For the month of June 2026
AT THE OPERA – WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE
Premieres, part 6
Prepared by Elaine Siversen
With Simon Target
Ponchielli, A. La Gioconda. Opera in four acts. Libretto by Arrigo Boito. First performed, Milan, 8 April 1876.
Ponchielli, A. La Gioconda, Prelude & Act I
[48:54]
Ponchielli, A. La Gioconda, Act II
[36:40]
Ponchielli, A. La Gioconda, Act III
[35:31]
Ponchielli, A. La Gioconda, Act IV
[32:50]
LA GIOCONDA: Renata Tebaldi, sop
LA CIECA: Oralia Dominguez, cont
ALVISE: Nicolai Ghiuselev, bass
LAURA: Marilyn Horne, mezz
ENZO: Carlo Bergonzi, ten
BARNABA: Robert Merrill, bar
Saint Cecilia National Academy Ch & O/
Lamberto Gardelli.
Decca 430 042-2 [02:35:03]
The street singer, known as La Gioconda, is in love with the exiled nobleman, Enzo, who has returned to Venice in disguise because of his love for Laura, wife of Alvise, a member of the Inquisition. La Gioconda rejects the amorous advances of the spy, Barnaba, who is jealous of Gioconda’s love for Enzo. In revenge, he falsely accuses La Gioconda’s mother, La Cieca, of being a witch but she is saved by Laura who puts her under her personal protection. Barnaba then tells Alvise of Enzo’s love for Laura. La Gioconda confronts Laura, her rival for Enzo’s love, but recognises her mother’s protector. Alvise orders Laura to take poison, but La Gioconda substitutes a sleeping potion and takes Laura’s body to her home, where Enzo is waiting. They escape as Barnaba arrives to claim La Gioconda, but she foils him by stabbing herself and dying.
Puccini, G. Si, mi chiamano Mimi, from La bohème (1896). Renata Tebaldi, sop; Carlo Bergonzi, ten; Renato Cesari, bar; Ettore Bastianini, bar; Cesare Siepi, bass; St Cecilia Academy O/Tullio Serafin.
Decca 470 280-2 [10:15]
AT THE OPERA – WEDNESDAY 10 JUNE
Love triumphs, part 6
Prepared and presented by Ian MacDonald
Weber, C.M. Euryanthe. Opera in three acts, J291. Libretto by Helmina von Chézy, based on the medieval romance L’histoire de Gerard de Nevers et la très verteuse et très chastes. First performed Vienna, 1823.
Weber, C.M. Euryanthe, Act I
[01:04:55]
Weber, C.M. Euryanthe, Act II
[45:20]
Weber, C.M. Euryanthe, Act III
[01:03:57]
EURYANTHE: Jessye Norman, sop
EGLANTINE: Rita Hunter, mezz
COUNT LYSIART: Tom Krause, bar
COUNT ADOLAR: Nicolai Gedda, ten
KING LUDWIG VI: Siegfried Vogel, bass
Leipzig Radio Choir; Staatskapelle Dresden/Marek Janowski.
EMI 7 63509 2 [02:54:12]
Lysiart is in love with Euryanthe and, when his rival, Adolar, declares his love for her, Lysiart wagers that he can seduce her. Meanwhile, she has given away a family secret about a suicide to the scheming Eglantine, whom she has befriended. When Lysiart accuses her of infidelity before the court, she fails to deny it and the miserable Adolar leads her into the desert to kill her. But when she saves his life, he abandons her instead, and she is found by the king and a hunting party. Lysiart, who has won Adolar’s possessions and estate in the wager, is about to marry Eglantine when Adolar arrives. The plot is disclosed and he is reunited with Euryanthe.
Verdi, G. Pace, pace, mio Dio, from The force of destiny (1862 ). Rita Hunter, sop; Tasmanian SO/Dobbs Franks.
ABC 426 804-2 [06:07]
AT THE OPERA – WEDNESDAY 17 JUNE
Love triumphs, part 6
Prepared and presented by Ian MacDonald
Bellini, V. I Puritani. Opera in three acts. Libretto by Carlo Pepoli, after Jacques-François Ancelot and Joseph-Xavier Boniface Santine’s Tétes Rondes et Cavaliers, based on Walter Scott’s Old Morality. First performed Paris, 1835.
ELVIRA: Joan Sutherland, sop
ARTURO: Luciano Pavarotti, ten
GIORGIO: Nicolai Ghiaurov, bass
RICCARDO: Piero Cappucci llI, bar
ENRICHETTA: Anita Caminada, mezz
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Ch; London SO/Richard Bonynge.
Decca 417 588-2 [02:54:09]
Elvira, whose father holds Plymouth for the Puritans during the English Civil War, is in love with a Royalist cavalier, Arturo, although her father has promised her to the Puritan, Riccardo. Her uncle, Giorgio. persuades his brother to allow her to marry Arturo. Enrichetta (Queen Henrietta), widow of King Charles I, is imprisoned and threatened with execution. Arturo arranges her escape, hidden under Elvira’s bridal veil. Elvira, believing herself deserted by Arturo, goes mad. Her uncle and Riccardo, who loves her, vow vengeance on Arturo who is captured. About to be executed, he is pardoned when a messenger brings news of a Puritan victory and freedom for all prisoners. The shock restores Elvira’s wits and she and Arturo are united.
Flotow, F. M’appari, from Martha (1847). Luciano Pavarotti, ten; New PO/Richard Bonynge.
Decca 475 9349 [03:26]
Verdi, G. Di quella pira, from Il trovatore (1853). Luciano Pavarotti, ten; National PO/Richard Bonynge.
Decca 475 9349 [03:23]
AT THE OPERA – WEDNESDAY 24 JUNE
In exotic places, part 6
Prepared by Elaine Siversen
With Camille Mercep
Handel, G. Xerxes, HWV40. Opera in three acts. Libretto by Silvio Sampiglia for Giovanni Bononcini’s 1694 opera; adapted by Anon. First performed London, 1738.
Handel, G. Xerxes, Act I
[01:15:04]
Handel, G. Xerxes, Act II
[58:35]
Handel, G. Xerxes, Act III
[46:53]
XERXES: Carolyn Watkinson, mezz
ARSAMENE: Paul Esswood, ct
AMASTRE: Ortrun Wenkel, cont
ROMILDA: Barbara Hendricks, sop
ATALANTA: Anne-Marie Rodd, sop
ARIODATE: Ulrik Cold, bass
Ensemble Vocal Jean Bridier; La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy/Jean-Claude Malgoire.
Sony SM3K 36941 [03:01:15]
Set in Persia around 470BC, the story is loosely based on Xerxes I of Persia. Brothers Xerxes and Arsamene both love Romilda, who loves Arsamene. Xerxes, although betrothed to Amastre, banishes Arsamene from the kingdom. Amastre loves Xerxes and disguises herself as a young soldier to be near him. Atalanta, in love with Arsamene, attempts to ensure that Xerxes marries Romilda by suggesting that Arsamene loves only her. Xerxes pardons Arsamene, then tells Romilda’s father Ariodate that his daughter will marry royal blood. Ariodate mistakenly arranges a marriage ceremony between Arsamene and Romilda. Xerxes is furious, but finally is reconciled with Amastre.
Handel, G. Dopo notte, from Ariodante, HWV33 (1735); Cara sposa, from Rinaldo, HWV7a (1711). Carolyn Watkinson, mezz; Amsterdam Bach Soloists/Jan Willem de Vriend.
Etcetera KTC 1064 [14:13]