Latest stories
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Piotr Beczała on Verismo
9th Jul 2020by Katherine Cooper
The Polish tenor talks to Katherine about Vincerò!, his debut recording on Pentatone, featuring arias by Puccini, Mascagni, Leoncavallo, Giordano and Cilea.
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William Alwyn's Miss Julie from Sakari Oramo and the BBC Symphony Orchestra
3rd Jul 2020by Katherine Cooper
Real-life husband-and-wife Anna Patalong and Benedict Nelson star in the English composer's 1977 opera, based on Strindberg's great naturalistic drama from 1888.
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Opera Rara at 50
2nd Jul 2020by Katherine Cooper
As the label celebrates its half-century, Chief Executive Henry Little talks to Katherine about adventures in 'live operatic archaeology' and upcoming recording projects.
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Ida Haendel (1928-2020)
1st Jul 2020by Katherine Cooper
Ida Haendel, the Polish-born child prodigy who became known as the 'grande dame of the violin', has died aged 91.
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Presto Editor's Choices - June 2020
1st Jul 2020by Katherine Cooper
Thomas Adès's treatment of the Creation myth rivals Haydn's for inventiveness, whilst Arabella Steinbacher smoulders in Piazzolla, and Antonio Pappano whips up a storm in a new studio recording of Verdi's Otello.
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Massenet's Cendrillon from Glyndebourne
19th Jun 2020by Katherine Cooper
Danielle de Niese and Kate Lindsey bring real psychological depth to Cinderella and Prince Charming's relationship in Fiona Shaw's astute and sparkling production, with John Wilson supplying fairy-dust aplenty from the pit.
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Sean Shibe on Bach
18th Jun 2020by Katherine Cooper
The eloquent young Scottish guitarist talks to Katherine about his third solo album on Delphian, Pour La Luth Ò Cembal, which was recently described by The Times as 'masterful, beautiful and convincing in every way'.
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Rimsky-Korsakov from Vasily Petrenko and the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
12th Jun 2020by Katherine Cooper
As on their recent series of Strauss tone poems, the Russian conductor and his Norwegian orchestra prove themselves master story-tellers on this trio of showpieces from the late 1880s.
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Vasily Petrenko on Rimsky-Korsakov
12th Jun 2020by Katherine Cooper
The Russian conductor talks to Katherine about today's Recording of the Week and reflects on his time with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra.
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Edward Gardner on Schoenberg
9th Jun 2020by Katherine Cooper
The British conductor talks to Katherine about his recording of Erwartung & Pelleas und Melisande, released on Chandos last month, and socially-distanced music-making in Bergen.
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Presto Editor's Choices - May 2020
1st Jun 2020by Katherine Cooper
Imaginative song-recitals from Natalya Romaniw, Roderick Williams and Ilker Arcayürek, luminous Janáček from Thomas Adès, and old-school orchestral fireworks from Airat Ichmouratov.
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Mady Mesplé (1931-2020)
31st May 2020by Katherine Cooper
The French coloratura soprano, who excelled as Delibes's Lakmé and in operetta, has died aged 89.
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Delibes: Lakmé
Mady Mesplé (Lakmé), Danielle Millet (Mallika), Charles Burles (Gérald), Roger Soyer (Nilakantha) & Jean-Christophe Benoit (Frédéric), Bernadette Antoine (Ellen), Monique Linval (Rose), Agnès Disney (Mrs Bentson) & Joseph Peyron (Hadji) Chœurs et Orchestre du Théâtre National de l’Opéra-Comique, Alain Lombard
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Shostakovich from Alina Ibragimova
29th May 2020by Katherine Cooper
The Russian-born violinist brings searing intensity and muscular tone to the two concertos, backed to the hilt by Vladimir Jurowski and the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia 'Evgeny Svetlanov'.
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Alina Ibragimova on Shostakovich
21st May 2020by Katherine Cooper
The Russian-British violinist talks to Katherine about her recording of the two concertos with Vladimir Jurowski and the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia 'Evgeny Svetlanov', out on Hyperion next Friday.
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Vincerò! Piotr Beczała sings Verismo
15th May 2020by Katherine Cooper
The Polish tenor is at the top of his considerable game in arias by Puccini, Mascagni, Leoncavallo, Cilea and Giordano.
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Gabriel Bacquier (1924-2020)
14th May 2020by Katherine Cooper
The French baritone, who excelled in his native repertoire and as Scarpia and Iago, has died aged 95.
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Rossini: Guillaume Tell
Gabriel Bacquier (Guillaume Tell), Montserrat Caballé (Mathilde), Nicolai Gedda (Arnaud), Jocelyne Taillon (Hedwige), Mady Mesplé (Jemmy), Gwynne Howell (Melchtal), Louis Hendriks (Gesler), Kolos Kovacs (Walter Furst) Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Lamberto Gardelli
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Lars Vogt on Brahms
6th May 2020by Katherine Cooper
The German pianist and conductor talks to Katherine about the joys and challenges of directing the two Brahms concertos from the keyboard on his recent recordings with Royal Northern Sinfonia on Ondine.
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Presto Editor's Choices - April 2020
1st May 2020by Katherine Cooper
Anna Prohaska sings of man's first disobedience, Yuja Wang dances with the devil, and Gerald Barry, Thomas Adès and Mark Stone paint a touching portrait of Beethoven in love.
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Julia Sitkovetsky on Rachmaninov
30th Apr 2020by Katherine Cooper
The British/American coloratura soprano talks to Katherine about her debut album, out tomorrow on Hyperion, and about establishing her own musical identity in a family of 'big artistic personalities'.
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Nuits from Véronique Gens and I Giardini
24th Apr 2020by Katherine Cooper
The French soprano explores the themes of night and dreams on this beguiling programme of mélodies from the Belle Époque, given here in atmospheric new arrangements for voice and piano quintet by Alexandre Dratwicki.