A New Spark for a Don Beyond Compare

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/01/arts/music/01giov.html

Gala Concertó50th Anniversary of the Reopening of the Vienna State Opera

Tuxes and gowns, a marathon of trotting on and offstage by renowned singers, a ritzy audience abusing their palms with ritual clappingóyes, EuroArts has another opera gala event available on DVD in this two-disc Vienna State Opera Gala concert.

RACHMANINOV: Piano concerti nos. 1 and 2

This is a wonderful, recent recording of these popular piano concertos by Rachmaninov. The Piano concerto no. 1 is a studio recording, while the Piano concerto no. 2 is a live version.

Ian Bostridge, Middle Temple Hall, London

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/a1061d70-c00b-11da-939f-0000779e2340.html

STRAUSS: Daphne

New recordings of complete operas lumber into view these days as the dinosaurs trod painfully into a dying sun in an animated depiction of their extinction.

Retired opera star returns to Iowa

http://www.radioiowa.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=ACD412A6-DEB5-4EAB-9730564EBF58C9FC&dbtranslator=local.cfm

OFFENBACH: La Grande-Duchesse de Gerolstein

Los Angeles Opera opened the 2005-6 season with a staging of Offenbachís La Grande-Duchesse de Gerolstein, directed by Hollywoodís Garry Marshall.

A soprano stands tall while others sicken and fall

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/entertainment/weekend/14200972.htm

Jumalaa kiitt‰‰ sielunióHymns in Finnish

In 2001, Finland observed the 300th anniversary of the Finnish Hymnal. As a part of the celebration, YLE (the Finnish public broadcasting company) launched a project to record a substantial portion of the hymnal in performance by soloists or ensembles.

Mara Lanfranchi

http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/12103/mara-lanfranchi