Every Saturday (start times vary; check individual opera)
Series host & producer: Katrina Becker
Executive producer: Sterling Beeaff
October 31, 2009: 'Le Villi' by Giacomo Puccini
"Le Villi", "The Spirits" or "The Ghosts" -- opera-ballet in two acts; libretto by Ferdinando Fontana after a story by Alphonse Karr
Albert Montserrat; Halla Margret; Andrea Rola; conductor Tamas Pal; Orchestra Filarmonica Mediterranea and the Mediterranean Choir; recorded live in Rome in 2006
Albert Montserrat; Halla Margret; Andrea Rola; conductor Tamas Pal; Orchestra Filarmonica Mediterranea and the Mediterranean Choir; recorded live in Rome in 2006
September 26, 2009: 'Le Toreador, ou l'accord parfait' ('The Bullfighter, or the perfect accord') by Adolphe Charles Adam
'Le Toreador, ou l'accord parfait' ('The Bullfighter, or the perfect accord'): two-act comic opera sung in French; libretto by Theodore Sauvage; conducted by Jean-Luc Tingaud; baritone Matthieu Lecroart; soprano Ghislaine Raphanel; tenor Franck Cassard
Recorded during 2003-2004 season in Paris; Orchestre Francais Alberic Magnard
Recorded during 2003-2004 season in Paris; Orchestre Francais Alberic Magnard
September 19, 2009: 'The Stubborn Lovers' by Antonin Dvorak
'The Stubborn Lovers': one-act comic opera sung in Czech; libretto by Josef Stolba; conducted by Jiri Belohlavek; baritone Roman Janal; tenor Jaroslav Brezina; contralto Jana Sykorova; soprano Zdena Kloubova; bass Gustav Belacek
Recorded in 2003 in Prague; Prague Philharmonia & Prague Philharmonic Choir
Recorded in 2003 in Prague; Prague Philharmonia & Prague Philharmonic Choir
September 12, 2009: 'Der Corregidor' ('The Magistrate') by Hugo Wolf
'Der Corregidor' ('The Magistrate'): comic opera sung in German; libretto by Rosa Mayreder after the novel 'El sombrero de tres picos' by Pedro de Alarcon; conducted by Karl Elmendorff; bass Georg Hann; bass Gottlob Frick; tenor Karl Wessely; alto Helena Rott; bass Kurt Bohme; soprano Margarete Teschemacher; soprano Marta Fuchs; tenor Karl Erb; baritone Josef Herrmann
Recorded in 1944; Saxon State Orchestra
Recorded in 1944; Saxon State Orchestra
September 5, 2009: 'Gold and the Woman' by Jeno Kenessey
'Gold and the Woman': one-act opera sung in Hungarian; libretto based on play by Gyula Krudy; conducted by composer Jeno Kenessey; baritone Gyorgy Losonczy; soprano Julia Osvath; tenor Robert Ilosfalvy
Recorded in 1957 at Hungarian Radio; Budapest Symphony Orchestra & Male Chorus of the Hungarian State Opera
Recorded in 1957 at Hungarian Radio; Budapest Symphony Orchestra & Male Chorus of the Hungarian State Opera
July 25, 2009: 'Luceafarul (The Evening Star)' by Nicolae Bretan
one-act opera written in 1921; text by Bretan, drawn from a poem by Minai Eminescu; sung in Romanian
tenor Ionel Voineag; bass Bálint Szabó; mezzo-soprano Elena Casian; soprano Adriana Croitoru; tenor Marius Budoiu; tenor Ioan Pojar; recorded 1994 in Romania by the Transylvania State Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Béla Hary
tenor Ionel Voineag; bass Bálint Szabó; mezzo-soprano Elena Casian; soprano Adriana Croitoru; tenor Marius Budoiu; tenor Ioan Pojar; recorded 1994 in Romania by the Transylvania State Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Béla Hary
July 18, 2009: 'A Dinner Engagement' by Sir Lennox Berkeley
comic opera in two scenes; libretto by Paul Dehn; baritone Roderick Williams; soprano Yvonne Kenny; soprano Claire Rutter; mezzo-soprano Jean Rigby; mezzo-soprano Anne Collins; tenor Robin Leggate; tenor Blake Fischer; recorded September 2003; City of London Sinfonia, cond. Richard Hickox
July 11, 2009: 'The Mines of Sulphur' by Sir Richard Rodney Bennett
three acts; libretto by Beverley Cross, based on his play 'Scarlet Ribbons'; bass-baritone Kristopher Irmiter; mezzo-soprano Beth Clayton; tenor Brandon Jovanovich; baritone James Maddalena; soprano Caroline Worra; recorded in New York in August 2004; Glimmerglass Opera, cond. Stewart Robertson
July 4, 2009: 'The Sofa' and 'The Departure' by Dame Elizabeth Maconchy
'The Sofa': comic opera in one act; libretto by Ursula Vaughan Williams; freely adapted from 'Le Sofa' by Crébillon fils; tenor Nicholas Sharratt; soprano Sarah Tynan; mezzo-soprano Josephine Thope; soprano Alinka Kozári; tenor Patrick Ashcroft; baritone George von Bergen
'The Departure': opera in one act; libretto by Anne Ridler; mezzo-soprano Louise Poole; baritone Hĺkan Vramsmo
Both operas recorded November 2007; Independent Opera at Sadler's Wells, cond. Dominic Wheeler
'The Departure': opera in one act; libretto by Anne Ridler; mezzo-soprano Louise Poole; baritone Hĺkan Vramsmo
Both operas recorded November 2007; Independent Opera at Sadler's Wells, cond. Dominic Wheeler
June 27, 2009: 'The Royal Guest' by Hĺkon Břrresen
comedy to music in one act; libretto by Svend Leopold after Henrik Pontoppidan's short story; recorded in June 2003 at Odense Concert Hall; Stig Fogh Andersen; Tina Kiberg; Guido Paevatalu; Edith Guillaume; Lise-Lotte Nielsen; Odense Symphony Orchestra; cond. Tamás Vetö
June 20, 2009: 'The Little Prince' by Rachel Portman
children's opera in two acts to a libretto by Nicholas Wright, based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry; recorded in Aug/Sep 2004 in London; Teddy Tahu Rhodes; Joesph McManners; Mairead Carlin; Willard White; Lesley Garrett; Tom Randle; Timothy Robinson; BBC Concert Orchestra; cond. David Charles Abell
June 13, 2009: 'Gianni Schicchi' by Giacomo Puccini and 'Sheherazade' by Maurice Ravel
'Gianni Schicchi' -- opera in one act; text by Giovacchino Forzano after Dante; recorded in April 2002 in Malaga; Alberto Rinaldi; Tatiana Lisnic; Mabel Perelstein; Stefano Secco; Malaga Symphony Orchestra; cond. Alexander Rahbari;
'Sheherazade' -- song-cycle; text by Arthur LeClčre (alias Tristan Klingsor); Jennifer Larmore; Grant Park Orchestra; cond. Carlos Kalmar
'Sheherazade' -- song-cycle; text by Arthur LeClčre (alias Tristan Klingsor); Jennifer Larmore; Grant Park Orchestra; cond. Carlos Kalmar
June 6, 2009: 'Dido and Aeneas' by Henry Purcell
tragic opera in three acts to a libretto by Nahum Tate after Tate's play "Brutus of Alba" and Virgil's "Aeneid"; recorded in October 1961 in London; Janet Baker; Patricia Clark; Raimund Herincx; Monica Sinclair; The St. Anthony Singers; English Chamber Orchestra; cond. Anthony Lewis
May 30, 2009: 'Later the Same Evening' by John Musto
libretto by Mark Campbell; Michael Barrett, conductor; Manhattan School of Music Opera Theater; recorded live during the December 2008 production; on the Albany Records label
May 23, 2009: 'Il Matrimonio Segreto (The Secret Marriage)' by Domenico Cimarosa
Carlos Feller; Barbara Daniels; Georgine Resick; Marta Szirmay; Claudio Nicolai; David Kuebler; Werner Sindemann; conductor Hilary Griffiths; Drottningholm Courth Theatre Orchestra at the 1986 Schwetzinger Festival
May 16, 2009: 'Betrothal in a Monastery' by Sergei Prokofiev
Anna Netrebko; Larissa Diadkova; Nikolai Gassiev; Aleksander Gergalov; Sergei Aleksashkin; conductor Valery Gergiev; Kirov Orchestra and Opera Chorus at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg
November 3: A Midsummer Night's Dream by Benjamin Britten
Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona
October 27: Rasputin by Einojuhani Rautavaara
Finnish National Opera
October 20: La Serva Padrona by Giovanni Paisiello
Teatro Massimo Bellini, Catania
October 13: Tosca
Giacomo Puccini - Teatro Real, Madrid
October 6: William Tell by Gioacchino Rossini
Gioachino Rossini - Teatro alia Scala, Milan
August 25: La Fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West) by Giacomo Puccini
Teatro alla Scalla, Milan
Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro alla Scalla
cond. Lorin Maazel; chorus director Giulio Bertola
recorded live in 1991; Opus Arte label
Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro alla Scalla
cond. Lorin Maazel; chorus director Giulio Bertola
recorded live in 1991; Opus Arte label
August 18: Der Freischütz (The Free-Shooter) by Carl Maria von Weber
August 11: L'incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppaea) by Claudio Monteverdi
Schwetzinger Festspiele 1993
Concerto Köln
Concerto Köln
August 4: Le Coq d'Or (The Golden Cockerel) by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Theatre Musical de Paris - Chatelet
Orchestre de Paris and Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg
cond. Kent Nagano; chorus master Andrei Petrenko
recorded Dec. 2002; TDK label
Orchestre de Paris and Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg
cond. Kent Nagano; chorus master Andrei Petrenko
recorded Dec. 2002; TDK label
July 28: Les Troyens (The Trojans) by Hector Berlioz
Salzburger Festspiele 2000
Orchestra de Paris, Salzburger Kammerphilharmonie
cond. Sylvain Cambreling; Deborah Polaski, Jon Villars, Russel Braun, Tigran Martirossian, Robert Lloyd
Orchestra de Paris, Salzburger Kammerphilharmonie
cond. Sylvain Cambreling; Deborah Polaski, Jon Villars, Russel Braun, Tigran Martirossian, Robert Lloyd
July 21: Les Contes d'Hoffmann (Tales of Hoffmann) by Jacques Offenbach
Opera National de Paris
Orchestre et Choeurs de l'Opera National de Paris
cond. Jesus Lopez-Cobos;
Neil Shicoff, Bryn Terfel, Ruth Ann Swenson, Desiree Rancatore, Susanne Mentzer, Beatrice Uria-Monzon
Orchestre et Choeurs de l'Opera National de Paris
cond. Jesus Lopez-Cobos;
Neil Shicoff, Bryn Terfel, Ruth Ann Swenson, Desiree Rancatore, Susanne Mentzer, Beatrice Uria-Monzon
July 14: Merlin by Isaac Albeniz
libretto: Francis Burdett Money-Coutts
Teatro Real Madrid
Coro y Orquesta Titular del Teatro Real (Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid) & Coro de Nińos de la Comunidad de Madrid
cond. José de Eusebio
Teatro Real Madrid
Coro y Orquesta Titular del Teatro Real (Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid) & Coro de Nińos de la Comunidad de Madrid
cond. José de Eusebio
July 25, 2009: 'Luceafarul (The Evening Star)' by Nicolae Bretan
one-act opera written in 1921; text by Bretan, drawn from a poem by Minai Eminescu; sung in Romanian
tenor Ionel Voineag; bass Bálint Szabó; mezzo-soprano Elena Casian; soprano Adriana Croitoru; tenor Marius Budoiu; tenor Ioan Pojar; recorded 1994 in Romania by the Transylvania State Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Béla Hary
tenor Ionel Voineag; bass Bálint Szabó; mezzo-soprano Elena Casian; soprano Adriana Croitoru; tenor Marius Budoiu; tenor Ioan Pojar; recorded 1994 in Romania by the Transylvania State Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Béla Hary
July 18, 2009: 'A Dinner Engagement' by Sir Lennox Berkeley
comic opera in two scenes; libretto by Paul Dehn; baritone Roderick Williams; soprano Yvonne Kenny; soprano Claire Rutter; mezzo-soprano Jean Rigby; mezzo-soprano Anne Collins; tenor Robin Leggate; tenor Blake Fischer; recorded September 2003; City of London Sinfonia, cond. Richard Hickox
July 11, 2009: 'The Mines of Sulphur' by Sir Richard Rodney Bennett
three acts; libretto by Beverley Cross, based on his play 'Scarlet Ribbons'; bass-baritone Kristopher Irmiter; mezzo-soprano Beth Clayton; tenor Brandon Jovanovich; baritone James Maddalena; soprano Caroline Worra; recorded in New York in August 2004; Glimmerglass Opera, cond. Stewart Robertson
July 4, 2009: 'The Sofa' and 'The Departure' by Dame Elizabeth Maconchy
'The Sofa': comic opera in one act; libretto by Ursula Vaughan Williams; freely adapted from 'Le Sofa' by Crébillon fils; tenor Nicholas Sharratt; soprano Sarah Tynan; mezzo-soprano Josephine Thope; soprano Alinka Kozári; tenor Patrick Ashcroft; baritone George von Bergen
'The Departure': opera in one act; libretto by Anne Ridler; mezzo-soprano Louise Poole; baritone Hĺkan Vramsmo
Both operas recorded November 2007; Independent Opera at Sadler's Wells, cond. Dominic Wheeler
'The Departure': opera in one act; libretto by Anne Ridler; mezzo-soprano Louise Poole; baritone Hĺkan Vramsmo
Both operas recorded November 2007; Independent Opera at Sadler's Wells, cond. Dominic Wheeler
June 27, 2009: 'The Royal Guest' by Hĺkon Břrresen
comedy to music in one act; libretto by Svend Leopold after Henrik Pontoppidan's short story; recorded in June 2003 at Odense Concert Hall; Stig Fogh Andersen; Tina Kiberg; Guido Paevatalu; Edith Guillaume; Lise-Lotte Nielsen; Odense Symphony Orchestra; cond. Tamás Vetö
June 20, 2009: 'The Little Prince' by Rachel Portman
children's opera in two acts to a libretto by Nicholas Wright, based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry; recorded in Aug/Sep 2004 in London; Teddy Tahu Rhodes; Joesph McManners; Mairead Carlin; Willard White; Lesley Garrett; Tom Randle; Timothy Robinson; BBC Concert Orchestra; cond. David Charles Abell
June 13, 2009: 'Gianni Schicchi' by Giacomo Puccini and 'Sheherazade' by Maurice Ravel
'Gianni Schicchi' -- opera in one act; text by Giovacchino Forzano after Dante; recorded in April 2002 in Malaga; Alberto Rinaldi; Tatiana Lisnic; Mabel Perelstein; Stefano Secco; Malaga Symphony Orchestra; cond. Alexander Rahbari;
'Sheherazade' -- song-cycle; text by Arthur LeClčre (alias Tristan Klingsor); Jennifer Larmore; Grant Park Orchestra; cond. Carlos Kalmar
'Sheherazade' -- song-cycle; text by Arthur LeClčre (alias Tristan Klingsor); Jennifer Larmore; Grant Park Orchestra; cond. Carlos Kalmar
June 6, 2009: 'Dido and Aeneas' by Henry Purcell
tragic opera in three acts to a libretto by Nahum Tate after Tate's play "Brutus of Alba" and Virgil's "Aeneid"; recorded in October 1961 in London; Janet Baker; Patricia Clark; Raimund Herincx; Monica Sinclair; The St. Anthony Singers; English Chamber Orchestra; cond. Anthony Lewis
May 30, 2009: 'Later the Same Evening' by John Musto
libretto by Mark Campbell; Michael Barrett, conductor; Manhattan School of Music Opera Theater; recorded live during the December 2008 production; on the Albany Records label
May 23, 2009: 'Il Matrimonio Segreto (The Secret Marriage)' by Domenico Cimarosa
Carlos Feller; Barbara Daniels; Georgine Resick; Marta Szirmay; Claudio Nicolai; David Kuebler; Werner Sindemann; conductor Hilary Griffiths; Drottningholm Courth Theatre Orchestra at the 1986 Schwetzinger Festival
May 16, 2009: 'Betrothal in a Monastery' by Sergei Prokofiev
Anna Netrebko; Larissa Diadkova; Nikolai Gassiev; Aleksander Gergalov; Sergei Aleksashkin; conductor Valery Gergiev; Kirov Orchestra and Opera Chorus at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg
October 18, 2008: Giuditta by Franz Lehár
October 11: Der Traumgörge (Görge the Dreamer) by Alexander von Zemlinsky
October 4: Golem and Arald, two operas by Nicolae Bretan
September 27: Kashchey the Immortal by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov -- autumnal parable in one act
Kirov Chorus and Orchestra, St. Petersburg; cond. Valery Gergiev; chorus master Valery Borisov; April 1995; sung in Russian
September 20: Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Salzburg Festival 2006; conductor Josef Wallnig; Mozarteum University Symphony Orchestra
September 13: Une Education Manquée by Emmanuel Chabrier, rev. Darius Milhaud
Tenor Franck Cassard; baritone Philippe Fourcade; soprano Marie Saint-Palais; conductor Michel Swierczewski; Picardy Regional Orchestra "La Sinfonietta"
September 6: Apollo and Hyacinthus by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Salzburg Festival 2006; conductor Josef Wallnig; Mozarteum University Symphony Orchestra
July 26: The Telephone by Gian Carlo Menotti
Soprano Carole Farley, baritone Russel Smythe; conductor José Serebrier; Scottish Chamber Orchestra
July 19: La Voix Humaine by Francis Poulenc
Soprano Carole Farley; conductor José Serebrier; Scottish Chamber Orchestra
July 12: The Miserly Knight by Sergei Rachmaninoff
Recorded live at the Glyndebourne Opera House, 2004
July 5: Zanetto by Pietro Mascagni
Teatro dell'Opera Giocosa di Savona, recorded live in Teatro Astor in November 2003
October 6: William Tell by Gioacchino Rossini
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November 3: A Midsummer Night's Dream by Benjamin Britten
Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona
October 27: Rasputin by Einojuhani Rautavaara
Finnish National Opera
October 20: La Serva Padrona by Giovanni Paisiello
Teatro Massimo Bellini, Catania
October 13: Tosca
Giacomo Puccini - Teatro Real, Madrid
October 6: William Tell by Gioacchino Rossini
Gioachino Rossini - Teatro alia Scala, Milan
