Virgin Classics' two-disc album Opera 2012 is based on a fascinating premise: it highlights some of the label's most prestigious singers in arias and scenes they had previously recorded but are also scheduled to perform in the world's great opera houses in 2012. It's a truly impressive lineup of singers and conductors; the performances, mostly from recordings of complete opera, demonstrate the astonishing depth of Virgin's catalog. Several singers are represented on multiple tracks: Natalie Dessay on five, with Joyce ...
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Virgin Classics' two-disc album Opera 2012 is based on a fascinating premise: it highlights some of the label's most prestigious singers in arias and scenes they had previously recorded but are also scheduled to perform in the world's great opera houses in 2012. It's a truly impressive lineup of singers and conductors; the performances, mostly from recordings of complete opera, demonstrate the astonishing depth of Virgin's catalog. Several singers are represented on multiple tracks: Natalie Dessay on five, with Joyce DiDonato and Angela Gheorghiu each on three. The repertoire is diverse and not restricted to the established canon; early opera is represented by Handel's Ariodante and Rinaldo and Vivaldi's Farnace, and the modern by Britten's Billy Budd and Adès' The Tempest.Even when 2012 is past and the notices of upcoming engagements are no longer relevant, what's left is a terrific collection of timeless performances that should entice listeners to seek out the complete recordings from which they...
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