Overtures to Francesca da Rimini and Romeo and Juliet are presented here with the original version of the 1812, with chorus, and the Waltz and Polonaise from Eugene Onegin, all of them live recordings from the Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome. The sound production certainly boasts all the attributes of a great hall acoustic and the live element engenders an exciting listening experience. Pappano explores the haunting choral part in the 1812 with exceptional dynamic control, imbuing it with all the grandeur and depth of the finest Russian choral singing.

Karen Dervan