Latest stories
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Germán Enrique Alcántara on Simon Boccanegra
7th May 2025
The rising Argentinian baritone discusses his recent recording debut on Opera Rara (which saw him stepping in to sing Verdi's troubled Doge at very short notice), his two transformative years on the Jette Parker Artists Programme at Covent Garden, and why it 'takes a village' to raise an opera-singer...
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Verdi's original version of Simon Boccanegra from Sir Mark Elder and Opera Rara
21st Mar 2025
The 1857 incarnation of Verdi's political thriller is brought vividly to life, with outstanding playing from The Hallé and a terrific, committed young cast headed by Argentinian baritone Germán Enrique Alcántara (making his recording-debut in the title-role).
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Sir Mark Elder and Roderick Williams on Delius's A Mass of Life
31st Oct 2024
The conductor and baritone reflect on their recording of Delius's Nietzsche-inspired Mass (made in Bergen following two live performances and released on LAWO last year), which was a finalist at this year's Gramophone Awards.
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Meyerbeer's Le prophète from Mark Elder and the London Symphony Orchestra
2nd Jul 2024
This weird and wonderful opera about a Flanders innkeeper who is radicalised into religious extremism really catches fire on a live recording from last year's Aix-en-Provence Festival, with the London Symphony Orchestra on barnstorming form and American tenor John Osborn at the top of his game in the demanding title-role.
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Delius's A Mass of Life from Sir Mark Elder and the Bergen Philharmonic
24th Nov 2023
Elder's beautifully-judged approach to pacing and balance makes the strongest case possible for a score which he describes as 'Delius's magnum opus', aided by Roderick Williams on typically eloquent form in the huge central role of Zarathustra.
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Donizetti's Il Paria from Opera Rara
15th Jan 2021
Sir Mark Elder conducts a scintillating account of Donizetti's 1829 opera about religious persecution in sixteenth-century India, starring Albina Shagimuratova, René Barbera, and Misha Kiria.
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Sir Mark Elder on Debussy
16th Jul 2020
In the wake of his recording of Images and Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune with the Hallé, the conductor talks to Katherine about his relationship with Debussy's music, and Colin Matthews's evocative orchestrations of the piano Préludes.
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Donizetti's L'Ange de Nisida
22nd Mar 2019
Sir Mark Elder conducts the world premiere of Donizetti’s opera semiseria from 1839, composed for a theatre which closed down before the opening night, but subsequently heavily revised as La favorite.
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Sir Mark Elder on Donizetti's L’Ange de Nisida
21st Mar 2019
The conductor talks to Katherine about the world premiere recording of Donizetti’s 1839 opera, released tomorrow on Opera Rara with Joyce El-Khoury in the title-role.
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Rossini's Semiramide from Mark Elder
7th Sep 2018
Rossini's final Italian opera seria receives a taut, compelling reading on period instruments in an interpretation which plays up its baroque pedigree to great effect.
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Mark Elder conducts Donizetti's Le Duc d'Albe
26th Feb 2016
Katherine enjoys Donizetti's Flanders-set epic Le Duc d'Albe, conducted by Mark Elder.
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Mark Elder conducts Gounod's La Colombe
30th Oct 2015
Katherine listens to Gounod's charming comic opera, with farce and avian nonsense aplenty.
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Mark Elder conducts Vaughan Williams' Sea Symphony
4th Sep 2015
David listens to Mark Elder's new account of Vaughan Williams' Sea Symphony, with Roderick Williams, Katherine Broderick and the Hallé.
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Mark Elder conducts Donizetti's Les Martyrs
4th May 2015
Katherine listens to the first ever complete recording of Donizetti's opera.
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Sir Mark Elder on Donizetti's Les Martyrs
3rd Apr 2015
Ahead of Opera Rara's release of the work's premiere recording next month, Katherine talks to the British conductor about Donizetti's Parisian breakthrough.
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Vaughan Williams from the Hallé and Mark Elder
25th Feb 2013
Following a splendid London Symphony last year, Elder and his Manchester orchestra continue a cycle which is shaping up to be one of the finest modern sets on disc with magnificent accounts of the Fifth and Eighth symphonies, with the Hallé’s horns emerging as first among equals.
Featured product
Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 8
Hallé, Sir Mark Elder
