Gioacchino Antonio Rossini

Pianist Silke Avenhaus has generated some fantastic reviews from her various international performances, including those at the Wigmore Hall in London. This is a stunning performance from her of music by Wagner, Liszt and Rossini on the C-Avi label. One to watch.

Following his recovery from leukaemia in 1988 the great Spanish tenor José Carreras performed a series of comeback concerts, and this recording presents a collection of excerpts from these very special events. It includes not only operatic arias but also art-songs and items from Zarzuela, revealing the whole broad range of his repertoire.

Spanish tenor José Carreras unquestionably numbers among the most important tenors of the second half of the twentieth century, yet in the consciousness of many people his biography is not only marked by his outstanding artistic achievements. The apparent tragic end of the career of the then 41-year-old singer as a result of a life-threatening illness, his triumph over death, and the entirely unexpected re-commencement of his career as singer have become just as much a part of public memory as the appearances with his tenor colleagues Domingo and Pavarotti who, as ‘The Three Tenors’, delighted an audience of millions throughout the world. José Carerras went on to establish a foundation that has collected millions of euros used to alleviate the suffering of the sick and provide scientists with financial support for their research into leukaemia.

Montserrat Caballé, Samuel Ramey, Ileana Cotrubas, René Kollo, Eva Marton, and Ruggero Raimondi were amongst the many opera stars from all over the world who came together at the great Arena in Verona on 8th August 1988 to support José Carreras and the establishment of his foundation to fight leukaemia. The much-loved tenor had recently recovered from this life threatening illness and the recordings included in this special two-CD set are the aural documents of this memorable gala.

Although Placido Domingo was unable to take part that evening, he too supported his friend, providing a recording of a song by zarzuela composer Jacinto Guerrero at Carreras’s disposal for the concert in aid of foundation and this album. The discs include highlights from La Bohème, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Manon Lescaut, La Giaconda, Otello, La Traviata and many other operas.

August 8th, 1988 was a great evening for José Carreras. It went on until after two o’clock in the morning, but the packed audience in the Arena in Verona did not want to go yet. They held aloft signs and banners on which they hailed the singer, who had returned to life, with heartfelt words in many languages. He was the last to perform after the greats of opera had sung for him throughout the evening. For the first time since his convalescence Carreras again stood in front of an orchestra. His strength was only sufficient for a single song - Lara’s Granada - with which his voice could outshine the waves of the instruments.

By the autumn of 1934 terms were agreed for Toscanini to conduct four broadcast concerts during the third London Music Festival in June 1935, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1930, trained by Adrian Boult, and widely recognized as Britainís foremost ensemble.

Previous guest conductors included Richard Strauss, Mengelberg, and Koussevitzky; Toscanini's son-in-law Vladimir Horowitz had been a soloist with the orchestra and his positive experience had no doubt contributed to the Maestro’s decision to accept the invitation.

After the first, long sold-out concert on June 3, the following day’s critics were unanimous in declaring Toscanini to be pre-eminent in his art.

There were four programs, each given twice (with slight changes), and all recorded ‘on spec’ by HMV; eventually all works (except a Geminiani concerto, issued here for the first time) were released on LP or CD, but have been unavailable for many years, and are now released in greatly improved sound.

Gino Marinuzzi’s recordings are very much in demand, not least because of their rarity. The only one known to a wider audience is his complete recording in 1941 of La forza del destino, which is considered a milestone among recordings of that opera. A tribute of one of Italy's most important conductors of the past.

His profound mastery of vocal technique, his awareness of his own abilities and his limitations enabled him to preserve his voice throughout a long career. The recordings on this CD are taken from Kraus’s first records. The selection of songs is taken from his two 1958 LPs.

forever DOMINGO offers a tantalising and generous selection of Plácido Domingo’s greatest hits.

It combines acclaimed recordings of popular tracks such as Be My Love and Granada with the greatest tenor opera arias from Puccini, Verdi, Donizetti, Bizet and Rossini.

Includes Nessun Dorma, La donna è mobile, Largo al factotum and Una furtiva lagrima. The album is rounded off by one of the best-known pieces in the Viennese operetta repertoire Dein ist mein ganzes Herz.

PLÁCIDO DOMINGO - Whatever he does, he does it from his heart. The son of singers who ran their own zarzuela company, Domingo grew up surrounded by music and the theatre. Today it is safe to say that in every corner of the world, everyone who has even the most passing interest in opera is familiar with the name of Plácido Domingo. He truly is a living legend.

This 10-CD set sees prominent German coloratura lyric soprano Erna Berger perform arias and scenes from operas by Mozart, Puccini, Verdi, Leoncavallo, Donizetti, Rossini, Gluck, Strauss, Flotow, Nicolai, Wagner, as well as Berlin recitals, operetta and film hits.

When Erna Berger (1900-1990) gave her last public recital at the age of 68 her voice still radiated that same youthful, girlish brilliance that first brought her to the listening public’s attention. Her first great stage successes came in Berlin in the 1930s and 40s, when she triumphed in the works by Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Puccini, Verdi and in German light opera. After World War II, when the doors to international opera houses were again opened to German artists, Erna Berger was one of the first to be heard at the New York Metropolitan Opera. Although turned 60 she made her debut there in young female roles such as Gilda in Rigoletto and Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier. When Wilhelm Furtwängler invited her to sing Zerlina in his 1953 Salzburg Festival Don Giovanni, he is said to have commented, “She is still the best we have”.