Michael Black, chorus director of Lyric Opera of Chicago, shares his favorite recordings of works being performed this year. In addition to a concert that centers the chorus (Mozart’s Requiem), the 2023-24 season leans heavily on the chorus in works ranging from Verdi’s Aida to Janacek’s Jenůfa. Learn more HERE.
Richard Wagner: The Flying Dutchman
Act III, Scene 7, “Steuermann, lass die Wacht”
Act II, Scene 4, “Summ und brumm, du gutes Rädchen”
Act III, Scene 7, “”Johohoe! Johohoe!”
Bayreuth Festival Chorus and Orchestra
Christian Thielemann, conductor
Gaetano Donizetti: The Daughter of the Regiment
Act I, chorus and aria, “Rataplan, rataplan, rataplan…Ah! mes amis, quel jour de fête!”
Luciano Pavarotti, tenor
Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Richard Bonynge, conductor
Leoš Janáček: Jenufa
Act III, Dance of the village girls
Vienna State Opera Chorus
Vienna Philharmonic
Sir Charles Mackerras, conductor
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Requiem, K. 626
II. Sequentia: Dies irae and Lacrimosa
RIAS Chamber Choir
Freiburg Baroque Orchestra
René Jacobs, conductor
Gioachino Rossini: Cinderella
Act I, chorus and aria, “Scegli la sposa affretati…Come un ape”
Alessandro Corbelli, baritone
Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro Communale di Bologna
Riccardo Chailly, conductor
Giuseppe Verdi: Aida
Act IV, finale, “O terra, addio”
Act II, finale, “Gloria all’ Egitto”
Anja Harteros, soprano
Ekaterina Semenchuk, mezzo-soprano
Jonas Kaufmann, tenor
Chorus and Orchestra of the Santa Cecilia Academy
Antonio Pappano