CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

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Mozart - The Marriage of Figaro

Search: One Evening
by: Philharmonia Orchestra, Geoffrey Mitchell Choir

Release Date August 09, 2004
It does take a while to get used to the English singing, but it also really helps to get the jokes across. I was splitting my sides when I first listened to it, there are some real gems in this translation (A prime example being in the middle of Susanna and Marcellina's duet as they exchange insults: 'Your quality/ Your quantity').

The conducting is wonderful, always taken at a brilliant pace by that great Mozartian David Parry. The cast are spot on, the only real exception being Yvonne Kenny's Countess (a good voice, just a bit too much vibrato here). I especially love Christopher Purves' Figaro, William Dazeley's Count, Jonathan Veira's Bartolo, John Graham Hall's Basilio and Sarah Tynan's Barbarina. Purves is perfect in his role; ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

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The Kiss

Search: One Evening
from: Supraphon

Release Date October 28, 1994
It does take a while to get used to the English singing, but it also really helps to get the jokes across. I was splitting my sides when I first listened to it, there are some real gems in this translation (A prime example being in the middle of Susanna and Marcellina's duet as they exchange insults: 'Your quality/ Your quantity').

The conducting is wonderful, always taken at a brilliant pace by that great Mozartian David Parry. The cast are spot on, the only real exception being Yvonne Kenny's Countess (a good voice, just a bit too much vibrato here). I especially love Christopher Purves' Figaro, William Dazeley's Count, Jonathan Veira's Bartolo, John Graham Hall's Basilio and Sarah Tynan's Barbarina. Purves is perfect in his role; ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

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Wagner - The Rhinegold

Search: One Evening
from: EMI Classical

Release Date December 01, 1991
It does take a while to get used to the English singing, but it also really helps to get the jokes across. I was splitting my sides when I first listened to it, there are some real gems in this translation (A prime example being in the middle of Susanna and Marcellina's duet as they exchange insults: 'Your quality/ Your quantity').

The conducting is wonderful, always taken at a brilliant pace by that great Mozartian David Parry. The cast are spot on, the only real exception being Yvonne Kenny's Countess (a good voice, just a bit too much vibrato here). I especially love Christopher Purves' Figaro, William Dazeley's Count, Jonathan Veira's Bartolo, John Graham Hall's Basilio and Sarah Tynan's Barbarina. Purves is perfect in his role; ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

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Puccini;Madam Butterfly

Search: One Evening
by: Scotto, Cioni, Turin Rai, Basile

Release Date
It does take a while to get used to the English singing, but it also really helps to get the jokes across. I was splitting my sides when I first listened to it, there are some real gems in this translation (A prime example being in the middle of Susanna and Marcellina's duet as they exchange insults: 'Your quality/ Your quantity').

The conducting is wonderful, always taken at a brilliant pace by that great Mozartian David Parry. The cast are spot on, the only real exception being Yvonne Kenny's Countess (a good voice, just a bit too much vibrato here). I especially love Christopher Purves' Figaro, William Dazeley's Count, Jonathan Veira's Bartolo, John Graham Hall's Basilio and Sarah Tynan's Barbarina. Purves is perfect in his role; ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

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Puccini: Madama Butterfly [Highlights]

Search: One Evening
from: GLH

Release Date June 06, 2000
It does take a while to get used to the English singing, but it also really helps to get the jokes across. I was splitting my sides when I first listened to it, there are some real gems in this translation (A prime example being in the middle of Susanna and Marcellina's duet as they exchange insults: 'Your quality/ Your quantity').

The conducting is wonderful, always taken at a brilliant pace by that great Mozartian David Parry. The cast are spot on, the only real exception being Yvonne Kenny's Countess (a good voice, just a bit too much vibrato here). I especially love Christopher Purves' Figaro, William Dazeley's Count, Jonathan Veira's Bartolo, John Graham Hall's Basilio and Sarah Tynan's Barbarina. Purves is perfect in his role; ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

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Dvorák: Kate and the Devil

Search: One Evening
from: Supraphon

Release Date July 01, 1994
This is a fantastic comic opera, fun for all the family and based on a charming Czech folk tale about a girl who literally makes life hell for the devil who abducts her. The score is full of Dvorak's inventiveness and draws heavily on Wagnerite ideas too. The singing is warm and overall very good, with some minor quibbles particularly about the singer who plays the Devil. Libretto is well produced and clear.

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

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Dvorak: Kate and the Devil (Cert a Kácal)

Search: One Evening
from: Supraphon

Release Date March 22, 1994
This is a fantastic comic opera, fun for all the family and based on a charming Czech folk tale about a girl who literally makes life hell for the devil who abducts her. The score is full of Dvorak's inventiveness and draws heavily on Wagnerite ideas too. The singing is warm and overall very good, with some minor quibbles particularly about the singer who plays the Devil. Libretto is well produced and clear.

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

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Menotti - The Medium

Search: One Evening
from: Vai

Release Date November 01, 2000
I was surprised by the standard of this recording!
Often modern music is recorded badly, with little rehearsal time and less budget - but this is a well produced recording of a great piece of 20th century music! Menotti belongs to the lyrical school of the 20t century - tuneful, inventive, but not avant-garde! The same criticims of soupy harmony and melody could be said of Samuel Barber, Schostakovich, and even early Britten! His style lies between Italianate 'arias' and set speech given not only fast-paced action, but a highly emotive result. If you're not taken by the avant-garde dissonace of Boulez and Cage, then this carefully constructed work might be for you!
Menotti wrote his own libretti, and the storyline is a beautiful tale, if ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

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Nielsen: Saul & David

Search: One Evening
from: Opera d'Oro

Release Date March 14, 2000
I was surprised by the standard of this recording!
Often modern music is recorded badly, with little rehearsal time and less budget - but this is a well produced recording of a great piece of 20th century music! Menotti belongs to the lyrical school of the 20t century - tuneful, inventive, but not avant-garde! The same criticims of soupy harmony and melody could be said of Samuel Barber, Schostakovich, and even early Britten! His style lies between Italianate 'arias' and set speech given not only fast-paced action, but a highly emotive result. If you're not taken by the avant-garde dissonace of Boulez and Cage, then this carefully constructed work might be for you!
Menotti wrote his own libretti, and the storyline is a beautiful tale, if ... Read More: