ROSSINI: LíItaliana in Algieri

This newly re-mastered recording was originally released in 1954 by Columbia (Qcx 10111/12), later reprinted by EMI (C163-00981/2), and it includes, besides Giulieta Simionato in the title role, three other members of the original 1953 production at La Scala: tenor Cesare Valleti, and bass Mario Petri in their respective roles of Lindoro and Mustaf‡ and Conductor Carlo Maria Giulini.

Canadian Opera Co.’s ‘Macbeth’ falls flat

http://jam.canoe.ca/Theatre/2005/09/24/pf-1233102.html

The hopelessness of modern opera

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2005/09/24/bmohagan24.xml&sSheet=/arts/2005/09/24/ixartleft.html

Mimi Lives, as BohËme Hits Performance 1,166

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/24/arts/music/24bohe.html

SOUNDS FROM THE STUDIO

The EMI labelís new version of ìTristan und Isolde,î starring Pl·cido Domingo, has received weirdly apocalyptic advance publicity: it has been described as the final large-scale opera recording in history.

SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 13 (“Babi Yar”)

Audiences accustomed to hearing the grandeur of Shostakovichís early symphonies may initially be disillusioned when listening to his Thirteenth Symphony for the first time.

TALLIS: Spem in alium ñ Missa Salve intemerata

With a career spanning the monarchies of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary Tudor, and Elizabeth I, Thomas Tallisís musical pragmatism became both a necessary and distinctive trait.

DONIZETTI: Francesca di Foix

Among Gaetano Donizettiís compositions are just over a dozen one-act operas. Save for his one (Venice 1818), a genre that many twentieth-century historians considered respectable primarily because of contributions made to it by Gioachino Rossini, the Donizettiís other single-act works generally have been brushed aside as less important than the larger operas.

STOCKMANN: Musica Nuptialis

This recording of Musica Nuptialis celebrates occasional music and does so in a fittingly occasional manner.

Lado Ataneli ó Opera Arias

Baritone Lado Ataneliís self-titled debut CD contains an impressive selection of arias intended to showcase the singerís style, range, and versatility.