Opera
Issue:
Christmas 2009 
'Renée Fleming sings an imaginative set of verismo arias' Michael Scott Rohan
Verismo
Arias by Puccini, Catalani, Cilea, Giordano, Leoncavallo, Mascagni & Zandonai
Renée Fleming (soprano); Giuseppe Verdi Chorus & SO, Milan/Marco Armiliato
Decca 478 1533
72:20 mins
For a full review of this disc, take a look at the Christmas issue of BBC Music Magazine
Audio clip: Mascagni: Un dì (ero piccina)
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This month's BBC Music choices
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Beethoven: String Trios, Op. 9 Nos 1-3
Trio Zimmermann
'The playing is dazzling, combining warmth and clarity'
CHAMBER
The Father, the Son and the Godfather: Trio Sonatas by JS Bach, CPE Bach, Telemann
'Compelling soloists with virtuosity and insight to burn'
CHORAL & SONG
Stimme der Sehnsucht: Songs by Mahler, Strauss, Pfitzner
Christianne Stotijn
'Stotijn takes the imaginative high ground from the start'
DVD
Pergolesi: Adriano in Siria
Marina Comparato, Lucia Cirill, Annamaria dell'Oste etc; Accademia Bizantina/ Ottavio Dantone
'Realised with vibrant, breathtaking musicianship'
INSTRUMENTAL
Mozart: Keyboard Music
Kristian Bezuidenhout
'Bezuidenhout brings out all the drama and intensity'
JAZZ
Michel Portal: Baïlador
Michel Portal, Ambrose Akinmusire, Bojan Z, Lionel Loueke, Scott Colley, Jack DeJohnette
'Portal confirms himself as one of the most impressive bass clarinet and soprano sax players'
ORCHESTRAL
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15
Royal Concertgebouw/ Bernard Haitink
'The Concertgebouw delivers sensationally taut playing'
OPERA
Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Albert Dohmen, Georg Zeppenfeld etc; Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra & Choir/ Marek Janowski
'This Meistersinger is imbued with incessant vitality and energy'