Mozart: Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo (from Così fan tutte)

Arias from the legendary Sunday concerts from 1966, 1972, 1988 and 1992.

His Papageno was historic and turned Hermann Prey into the most popular opera singer in Germany. This CD contains a collection of hitherto unpublished recordings made during the legendary Sunday Concerts with the Münchner Rundfunkorchester from 1966 to 1992. In a representative series of roles ranging from Bach to musicals, the great baritone shows us all his facets: from the sensitivity of the comic actor to the intense, inmost sincerity of the Lieder performer. At a time when the opera was still an integral part of Germany's media landscape, Hermann Prey made it impressively clear that a broad repertoire and depth of interpretation are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Prey ends this CD with a performance of “They say falling in love is wonderful”, inviting us to fall in love with his art yet again.

Hermann Prey has delighted opera audiences with his humour and the way he is able to bring characters to life. His lyric baritone voice is both noble and mellow. This CD presents him in some of his classic roles, including Figaro and Papageno.

From the outset of his career, bass-baritone Ildebrando D’Arcangelo has been the pre-eminent Mozart man in his Fach. For his all-Italian Mozart album under Gianandrea Noseda, he delivers numbers famous and rare that brim with vocal distinction and interpretive panache.

D’Arcangelo’s awesome Don Giovanni (“Champagne Aria”) and uproarious Leporello (“Catalogue Aria”) establish his wide emotional range. Excerpts of his much anticipated Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, which goes public in Paris in 2011 (followed by Vienna and L.A.), and his notable Figaro highlight other facets of D’Arcangelo’s command as a Mozartian.

With its unusually prominent writing for the double bass, the concert aria, “Per questa bella mano”, is a composition out of the ordinary; it shows that in addition to being a master of character creation, D’Arcangelo is a master of pure singing.

“Ildebrando D’Arcangelo is a complete knock-out as Leporello − charming, funny, sexy. What a difference a native Italian speaker makes in the role”, says The Independent

The Swedish baritone Peter Mattei has made a formidable reputation for himself performing at the most prestigious opera houses in the world including the Metropolitan, Teatro alla Scala and Covent Garden.

In the recording studio he is, however, a more rarely seen guest. On this his first and long-awaited disc of arias, he revels in the rich opportunities offered by the baritone literature, performing a selection of his favourite arias and roles. Lovelorn young men and cynical libertines, friends faithful unto death and innocent victims of oppression.

All of these are brought to life as one of today’s finest operatic baritones displays his entire range with the eminent support of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and Lawrence Renes on the podium.

Mozart was a mason for the last seven years of his life and the works on this CD include many pieces which Mozart composed for Masonic celebrations; Cantata “Dir, Seele des Weltalls” K429, Cantata “Die Maurerfreude” K471, Maurische Trauermusik K477, and Eine kleine Freimaurerkantate K623. The director of these performances is Bernhard Paumgartner.

This Catalan baritone was famous for roles such as Figaro in the Barber of Seville. He made his debut at the Teatro Liceu in a performance of “Anna Bolena” to mark the centennial of the house. He remained there for 23 seasons but made guest appearances in other opera houses. He was very popular in South America and was a highly popular zarzuela singer in addition to his operatic career.