Vargas

CD album released by the 'Vargas Blues Band', founded and led by blues and rock Spanish guitarist Javier Vargas (Madrid, 1958). Vargas made the first completely instrumental album of the band and provides a clear renewal of their creations, fusing the sound of the guitar, with all its variations and shades of blues, rock, flamenco and Latin styles touch-with the sound of synthesizers, drum rhythm and special sound effects. Very remarkable one of his greatest creations, 'Blues Latino', issue the same Carlos Santana has recorded and incorporated into their repertoire. Leading this band a major figure of current blues Spanish guitars, spoken of as the relay of the great Mexican guitarist Carlos Santana.

Angela Gheorghiu leads a magnificent cast in Franco Zeffirelli’s iconic production of Puccini’s La Bohème – filmed live at the Metropolitan Opera in Hi-Definition. This grand, sumptuous production of Puccini’s timeless masterpiece is brought to you on DVD by EMI Classics, continuing its collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera and its hugely successful Metropolitan Opera : Live in High-Definition series.

The Naxos label has done a wonderful job of providing opera-lovers with inexpensive recordings of both repertory and rare operas. This recording of Rossini's perennial "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" sets a standard which will be hard to sustain. The orchestra, a group of players from the Hungarian State Opera, are lively and alert to the musical presentation desired by conductor Humburg. The soloists are, with few exceptions, wonderful. Roberto Servile in the title role is as good as modern baritones get in the role–he sings well and is having a marvelous time of it. Franco de Grandis sings splendidly as Don Basilio. Sonia Ganassi, singing Rosina, brings good coloratura technique to Rossini's sometimes fiendish writing, but somehow lacks those indefinable qualities which make a great Rosina…