Gluck: Iphigénie en Tauride
Pinchgut Opera. Caitlin Hulcup, Grant Doyle, Christopher Saunders, Christopher Richardson, Margaret Plummer, Nicholas Dinopoulos, Cantillation choir, Orchestra of the Antipodes, Antony Walker, Erin HelyardClassical, Early Music, Opera
Pinchgut Live PG006
Reviewed by Alistair Noble, April 1st, 2016
“A beautiful Australian revival of Gluck’s great revolutionary opera.” Quite a number of the very important musical masterpieces of the 18th century are not part of the canon of commonly performed works today. One of the greatest of all such neglected works is Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride, first performed in Paris in 1779…. continue reading »
Nicole Car: The Kiss
Nicole Car (soprano) with the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra conducted by Andrea MolinoArias, Classical, Music, Opera
ABC Classics 481 2371
Reviewed by Inge Southcott, March 3rd, 2016
Soprano Nicole Car is not yet 30, but her superb singing on this solo debut CD and her magnificent voice firmly places her in the top rank of emerging international artists. Nicole Car trained at the Victorian College of the Arts and has won several prestigious competitions: the Herald-Sun Aria (2007), the ASC Opera Awards… continue reading »
The Fairy Queen, by Henry Purcell
Pinchgut Opera conducted by Antony Walker. Principal soloists: Sara Macliver (soprano), Sally-Anne Russell (mezzo- soprano), Jamie Allen, Paul McMahon (tenors), and Stephen Bennett (bass). Supporting soloists: Miriam Allan, Belinda Montgomery, Alison Morgan (sopranos), Jenny Duck-Chong (mezzo-soprano), Brett Weymark (tenor), Corin Bone, Simon Lobelson (baritones). Cantillation (chamber choir) and the Orchestra of the Antipodes led by Anna McDonaldClassical, Early Music, Opera
ABC Classics 481 1705
Reviewed by Inge Southcott, November 1st, 2015
At the time Henry Purcell (1659-1695) was composing the music for The Fairy Queen, the London public had developed a definite taste for dramas presented as fanciful large scale spectacles with music and dances as well as dialogue. This new genre was called ‘semi-opera. It had developed from a mix of Restoration court masque and… continue reading »
My Hero
Greta Bradman, soprano, with the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Richard BoynngeArias, Classical, Music, Musical Theatre
Decca 481 1894
Reviewed by Elizabeth Silsbury, September 1st, 2015
Adelaide audiences have been listening to Greta Bradman live for many years. With Christie Anderson and Emma Horwood she formed the enlightening and entertaining trio Eve. She was a surefire drawcard at concerts mounted by The Firm, dedicated to promoting new works by its founders Raymond Chapman Smith and Quentin Grant and other local composers…. continue reading »
Bliss. Opera with music by Brett Dean, libretto by Amanda Holden after the novel by Peter Carey
Post by Gordon Kerry, August 1st, 2015
Joy cometh in the morning; bliss taketh about eleven years, or it did in the case of Brett Dean’s debut opera of the same name. Not that this is entirely unusual in the annals of Australian opera: Richard Meale’s Voss, Moya Henderson’s Lindy and Larry Sitsky’s The Golem all, for a whole bunch of reasons,… continue reading »
Handel. Rodelinda: Selected Arias
Sydney Lyric Orchestra, cond. Richard Bonynge. Rodelinda - Valda Wilson (soprano), Bertarido - Fiona Janes (mezzo soprano), Grimoaldo - John Longmuir (tenor), Eduige - Liane Keegan (mezzo soprano), Unulfo- Lorina Gore (soprano), Garibaldo - Michael Lewis (baritone)Arias, Classical, Early Music, Music, Opera
ABC Classics 481 0987
Reviewed by Inge Southcott, February 1st, 2015
This disc is pure joy to listen to! One exquisite aria after another (16 in all!) beautifully sung by a top cast of six singers and supported by an excellent small orchestra. Of course the opera is one of Handel’s masterpieces but I suspect the magic ingredient that makes this interpretation so special, is the… continue reading »
Peggy Glanville-Hicks: Sappho – Opera in Three Acts, libretto from the play by Lawrence Durrell
Deborah Polaski, Martin Homrich, Scott MacAllister, Roman Trekel, Wolfgang Koch, John Tomlinson, Coro Gulbenkian, Orquestra Gulbenkian, Jennifer Condon conductorClassical, New Music, Opera
Toccata Classics TOCC 0154-55 (2 CDs)
Reviewed by Anthony Linden Jones, April 25th, 2014
Much has already been written on the amazing story of the resurrection of this previously unperformed opera of Australian/US composer Peggy Glanville-Hicks to the state of recording. A ten year Odyssey of single-minded determination, Jennifer Condon decided on bringing this work to the public after first hearing a performance of the final aria at age… continue reading »
F. Joseph Haydn: L’Anima del Filosofo: Orpheus + Eurydice
Elena Xanthoudakis, Andrew Goodwin, Derek Welton, Craig Everingham, Cantillation, Orchestra of the Antipodes, Antony Walker conductorClassical, Early Music, Opera
Pinchgut Live PG001 (2 CDs)
Reviewed by Anthony Linden Jones, April 25th, 2014
This recording compiled from live performances of Haydn’s final opera is a revelation. The first CD produced by Pinchgut Opera under the label Pinchgut Live, the recording captures the energy of the performances without sacrificing quality, apart from a couple of moments of harshness on the recording of Elena Xanthoudakis’ voice. Following the death of… continue reading »
Emma Matthews. Mozart Arias
Post by Inge Southcott, April 1st, 2014
There is a plethora of recordings of sopranos singing Mozart arias. It reflects his genius at composing music of unsurpassed beauty for this voice type, one which he so thoroughly understood and loved. Does this new one from Emma Matthews, the highly acclaimed coloratura soprano, offer something special? She performs nine Mozart arias with the… continue reading »
