This week audiences will get to hear and see new holiday albums, a Puccini album, and rarely performed works. Here is a look at what to buy this season.

Puccini

The celebrated tenor Freddie De Tommaso celebrates Puccini in a new album with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Edward Gardner. The album features music from “Manon Lescaut,” “Le Villi,” La Boheme” and La Fanciulal del West.” Decca Classic releases.

Die Fledermaus

The Bayerische Staatsoper releases its 2023 production of “Die Fledermaus.” Barrie Kosky directed with General Music Director Vladimir Jurowski conducting. The cast includes Diana Damrau in her role debut as Rosalinde, Georg Nigl as Gabriel von Eisenstein, Katharina Konradi as Adele, and Martin Winkler as Frank.

Past Life / Lifeline

Medtner

Mezzo-soprano and harpist Ekaterina Levental and pianist Frank Peters release a new album on Brilliant Classics dedicated to Russian composer Nikolai Medtner. This fifth CD of this edition is titled “Geweihter Platz” (‘Sacred Space’) featuring more of the composer’s lied.

Would That Loving Were Enough

The first album devoted to music by Lee Kesselman, “Would That Loving Were Enough” is released on Blue Griffin Records. The collection of world premiere recordings is performed by HAVEN comprised by Soprano Lindsay Kesselman, clarinetist Kimberly Cole Luevano and pianist Midori Koga.

George Frideric Handel: Brockes Passion

Naxos will release Handel’s Oratorio in two parts. The DVD was recorded on April 26 and 27, 2023 at Oper Halle, Germany, and features Robert Sellier, Vanessa Waldhart, Yulia Sokolik, Romelia Lichtenstein, Michael Zehe, Jorge Navarro Colorado, Franziska Faust, Christina Mattaj, Leandro Marziotte, and Ki-Hyun Park. The Chorus of Oper Hallea and Händelfestspielorchester Halle is conducted by Michael Hofstetter.

Ferrum Splendidum

Florian Sempey returns to the Alpha label for an album of works by Grétry, Donizetti, Tchaikovsky, Orff, and Wagner. The baritone teams up with the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine and maestro Victor Jacob.

The Song of Songs, The Poet in Exile

Signum Classics releases an album of works by Walter Arlen, a Jewish composer, originally from Austria, who escaped the country when Hitler invaded Vienna. The album features Anna Huntley, Gwilym Bowen, and Thomas Mole alongside the English Symphony Orchestra and conductor Kenneth Woods.

La Comédie Humaine: Chansons Balzaciennes

Alpha releases an album featuring Arnaud Marzorati and his singers, “Les Lunaisiens.” The album contains musical settings of a wide selection of witty and satirical verse, reflecting all the Parisian themes that obsessed Balzac. Jérôme Varnier, Lucile Richardot, and Cyrille Dubois participate in the album.

Adèle Hugo: Mélodies sur des Poèmes de Victor Hugo

Karine Deshayes, Sandrine Piau, Isabelle Druet, Axelle Fanyo, Anaïs Constans, and Laurent Naouri record an album that pays homage to the composer Adèle Hugo (1830-1915), the fifth child of the great poet Victor Hugo. The Choeur de l’Opéra de Dijon and Orchestre Victor Hugo are led by Jean-François Verdier.

Žibuoklė Martinaitytė: Aletheia

The Latvian Radio Choir and Sigvards Kļava release an album of four choral works that explore the direct emotional expression of singing voices without a text

Monteverdi Testamento: Vespro della Madonna

Perrine Devillers, Éva Zaïcik, Paco Garcia, Cyril Auvity, Romain Bockler, and Viktor Shapovalov perform works by Monteverdi with conductor Vincent Dumestre.

John Rutter: Brass at Christmas

Arranged by Luc Vertommen, the Naxos recording features a selection of John Rutter’s most famous Christmas carols. The  Black Dyke Band and Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus are led by Nicholas Childs and Darius Battiwalla.

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It’s about the holidays so this week there is a new Christmas album as well as a final recording by one of the great mezzos of her time, a re-release of a classic recording, a new recording of Massenet’s work, and many baroque works with great casts.

Crimson Roses: Contemporary American Choral Music

Naxos releases Musica Viva NY’s latest album. Conducted by Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez, the album features a compilation of contemporary American choral music by Joseph Turrin, Richard Einhorn, and Gilda Lyons.

The album also features mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, in her final recording and soloist Erinn Sensenig.

Hasse: Serpentes ignei in deserto

Six virtuoso vocal soloists and the instrumentalists of Les Accents perform in “Serpentes ignei in deserto.”

The recording by Erato features Philippe Jaroussky alongside Julia Lezhneva, Bruno de Sá, Jakub Józef Orliński, Carlo Vistoli, and David Hansen.

inVISIBILI

Baroque orchestra Vespres d’Arnadí releases a new album on Musièpoca. The album features countertenor Xavier Sabata and pays tribute to composers who were forgotten or lived in the shadow of more renowned contemporary figures such as Bononcini, Porta, Sarro, Porsile, and Lotti. Dani Espasa conducts the album.

All is Bright

Living Opera releases “All Is Bright,” a new Christmas album featuring internationally acclaimed soprano Soula Parassidis and tenor Norman Reinhardt. Accompanied by the Benevento Orchestra under the baton of conductor Davide Levi and executive producer Dr. Christos A. Makridis, the album brings together timeless holiday favorites.

The album was recorded in Benevento, Italy.

Puccini: Madama Butterfly

Opus Arte releases the Royal Opera’s production of “Madama Butterfly” featuring Asmik Grigorian, Joshua Guerrero, Ya-Chung Huang, Hongni Wu, and Lauri Vasar. Kevin John Edusei conducts Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier’s production.

Ferruccio Busoni: Doktor Faust

Naxos releases Buosini’s opera featuring Olga Bezsmertna, Daniel Brenna, Joseph Dahdah, Dietrich Henschel, and Wilhelm Schwinghammer. Cornelius Meister conducts the recording which was made from the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.

Massenet: Hérodiade

Naxos releases a recording of Massenet’s rarely performed work from the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Nicole Car stars alongside  Clémentine Margaine, Matthew Polenzani, and Etienne Dupuis. Enrique Mazzola conducts the star-studded cast.

Giuseppe Verdi: Don Carlo

Verdi’s masterpiece is re-released from a recording made in 1970 by the Wiener Staatsoper. Nicolai Ghiaurov, Franco Corelli, Eberhard Waechter, Gundula Janowitz, Shirley Verrett, Edita Gruberova, Ewald Aichberger, Martti Talvela, Tugomir Franc, and Judith Blegen star in the work alongside Horst Stein conducting.

The recording is famous Herbert von Karajan did not conduct the new production himself and entrusted it to German conductor Horst Stein. Though Stein was a local favorite, on this occasion he was greeted at the curtain call with boos, completely unrelated to his artistic performance.

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As the holiday arrives, audiences will be able to experience a Puccini extravaganza as well as world premiere recording and debut albums. There are also two DVDs that should be seen.

Giacomo Puccini – The Warner Classics Edition

Celebrated for his masterful compositions and poignant storytelling, Giacomo Puccini remains one of the most beloved opera composers of all time. Warner Classics releases a collection, designed for opera enthusiasts and newcomers alike and brings together his most renowned masterpieces alongside lesser-known gems. The operas are presented in performances by world-class orchestras, conductors, and singers, alongside Puccini’s Messa di Gloria and five CDs of recitals, including the iconic 1954 performance by Maria Callas.

The Romance of the Rose

Pulitzer Prize finalist composer, performer, and writer Kate Soper releases the world premiere recording of her critically acclaimed opera “The Romance of the Rose,” featuring the dynamic Wet Ink Ensemble. The new recording is released on New Focus Recordings.

The cast includes Soper alongside Phillip Bullock, Anna Schubert, Devony Smith, Ariadne Greif, Ty Bouque, and Lucas Steele.

Fra l’ombre e gl’orrori

Argentinian opera bass Nahuel Di Pierro joins Ensemble Diderot for its debut orchestral recording, bringing the baroque operatic bass
voice out of the shadows and into the light through 100 years of orchestral opera history. Audax Records releases the album which includes music by Monteverdi, Cavalli, Sartorio, Ziani, Giannettini, Bononcini, Scarlatti, Vivaldi, and Handel.

Credo

Airs sérieux of Joseph Chabanceau de La Barre

Les Épopées presents the two-part Airs by Joseph Chabanceau de La Barre. This new recording sees the renowned Les Épopées, led by Stéphane Fuget, join forces with the acclaimed vocalists Claire Lefilliâtre (soprano) and Luc Bertin-Hugault. Ramée label releases.

Two Orchestras, One Symphony,

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This week audiences will hear new recordings of two famed works, one in the French repertoire and the other in the Italian repertoire. There will also be holiday recordings and some world-premiere pieces.

Changing 

Navona releases Choral Chameleon, under the direction of Vince Peterson’s new album. The album explores the concept of change as a fundamental aspect of our existence. The texts and poems in this release delve into change as something that is inevitable and cyclical.

VIVALDI EDITION No. 72: Musica sacra per coro e orchestra I

Musica sacra per coro e orchestra I marks the 72nd volume in naïve’s Vivaldi Edition and the first to be recorded by Giulio Prandi and his Coro e Orchestra Ghislieri. The album features the “Dixit Dominus,” RV 807 and the “Magnificat,” RV 611, which bookend three rare motets: “Confitebor tibi, Domine” in C Major, RV 596; “Sanctorum meritis” in C major RV 620; and “Vos invito, barbarae faces” in F major, RV 811.

The album features soloists Carlotta Colombo, Margherita Maria Sala, Valerio Contaldo, Alessandro Ravasio, Marta Redaelli, and Massimo Lombardi.

Werther

Houston Grand Opera releases a recording of “Werther” starring Matthew Polenzani and Isabel Leonard. The opera is conducted by Robert Spano and also stars Jasmine Habersham and Sean Michael Plumb.

“This is a stunningly gorgeous, extremely difficult opera that demands musicianship at the very highest levels,” said HGO General Director and CEO Khori Dastoor in an official press release. “When we secured one of the country’s foremost musical minds in conductor Robert Spano, with two virtuoso superstars, Isabel Leonard and Matthew Polenzani, as our Charlotte and Werther, we not only knew that this production would be extraordinary, but also that we needed to invest in recording it. The world-class artistry on display from the full cast and HGO Orchestra, combined with the superb quality of the recording itself, makes for a truly unparalleled listening experience. We cannot wait to share this new album with audiences in Houston and across the world.”

Dear Mrs. Kennedy

Sono Luminus releases “Dear Mrs. Kennedy,” the new solo album from tenor Ryan Townsend Strand. On this new album, Strand collaborates with pianist Karina Kontorovitch and features specially commissioned works by composers Augusta Read Thomas, Jen Shyu, Will Liverman, Tom Cipullo, Libby Larsen, Nicholas Cline, Adore Alexander, Skyler Butenshon, Matthew Recio, Timothy C. Takach, and Erik Pearson set to letters by Jacqueline Kennedy after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.

The recording producer is GRAMMY-winning music producer Elaine Martone and the recording engineer, editor, mixing and mastering is Daniel Shores.

Holiday Joy

Essential Voices USA, Judith Clurman, Music Director and Conductor releases “HOLIDAY JOY.” The new album features a collection of holiday music and the ensemble sings choral works celebrating the light and joy of Chanukah and Christmas.

The two Chanukah pieces, “Eight Days of Lights” and “Chanukah Joy and Peace” were written by Judith Clurman and David Chase.

Two Orchestras, One Symphony

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As the holiday season arrives, this week also features several high-profile recordings by superstars including a Christmas album that features many classics.

Schubert Lieder 

Countertenor Philippe Jaroussky releases a new album of Schubert Lieder.

In a statement, he said, “Schubert’s music has been with me always, throughout my career as a musician: violinist, pianist, and ultimately singer. This album is a declaration of love, for his genius but also for the German language. I am delighted to rejoin Jérôme Ducros, on this our third album together, and in this program of Lieder we’ve carefully selected.”

Aletheia

Ondine releases Aletheia, choral works by New York-based Lithuanian composer Žibuoklė Martinaitytė. The album features four choral works exploring the direct emotional expression of singing voices without a text. The works are performed by the Latvian Radio Choir under the direction of Sigvards Klava.

Tales of song and sadness

“Tales of Song and Sadness” is released featuring a double tribute commemorating the demise of Frans Brüggen and Louis Andriessen. The recording features the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century and Cappella Amsterdam, under the direction of Daniel Reuss.

The Christmas Album 

Benjamin Appl continues his collaboration with Alpha Classics celebrating Christmas through the enduring tradition of Bach chorales and popular carols. Appl is joined by Germany’s children’s choir Regensburger Domspatzen, the Munich Radio Orchestra, and his mother on guitar.

In a statement, he said, “Christmas evokes intense memories and emotions in all of us. It takes us back to our childhood: that sense of magic and excitement, so often reawakened by the sight of a traditional Nativity scene, or the lights on a Christmas tree, or by hearing Christmas carols. It was with all these images in mind that I returned to my hometown to record this album with ‘my’ boys’ choir. When, after more than twenty years, I found myself back among the choristers and heard the familiar sound, the emotion was very intense.”

Dark Hymnal

Composer David T. Little releases a brand new album, “Dark Hymnal,” on Cantaloupe Music.

“Dark Hymnal” is a series of electronic “meditations” derived from Little’s opera film “Black Lodge,” and includes samples from the opera’s original soundtrack, performed by Timur and the Dime Museum and Isaura String Quartet and featuring text by librettist Anne Waldman.

In a statement Little says, “As you listen, your ears might deceive you, at times making you think you hear things that aren’t actually there. It might at other times feel as if the music—and the audio—is attempting to crack out of the frames which contain it: sounds throb and push against speaker cones; chords melt, or vanish after merely a hint, their harmonies showing one path, then pivoting toward another, more dangerous, more enticing. Dark Hymnal may feel simultaneously lulling and disconcerting, comforting and perplexing, and even at times, frightening; a work with its spiritual roots in the world of Black Lodge.”

Kris Defoort: The Time of Our Singing

Kris Defoort’s fourth opera is recorded by Claron McFadden, Mark S. Doss, Simon Bailey, and Levy Sekgapane. La Monnaie Chamber Orchestra is conducted by Kwamé Ryan.

Gluck: Iphigénie en Aulide

Alpha Classics releases a new recording of Gluck’s only French opera. The recording stars Judith van Wanroij, Stéphanie d’Oustrac, Cyrille Dubois, Tassis Christoyannis, and Jean-Sébastien Bou. Les Chantres du Centre de musique baroque de Versailles and Le Concert de la Loge is conducted by Julien Chauvin in his first operatic recording.

Jacques Offenbach: La Vie Parisienne

Anne-Catherine Gillet, Véronique Gens, Artavazd Sargsyan, Sandrine Buendia, Marc Mauillon, Jérôme Boutillier, and Pierre Derhet star in this classic Offenabch work. The Orchestre National et Choeur du Capitole de Toulouse is conducted by Romain Dumas. Bru Zane releases.

Choir Concerto

The SWR Vokalensemble is conducted by Yuval Weinberg in music by Alfred Schnittke, Artemy Vedel, and Dmitry Bortniansky. SWR Music releases the album.

Giacomo Puccini: Messa di Gloria

BR Klassik releases Puccini’s work with Tomislav Mužek, and George Petean. Ivan Repušić conducts the Bavarian Radio Chorus and Munich Radio Orchestra.

In a review by OperaWire, Bob Dieschburg said, “The Croatian demonstratively purges the score of the operatic, turning out a surprisingly refined, and lyrical interpretation of this almost-renegade in the Puccini repertory.”

Welcome Joy – A Celebration of Women’s Voices 

Chandos releases Freddie Crowley and his Corvus Consort new album and is joined by harpist Louise Thomson. The album features music by Gustav Holst, Imogen Holst, Elizabeth Poston, Judith Weir, Gemma McGregor, Olivia Sparkhall, Hilary Campbell, and Shruthi Rajasekar.

Puccini: Tosca

C Major releases Puccinio’s timeless thriller from the Arena di Verona. Recorded in June 2023, the work stars Sonya Yoncheva, Vittorio Grigolo, Roman Burdenko, Carlo Bosi, and Giorgi Manoshvili. Francesco Ivan Ciampa conducts the classic production by Hugo de Ana.

Carl Maria von Weber: Der Freischütz

C Major Releases Bregenz Festival’s production of Weber’s famed work. Recorded in July 2024, the opera stars Mauro Peter, Nikola Hillebrand, Christof Fischesser, Katharina Ruckgaber, and Moritz von Treuenfels. Enrique Mazzola conducts Philipp Stölzl’s production.

Verdi: Ernani

Verdi’s early work is released by C Major Entertainment from the Bregenz Festival. Saimir Pirgu, Guanqun Yu, Franco Vassallo, and Goran Jurić star in the recording which was made in August 2023. The Prague Philharmonic Choir and the Wiener Symphoniker are conducted by Enrique Mazzola. Lotte de Beer directs.

Then and Now

American tenor Gregory Kunde releases a new album in which he looks back at the music he first fell in love with as a boy, the pop jukebox standards of the day, delivered by the likes of Sinatra, Bennett, and Darin. Delos releases the new album.

Andrew Lloyd Webber: Requiem & Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings

BR Klassik releases the live recording from the Herz-Jesu Church in Munich that was made in 2023 as a tribute to the British composer’s 75th birthday. The requiem stars Soraya Mafi, Benjamin Bruns, and Florian Markus/Henrik Brandstetter. Patrick Hahn conducts.

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The company revealed that it was releasing a special edition package to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the famed Bizet opera in a historic staging from 1875 from Opéra de Rouen Normandie. The video book includes one DVD and one Blu-ray, online access, texts, a libretto, and subtitles in French, English, German, and Italian. The cast includes De Barbeyrac, Deepa Johnny, Iulia Maria Dan, Faustine de Monès, and Floriane Hasler.

However, there is a massive elephant in the room in the form of the picture, and reportedly the artwork in general, being used to promote the package – the tenor on the main image of the package is not De Barbeyrac. It is Thomas Atkins, who was originally hired to take on the production.

“How can you not see that it is not me on the picture?” the tenor wrote in a social media post. “It is another tenor hired for the production. He had done rehearsals but fell ill. I replaced him at the last minute for some of the following shows, including the recorded one. So I sang, but it is him who is displayed.”

He added that neither he or his management was consulted regarding the art chosen for the release and noted that he could not stay silent regarding the mistake by the company. The tenor also shared a story on his social media stories in which he received a response from someone who had secured the package and noted that there are only photos of Atkins and none of de Barbeyrac.

Palazzetto Bru Zane’s social media post did respond to the tenor, noting that they wished to also pay “homage to the other artist who spent time on the project” but that it was de Barbeyrac who was “at the heart of the video recording.” .

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It’s a star-studded lineup of releases with Zarzuela, bel canto, modern works, and experimental albums by leading opera singers.

Mis Amores son las Flores

Lisette Oropesa releases her latest album dedicated to Zarzuela.

In a statement, the soprano said, “I’m so happy to share my beautiful album ‘Mis amores son las Flores’ with you all, a collection of Spanish and Cuban zarzuela arias!”

A T L A S

Charlotte Jacobs releases her debut album “a t l a s” via New Amsterdam Records. “a t l a s” plays out like a half-remembered Greek epic of avant-pop proportions, piecing together earthy woodwinds, old-school synths, and shifting rhythmic patterns that enhance her myth-inspired spoken word and bilingual vocals, delivered in Dutch and English.

Saimir

Albanian-born tenor Saimir Pirgu releases his second album on the Opus Arte label. On his new album “Saimir,” he presents a collection of arias inspired by his mentor and friend Luciano Pavarotti. This selection is also a reflection of Pirgu’s past, present, and future career and represents a cross-section of the romantic opera repertoire of 19th and early 20th-century Europe. The album includes music by Puccini and Berlioz as well as Wagner and Tchaikovsky. The recordings were made in the auditorium of the Palau de Les Arts in València with the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana conducted by Antonino Fogliani.

Horizon

Croatian conductor Antoaneta Radočaj-Jerković and two all-female choirs under her lead “HORIZON,” a haunting performance of the eponymous work by contemporary composer Dalibor Bukvić.

Meciendo

Multi-GRAMMY® award winning ensemble The Crossing, led by Donald Nally delivers a program of contemporary choral compositions with MECIENDO from Navona Records. Available in stereo and Dolby Atmos immersive audio formats, MECIENDO blends the intimate and the profound in an awe-inducing performance.

Evening Songs

Bass-baritone Adam Plachetka celebrates the Year of Czech Music with an anthology of Czech evening songs by Antonín Dvořák, Bedrich Smetana, Zdeněk Fibich and Josef Suk. Plachetka performs them together with pianist David Švec.

PENTATONE releases the album.

In Darkness Through the Light

Mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti’s “In Darkness Through the Light,” features “MELANKHÔLIA,” a project created by Viotti, lutenist Vincent Flückiger, and multi-instrumentalist, and engineer and producer Fred Chappuis that rearranges the melancholic songs of John Dowland with the well-known pop songs in the same spirit. 

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This week, audiences will get to hear a world premiere recording of a new opera. There are also three solo albums including one historic recording and one from a great diva of our time. Here is a look!

Jacqueline

Pentatone releases the new opera “Jacqueline,” a powerful work that dives into the real-life struggle between famed cellist Jacqueline du Pré and the multiple sclerosis that ravaged her body, mind, and talent.

The story is brought to life by celebrated American soprano Marnie Breckenridge as Jacqueline and former du Pré protégé and world-renowned cellist Matt Haimovitz, playing the role of her constant companion: her cello. Composer Luna Pearl Woolf and Pulitzer Prize-winning librettist Royce Vavrekwrote the work which is told in four movements – I. Star Birth; II. Super Nova; III. Meteorite; IV. Impact.

Haimovitz said, “As a young boy, I was fully immersed in Jacqueline du Pré’s story the moment I heard her recording of the Elgar Cello Concerto. I had the good fortune to spend many hours with Jackie in her final years, her life severely limited by MS. In Luna Pearl Woolf and Royce Vavrek’s opera, Jacqueline, we celebrate her super powers and mourn her tragic story. Ultimately, we embrace the raw expression of a single voice to overcome all in its way, passing the inner flame on to future generations.”

Cornelie Falcon

Aleksandra Kurzak releases her latest album on Aparte Music. The new album will showcase the soprano alongside the Morphing Chamber Orchestra conducted by Bassem Akiki. The album will be an homage to Falcon’s repertoire and will include music by Mozart, Rossini, Weber, Beethoven, Spontini, Halévy, and Meyerbeer.

Winterreise

Orchid Classics releases soprano and pianist Rachel Fenlon’s debut album “Winterreise.”

Fenlon sings and accompanies herself in Schubert’s masterpiece, the first ever to interpret the work as both singer and pianist on recording.

Full Circle: Reflections on My Journey

PENTATONE releases baritone Lester Lynch’s latest album, a highly personal collection of songs from Schubert, Brahms, and Mussorgsky. He is joined by Kevin Korth on the piano.

In a statement Lynch said, “With ‘Full Circle,’ I embark on a journey through the timeless melodies of Brahms, Mussorgsky, and Schubert, celebrating the rich diversity of their repertoire and bringing their profound harmonies into a new era. As a baritone with over three decades on the stage, this album is a tribute to the varied and enduring beauty of these masterpieces. This project marks a personal full circle for me—beginning with Schubert’s songs in high school, where I first discovered the joy and complexity of his music as an accompanist at the piano.”

As We Are

Bright Shiny Things releases “As We Are,” the debut album from the Poiesis Quartet (violinists Sarah Ma and Max Ball, violist Jasper de Boor, and cellist Drew Dansby), winners of a 2024 Concert Artists Guild Award, and Grand Prize winners of the 2023 Fischoff Award. The album also features renowned mezzo-soprano Nancy Maultsby.

Two world premiere recordings are showcased on the album including Richard Stout’s “Songs of Correspondence,” a cycle of 11 songs on texts taken from the letters of Willa Cather, and Clint Needham’s String Quartet No. 1, “Shades of Green,” inspired by natural cycles and Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons.

Winter Light

Joanna Forbes L’Estrange’s first album on Signum Classics, “Winter Light” is an album of works celebrating the season of Winter, as well as Christmas and Advent.

The album is 19 tracks and the theme that links them all is light triumphing over darkness, good overcoming evil and, ultimately,
love conquering all.

Jephtha

Reference Recordings is set to release Handel’s final masterpiece “Jephtha.” Recorded live in September 2022, the work is conducted by Dame Jane Glover, and performed by Chicago-based Music of the Baroque Chorus & Orchestra. Soloists include David Portillo, Lauren Snouffer, Clara Osowski, Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Neal Davies, and Katelyn Lee.

Cloud Anthem

Three-time GRAMMY Award-winning new-music choir, The Crossing releases its first standalone single as part of The Crossing Votes: 2024, a pre-election project. The new work, “Cloud Anthem,” by Michael Gilbertson, draws its title from Richard Blanco’s 2019 poem of anticipation and hope on which it is based.

“Cloud Anthem” is released by New Focus Recordings.

In a statement, Conductor Donald Nally said, “Our new single is a work of anticipation and possibilities. A work, we hope, says, ‘Vote.’ In it, we do not attempt to solve our country’s many problems; instead, we intentionally leave behind cynicism to live in a world of voices, textures, and words that some may hear as an invitation.”

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This week audiences will get a chance to listen to rarely performed works from some of the great operatic composers in the world. There are also many world premiere recordings as well.

Lucie di Lammermoor 

Dynamic releases Donizetti’s French version of “Lucie de Lammermoor” from the 2023 Donizetti Festival. Recorded at the Teatro Sociale on December 1, 2023, the cast includes Vito Priante, Patrick Kabongo, Julien Henric, David Astorga, Roberto Lorenzi, and Caterina Sala. Pierre Dumoussaud conducts the new production by Jacopo Spirei.

Donizetti Song Project

Opera Rara releases the first two volumes in its Donizetti Song Project recording cycle. Vol. 1 features 28 tenor songs performed by Lawrence Brownlee, and Vol. 2 features 26 baritone songs sung by Nicola Alaimo.

Both artists are accompanied by Opera Rara’s Artistic Director Carlo Rizzi who spearheaded the multi-year initiative upon hearing of the company’s Repertoire Consultant, Roger Parker’s lockdown project four years ago.

Mendelssohn: Elijah

LSO Live marks the beginning of its 25th anniversary year with the release of Mendelssohn’s “Elijah.” Sir Antonio Pappano conducts a recording that features Gerald Finley, Sarah Connolly, Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, and Allan Clayton.

The Light of Paradise

Berlin Classics releases the new album by the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Christian Erny. The album features the piece by Paul Mealor which was commissioned by the Zurich Chamber Singers, and composed based on the writings of medieval mystic Margery Kempe.

Leoš Janáček: The Excursions of Mr. Brouček

Supraphon releases a recording of Janáček’s rarely performed opera. The cast includes Jaroslav Březina, Aleš Briscein, František Zahradníček, Alžběta Poláčková, Jiří Sulženko, Roman Janál, Helena Tattermuschová, Jiří Brückler, Martin Šrejma, Josef Moravec, Doubravka Součková, and Stanislava Jirků. Jaroslav Kyzlink conducts.

Walter Braunfels: Jeanne d’Arc – Scenes from the Life of Saint Joan

Capriccio will release Braunfel’s opera in three parts and one prelude. This new recording stars Juliane Banse, Martin Gantner, Pavol Breslik, Johan Reuter, Ruben Drole, Thomas E. Bauer, Michael Laurenz, and Tobias Kehrer Manfred Honeck conducts the Salzburger Bachchor, Salzburger Festspiele und Theater Kinderchor, and ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Joachim Raff: Die Eifersüchtigen

Raff’s opera in three acts will be released by Naxos. The recording stars Serafina Giannoni, Mirjam Fässler, Raìsa Ierone, Benjamin Popson, Matthias Bein, Balduin Schneeberger, and Martin Roth. The Orchestra of Europe is conducted by Joonas Pitkänen. This album marks the opera’s world premiere recording.

Coups de Roulis

André Messager, Albert Willemetz, and Maurice Larrouy’s operetta will be released by LBM. The recording features Jean-Baptiste Dumora, Philippe Brocard, Christophe Gay, Irina de Baghy, and Clarisse Dalles. The Frivolités Parisiennes Orchestra and Choir is conducted by Alexandra Cravero.

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The album will hit digital storefronts starting on Nov. 15, 2024. The Act one Prélude is currently available for streaming on Apple Music Classical, Spotify, and Amazon Music.

The opera is conducted by Robert Spano and also stars Jasmine Habersham and Sean Michael Plumb.

“This is a stunningly gorgeous, extremely difficult opera that demands musicianship at the very highest levels,” said HGO General Director and CEO Khori Dastoor in an official press release. “When we secured one of the country’s foremost musical minds in conductor Robert Spano, with two virtuoso superstars, Isabel Leonard and Matthew Polenzani, as our Charlotte and Werther, we not only knew that this production would be extraordinary, but also that we needed to invest in recording it. The world-class artistry on display from the full cast and HGO Orchestra, combined with the superb quality of the recording itself, makes for a truly unparalleled listening experience. We cannot wait to share this new album with audiences in Houston and across the world.”

The release follows the company’s October 2023 release of a recording of “Dead Man Walking” from 2011.

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