News
April Recording of the Month: Le Duc d’Albe
Our Recording of the Month is Donizetti’s Le Duc d’Albe starring American soprano Angela Meade in her recording debut as Hélène d’Egmont. Recorded in June 2015, Sir Mark Elder conducts The Hallé in the original French version of the opera which only...
Germán Enrique Alcántara joins cast of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra
Opera Rara and the Hallé announce a cast change in their upcoming recording and performance of the original 1857 version of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra. Nicola Alaimo has had to withdraw from the production due to illness and Argentinian baritone Germán Enrique Alcántara...
Eri Nakamura joins cast of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra
Opera Rara and the Hallé announce a cast change in their upcoming recording and performance of the original 1857 version of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra. Eleonora Buratto has withdrawn from the production and Japanese soprano Eri Nakamura will now sing the role of Amelia....
Opera Rara announce 2024/25 season of live operatic archaeology
We’re delighted to announce our 2024/25 season of live operatic archaeology featuring performances and recording releases celebrating the past made new. Gaetano Donizetti, whose music we’ve returned to time and again since our founding in 1970, is the main focal point...
L’esule di Roma bonus track: Murena’s mad scene
‘It is often thought that Donizetti only wrote mad scenes for women but this mad scene is one of his most piercing and innovative’ Donizetti expert and our Repertoire Consultant Roger Parker on the psychologically complex character of Murena sung by Nicola...
Carlo Rizzi awarded Order of the Star of Italy
Earlier this week, our Artistic Director Carlo Rizzi was awarded the honour of ‘Grande Ufficiale’ (Grand Officer) of the ‘Ordine della Stella d’Italia’ (Order of the Star of Italy), one of two orders of the Italian Republic, for his commitment and contribution to...
La Princesse de Trébizonde wins OPER! Award
Last night, Opera Rara won the OPER! Award for Best Opera Recording for its studio release of Offenbach’s La Princesse de Trébizonde (ORC63). This is the company’s second OPER! Award having won in 2019 for its world premiere recording of Donizetti’s L’Ange de Nisida....
Opera Rara to release Donizetti’s L’esule di Roma on 1 March
On Friday 1 March, Opera Rara release its 27th complete Donizetti revival, L’esule di Roma (‘The Exile of Rome’), with Britten Sinfonia conducted by Opera Rara’s Artistic Director Carlo Rizzi. Nicola Alaimo is Murena, the Roman senator wracked by guilt for having...
Nicola Alaimo takes over title role in upcoming 1857 version of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra
Opera Rara and the Hallé announce a cast change in their upcoming recording and performance of the original 1857 version of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra. Igor Golovatenko has withdrawn from the production and celebrated Italian baritone, Nicola Alaimo, will sing the title...
Opera Rara Winter/Spring 2024 Highlights
On 9 September, Opera Rara launched its Donizetti Song Project: an ambitious new multi-year initiative to record and perform Donizetti’s entire corpus of songs, nearly 200 in total of which many have never been heard before. Following the Project’s launch at Wigmore...
Ermonela Jaho and Carlo Rizzi perform rare songs by Donizetti at Wigmore Hall
Earlier this year, Opera Rara announced the company’s most ambitious project to date, the Donizetti Song Project, which will see the recording and performance of nearly 200 songs by Gaetano Donizetti. Following the restoration of the songs, many of which are...
Big Give a big success for emerging talent
Starting on Giving Tuesday last week, Opera Rara launched its first Big Give with a goal of £15,000 to support the charity’s work with emerging artists. The Championing Emerging Talent campaign took place over 7 days and featured interviews with artists who have...
Opera Rara launch Big Give 2023 campaign to support emerging artists
At a time when opportunities seem to be dwindling, Opera Rara continue to give a chance to emerging artists to share their talent with the world through our internationally acclaimed recordings and performances. These artists leave a lasting legacy through their...
Gramophone picks La Princesse de Trébizonde as recording of the month
Opera Rara’s recording of Offenbach’s La Princesse de Trébizonde has received international praise, garnering accolades and critical acclaim. It has already received a Diamant d’Opéra in Opéra Magazine, has been included in Presto’s Top 25 for two...
Il proscritto wins an International Opera Award
Last night, Opera Rara won its fourth International Opera Award for best Complete Opera Recording for its studio release of Mercadante’s Il proscritto (ORC62). Representing the company in Warsaw was Opera Rara’s Chief Executive Henry Little, who said: ‘Our Artistic...
Lawrence Brownlee and Artistic Director Carlo Rizzi launch the Donizetti Song Project at Wigmore Hall
In September, Opera Rara begins its three-year Donizetti Song Project, an ambitious initiative which will see the recording and performance of nearly 200 solo songs by the composer. The project is launched by world-renowned bel canto specialist, tenor Lawrence...