Maestro Marek Janowski, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo and the Transylvania State Philharmonic Choir present Giuseppe Verdi’s A Masked Ball (Un ballo in maschera), together with a stellar cast, headed by Freddie De Tommaso (Riccardo), Lester Lynch (Renato) and Saioa Hernández (Amelia). Un ballo in maschera is Verdi’s tragicomic masterpiece, in which the composer skillfully switches gears between the light and tragic, as well as between his earlier and more mature style. As such, it is both an entertaining and highly sophisticated work.

The three main soloists are all seasoned Verdi interpreters, while Janowski approaches this ingenuous score with his eye for symphonic architecture, resulting in a performance that is lively and balanced. The international cast of this recording is completed by Elisabeth Kulman (Ulrica), Annika Gerhards (Oscar), Kevin Short (Samuel), Adam Lau (Tom), Jean-Luc Ballestra (Silvano), and Samy Camps (Giudice/Servo).

Job Maarse, Managing Director and Producer, San Francisco Classical Recording Company said ““I was delighted to hear that Native DSD is releasing the Ballo in maschera recording exclusively early for their Plus Members. As founding father of Pentatone, and now Managing Director and Producer of the San Francisco Classical Recording Company, I have always recorded my projects with the DSD system, which gives by far the most advanced superior sound quality. This opera recording, with great soloists, a fantastic choir, a brilliant orchestra and conducted by maestro Marek Janowski, gives you the opportunity to hear how fantastic DSD is. Enjoy!”

Marek Janowski is one of the most celebrated conductors of our time, and has a vast discography, mostly consisting of German operas and symphonic works. After Cavalleria rusticana and Il Tabarro (both 2020).

Lester Lynch also has starred in many opera recordings, including Otello (2017), Cavalleria rusticana and Il Tabarro (both 2020), as well as La Fanciulla del West, Madama Butterfly (both 2021), and La Traviata (2022).

The Transylvania State Philharmonic Choir has featured on several opera recordings, while the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo appeared on Arabella Steinbacher’s Fantasies, Rhapsodies & Daydreams (2016). Freddie De Tommaso and Saioa Hernández make their Pentatone debut.

Freddie De Tommaso (Riccardo)
Lester Lynch (Renato)
Saioa Hernandez (Amelia)
Elisabeth Kulman (Ulrica)
Annika Gerhards (Oscar)
Kevin Short (Samuel)
Adam Lau (Tom)
Jean-Luc Ballestra (Silvano)
Samy Camps (Giudice/Servo).
Transylvania State Philharmonic Choir
Orchestre Philharmonique De Monte Carlo
Marek Janowski, Conductor

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The Czech Philharmonic is one of the world’s most acclaimed orchestras, with a rich tradition of performing Czech masters and music from Central Europe. Semyon Bychkov has led the greatest orchestras of the world, and is Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Czech Philharmonic as of the 2018/2019 season. Together they bring us the Pentatone Mahler series. It is the label’s first ever full Mahler cycle, and the Czech Philharmonic’s first survey of this extraordinary symphonic opus since their recording under Václav Neumann between 1976 and 1982. The series begins with Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 recorded in April 2022 and continues with Symphony No. 5 (October, 2022) and the latest release Symphony No. 2 (April 2023).

Mahler Symphony No. 4

Although chiefly active in Vienna during the heyday of his career, Mahler was born in what is now the Czech Republic, and through this recording project, he returns to his native soil. For conductor Semyon Bychkov, Mahler’s symphonies are all about expressing the polyphony of life, and recording these works is the fulfilment of a life-long fascination. This cycle deliberately starts with the most popular and frequently-played Fourth, famous for its macabre scherzo, soothing slow movement and heavenly finale, sung by soprano Chen Reiss.

Mahler Symphony No. 5

The Fifth Symphony marks an important turning point in Mahler’s symphonic output, away from the prominence of vocal movements in his previous symphonies. And whereas the Fifth seems to follow a teleology from darkness to light like its predecessors, the trajectory is much less straightforward, and full of enigmatic turns. Bychkov’s exceptional eye for detail and pacing make him an ideal guide through this work, while the Czech Philharmonic is capable of letting all the colours of Mahler’s score shine.

Mahler Symphony No. 2

After critically-acclaimed recordings of Mahler’s Fourth and Fifth Symphony, the Czech Philharmonic and Semyon Bychkov continue their Pentatone Mahler cycle with a rendition of the composer’s Second, nicknamed “The Resurrection”. They are joined by soprano Christiane Karg, alto Elisabeth Kulman and the Prague Philharmonic Choir. Starting with a funeral march, passing through the introspective alto song “Urlicht” and ending in choral bliss and euphoria, Mahler’s Second is a deeply spiritual and personal contemplation on the secret of life and the possibility of overcoming death. For Bychkov, the symphony “shows the life cycle in all its struggles: suffering, joy, irony, humor, love and doubt.”

Chen Reiss, Soprano
Christiane Karg, Soprano
Elisabeth Kulman, Alto
Jan Voboril, French Horn Solo
Stanislav Masaryk, Trumpet Solo
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Prague Philharmonic Choir
Semyon Bychov, Conductor

The post Pentatone – The Mahler Symphonies [DSD Bundle] appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

The Czech Philharmonic is one of the world’s most acclaimed orchestras, with a rich tradition of performing Czech masters and music from Central Europe. Semyon Bychkov has led the greatest orchestras of the world, and is Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Czech Philharmonic as of the 2018/2019 season. Orchestra and maestro released recordings of Mahler’s Fourth and Fifth Symphony (both 2022) on Pentatone, kicking off a complete Mahler cycle. Elisabeth Kulman has participated on several Pentatone releases, while Christiane Karg makes her Pentatone debut.

Available exclusively at NativeDSD in Stereo DSD 512, DSD 256, DSD 128, DSD 64 and DXD. Also available in Stereo 24/96 and 24/192 FLAC. Not available on SACD.

Semyon Bychkov – Conductor
Czech Philharmonic
Prague Philharmonic Choir (Track 6)
Elisabeth Kulman – Alto (Tracks 4 + 6)
Christiane Karg – Soprano (Track 6)

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After having recorded La Fanciulla del West (The Maiden of the West), conductor Lawrence Foster now expands his Puccini discography on Pentatone with Madama Butterfly. Together with the Coro & Orquestra Gulbenkian, as well as Elisabeth Kulman (Suzuki), Stefano Secco (Pinkerton), Lester Lynch (Sharpless) and Melody Moore (Cio-Cio-San) in the title role.

Despite its disastrous premiere, Madama Butterfly has become one of Puccini’s most successful and popular operas. While the Japanese ambience often captures the attention, the original dramatic conception and exceptional symphonic qualities of the work are often overlooked. Lawrence Foster’s interpretation brings out the symphonic character of the opera, while Melody Moore’s charismatic interpretation of the title role fully realizes the work’s tragic and dramatic potential.

Vocalists
Melody Moore, Soprano – Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San)
Stefano Secco, Tenor – Pinkerton (Lieutenant in the US Navy)
Elisabeth Kulman, Mezzo-Soprano – Suzuki (Cio-Cio-San’s Servant)
Lester Lynch, Baritone – Sharpless (US Consul at Nagasaki)
Alexander Kaimbacher, Tenor – Goro (Marriage Broker)
Kevin Short, Bass-Baritone – Lo Zio Bonzo (Cio-Cio-San’s Uncle)
Amitai Pati, Tenor – Il Principe Yamadori
Liesbeth Devos, Soprano – Kate Pinkerton
Florian Köfler, Bass – Il Commissario Imperiale
Jorge Leiria, Tenor – L’Ufficiale del registro (The Notary)
Tiago Batista, Bass – Lo Zio Yakusidé (Cio-Cio-San’s Uncle)
Cecília Rodrigues, Mezzo-Soprano – La Madre (Cio-Cio-San’s Mother)
Filipa Passos, Soprano – La Zia (Cio-Cio-San’s Aunt)
Sara Marques, Soprano – La Cugina (Cio-Cio-San’s Cousin)

Coro Gulbenkian
Chorus Master: Jorge Matta

Orquestra Gulbenkian
Concertmaster: Maaria Leino
Assistant Conductor: Clelia Cafiero

Conducted by Lawrence Foster

The post Puccini: Madama Butterfly, SC 74 [Double Album] appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

And yet also rich in moments of doubt about dogmatic religion and the formal institution of the church. In its monumentality and lengthy duration of just under 90 minutes, the Missa Solemnis departs from all liturgical guidelines – even though the work was originally intended for a specific high mass; yet it was not actually performed there in the end.

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