September highlights from EMI and Virgin Classics

S p o t l i g h t

Verdi: Rigoletto

Diana Damrau, Juan Diego Flórez Verdi’s Rigoletto is justly one of the best-known of all great chorus operas, and this new production from Dresden’s Semperoper brings it back with a wonderful international cast under renowned conductor of Italian opera, Fabio Luisi. Directed by Nikolaus Lehnhoff, this production features star soprano Diana Damrau, tenor Juan Diego Flórez, baritone Zeljko Lucic and the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden.

“[Diana Damrau] caused a sensation with her immaculate coloratura, radiant high register and skilful breath control, enough on their own to place her at the forefront of interpreters of the role. But it was her capacity for filling each note with sincerity of spirit which made her portrayal so exceptional and drew ovations from the first-night audience.” Das Opernglas a l S o n e w t h i S month

12 Cellists of the BPO

A journey through the musical landscape of France featuring arrangements of works by Poulenc, Fauré, Ravel, Debussy and Satie to Edith Piaf’s La vie en rose

La vie en rose La vie en rose La vie en rose

Fleur de Paris Fleur de Paris Fleur de Paris and Fleur de Paris, made famous by Maurice Chevalier.

Puccini: La Rondine Angela Gheorghiu

Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna star in the 2008 Metropolitan Opera production of Puccini’s rarely performed opera. Directed by Nicholas Joël, the DVD features bonus interviews with Gheorghiu, Alagna, Lisette Oropesa and Marius Benciu.

Renaud Capuçon

Renaud Capuçon Renaud Capuçon Renaud Capuçon

Renaud Capuçon and Frank Braley have devoted much of their 2009-10 concert schedule to Beethoven’s sonatas for violin and piano. “These sonatas are full of memories for me” says Capuçon.

Verdi: Don Carlo Rolando Villazón

Rolando Villazón, Marina Poplavskaya, Simon Keenlyside, Ferruccio Furlanetto and Sonia Ganassi star in Nicholas Hytner’s new staging of Verdi’s grandest and arguably greatest opera. Antonio Pappano conducts.

Paavo Järvi

Paavo Järvi takes up his position as Music Director of the Orchestre de Paris in the 2010-11 season. Virgin Classics marks the new collaboration with the release of their first recording, a programme of orchestral works by Bizet.

Gounod: Faust Angela Gheorghiu

David McVicar’s spectacular 2004 production of Gounod’s Faust features a divine cast of opera’s superstars including Roberto Alagna, Angela Gheorghiu, Bryn Terfel, Simon Keenlyside and Sophie Koch.

Visit us online for new release information, catalogue search, music and video, podcasts, concert listings, artist features and more! www.emiclassics.co.uk www.youtube.com/emiclassics www.facebook.com/emivirginclassics www.twitter.com/emiclassics