assured male, soaring voices and terrific music. Pretty hard to beat for Sense Of Life