Patrick Rothkuss

Fizzing with operatic brio, Rossini's ever-popular setting of Cinderella tells the much-loved tale through spectacular arias and irresistible ensembles. Superstar tenor Juan Diego Flórez in his signature role as the Prince, and American star Joyce DiDonato in the title role, lead an outstanding international cast in Joan Font's witty and dazzlingly colourful production - filmed 'live' at Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu.

Bernd Alois Zimmermann's "Monologues" initiate a dialog between composers and works full of creative power and musical joy. Inspired by this, the piano duo Neeb developed their debut program, which - expanded by the sonic possibilities of the percussion - conjures up the world of the "spontaneous, associative, dreamlike and even trance-like" (B. A. Z.).

Former Yes and Moody Blues keyboardist Patrick Moraz mixes numerous Latin and rock rhythms together via his lively synth work, resulting in a full-flavored, energetic album. Not typical sounding to say the least, there are hints of funk and marimba, Caribbean and South American styles, and even flamenco, all guided by Moraz's whirlwind keyboard playing. Inspired by the Brazilian ballet, each song dances with piquancy and flow, never repeating the same rhythms or sounds while at the same time introducing a wide variety of percussion instruments. Andy Newmark's drums add dimension to the fiery patterns conjured up on "Dancing Now" and "Incantations," raising the musical temperature of both tracks…

The flute playing of Patrick Gallois epitomizes several of the prime virtues of the French flute tradition; fine-spun liquidity of tone, delectable phrasing and exemplary breath control, and, when required, the ability to project and capture the attention of the listener, even across full blown orchestral tuttis. But these qualities aside, Gallois is an artist of evident distinction and innate musicality, and I have no hesitation in commending this new recording of works by Rodrigo and Khachaturian to any collector, who, like myself, may have only a limited appetite for the flute!

This DVD shows an impressive staging of Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti filmed at the opera house in Genoa, directed by preeminent opera director Graham Vick, conducted by renowned opera conductor Patrick Fournillier and sung by an all star cast - Marcelo Álvarez hailed as one of the hottest tenors on the international scene and Stefania Bonfadelli frequent guest on the stages of the world‘s greatest opera houses and celebrated by audience and critics alike. In this staging, Graham Vick concentrated all his attention on the performers and employed the simplest of means to create spaces representing the atmosphere of the scenes rather than concrete physical locations for them. In spirit, therefore, his production remains loyal to the libretto by Salvatore Cammarano, the music by Gaetano Donizetti and their concentration on the story’s essentials, focussing as closely as possible on the passionate engagement of Lucia, Edgardo and Enrico.

Although I Puritani was performed during the Metropolitan Opera's first season in 1883, it had not been seen there for decades until this production by Sandro Sequi was unveiled in 1976. It was one of the greatest triumphs for the partnership of Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti, and it is to the credit of all concerned in this recent revival that one soon forgets names from the past and enjoys what is a spirited attempt to evoke mid-19th-century style.

Patrick Gallois belongs to the generation of French musicians leading highly successful international careers as both soloist and conductor. From the age of 17 he studied the flute with Jean-Pierre Rampal at the Paris Conservatoire and at the age of 21 was appointed principal flute in the Orchestre national de France under Lorin Maazel, playing with many famous conductors, including Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, Pierre Boulez, Karl Böhm, Eugen Jochum and Sergiu Celibidache. He held this post until 1984, when he decided to focus on his solo career, which has subsequently taken him throughout the world.

Chopin’s mazurkas are perhaps the most elusive branch of his output. Their most obvious and dangerous challenges to performers lie in their rhythmic subtlety. Of all his music, none is more intimately linked with the accents and inflections of the Polish language, but this isn’t to say that only Poles can do them justice. What they do require, though, is a rhythmic buoyancy and flexibility of line which transcends all national characteristics. Like Chopin himself, they are compounded of irony and paradox. The role of the second beat is crucial to all of them, and to their specific identity as dance music (though Chopin’s were never intended for dancing), yet if they’re to succeed in performance the pianist must neutralise the divisive menace of the bar-line, so that the last thing we think of is counting.