The inspiration for Ludovico Einaudi's I Giorni was a 12th-century folk song from Mali about a hippopotamus who was cherished by the residents of a nearby village but killed by a hunter. "The song," writes Einaudi in his succinct liner note, "is sung as a lament for the death of a king or a great person or for the loss of a loved one." The result is a tender and introspective set of 14 ...
Incanto is the first studio album from Italian operatic star Andrea Bocelli since 2006's Amore, stop-gapped of course by last year's Vivere. Now twenty albums deep and heading for 70 million sales worldwide, there doesn't seem to be much Bocelli can do wrong, though perhaps key to his success is his refusal to rest on his laurels--to always present a considered and varied ...
At its best, the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company preserved traditions of singing Gilbert and Sullivan which had developed over many years of performances--and employed some wonderful singers for its productions. This compilation comprises material recorded between 1960 and 1973, when the company was still very strong and is a glorious testament to its achievements. And the great singers are well ...