Les Snorky

Paris, early Twentieth Century: in the space of three ballets, a previously unknown Russian composer revolutionised the music of his time. With The Firebird and Petrushka, respectively fairytale and folktale, and of course The Rite of Spring, a telluric invocation with its insanely innovative harmonies and rhythms, Stravinsky dynamised the Late Romantic orchestra, taking it to literally unheard-of places.

Les Frères Jacques was a French vocal group that formed in the aftermath of World War II, and became one of their nation's best loved musical traditions, lasting as an artistic force for nearly 40 years. Their debut recording, a 78 rpm collection, was released in 1947, and kicked off a series of well received and popular records that spanned not only the decades, but all of the technological developments and formats in the recording arts. No mean feat, to be sure. The membership of the quartet remained unchanged from inception, but, sadly, in 2002 and 2008, respectively, "Freres" Francois Soubeyran and Andre Bellec passed on, leaving only Georges Bellec and Tourenne Paul. In 1996, a box set featuring newly discovered work, and the best and most popular tracks from their immense career was released, and in 1998, another box set, Farewell Recital, immortalizing the group's 1982 goodbye show, hit stores.

Les Claypool's 'Adverse Yaw: The Prawn Song Years' Box Set is available for pre-order. This 5 album set spans Les' solo career over the course of various projects, encompassing the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains, and The Fancy Band. Enjoy 'Live Frogs Sets 1 & 2', the long out of print 'Purple Onion', 'Of Whales & Woe', & 'Of Fungi & Foe', LPs, and for the first time ever, 'The Big Eyeball In the Sky' with entirely remastered audio on limited edition, colored 180 gram vinyl.

Commissioned by Opera Ballet Vlaanderen at the suggestion of director Calixto Bieito, Les Bienveillantes is based on Jonathan Littell's novel, a harsh and monumental work in terms of its length, subject, scope and depth - a bestseller in France, Grand Prix du roman de l'Academie francaise and Prix Goncourt, translated into over twenty languages - told in the first person by Maximilian Aue, a former SS officer. Together with Handl Klaus, who wrote the libretto, Hector Parra has achieved a musical, intellectual and human tour de force. These 3 b-records CDs, which inaugurate the new "Villa Medicis Live" collection, allow us to relive the extraordinary world premiere, bringing together a first-rate vocal team and the great conductor Peter Rundel.

The circumstances of the composition of Purcell's only opera, Dido and Aeneas, are unclear. First performed in the 1680s, it received few performances in the composer's lifetime, before disappearing until it's revival at the very end of the nineteenth century.

Cherubini's Les Abencérages, premiered in 1813, heralds the spectacle and extravagance of Romantic grand opera. From the Alhambra gardens to the battlefield, the action skillfully intertwines political conspiracies with a love story. Underpinned by the energy and timbres of period instruments, this recording demonstrates the work's modernity and it's musical qualities.Anaïs Constans valiantly tackles the demanding role of Noraïme, while Edgaras Montvidas displays his lyric tenor voice in a series of sublime airs whose beauty was already hinted at by none other than Roberto Alagna in a recital disc released in 2003. Around this couple, a plethoric cast of soloists (Dolié, Sargsyan, Williams, Martin, Lavoie, etc.) achieves the same high standards of French diction and style. The Hungarian conductor György Vashegyi, flanked by the Purcell Choir and Orfeo Orchestra, reveals here another key milestone of French Romantic opera.

Cherubini’s Les Abencérages, premiered in 1813, heralds the spectacle and extravagance of Romantic grand opera. From the Alhambra gardens to the battlefield, the action skilfully intertwines political conspiracies with a love story. Underpinned by the energy and timbres of period instruments, this recording demonstrates the work’s modernity and its musical qualities.

A dark, pessimistic work, Belshazzar casts an uncompromising gaze on the fate of empires and those who govern them. In 2013, William Christie and Les Arts Florissants recorded a noble and majestic account of this formidable oratorio.