Verdi / Muti / Philharmonia / Manuguerra - Tannhauser - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Evocations is the result of composer Felipe Téllez's intense work with the Canadian Studio Symphony. On this new album, you can hear forgotten instruments like the oboe d'amore, tackling bespoke repertoire to show off the instrument's full capacities and exotic tone, as well as works for string orchestra, a romanza for solo violin and orchestra, and more. The music is brought to life by the Canadian Studio Symphony, which was founded in 2022 with the mission of performing - and especially recording - new and engaging repertoire. The ensemble is led by conductor Lorenzo Guggenheim and is made up of the brightest players in Toronto, including Lynn Kuo as concertmaster and solo violinist, and Ron Cohen Mann on oboe d'amore.

Recorded live at the Festspielhaus, Bayreuth, this 1961 3 CD Tannhäuser, conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch, stars the then 24-year old, African-American mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry, then at the start of her 50-year career and just coming off spectacular success in Paris as Amneris in Aida, leading to this engagement. The casting is superb Griendl, Windgassen, Fischer-Dieskau, de los Angeles, Stolze, Crass, Adam. 24-bit re-mastered from an excellent master - stage noise unfiltered, the sound quality of the recording is all one could hope for in a performance of this brilliance.

Verdi - Guden-Tucker-Warren [COMPACT DISCS] date 04/01/2009