This is rather a Victorian vicarage tea-party of a Carmen. Far and away the best thing in it is the Orchestre National du Capitol de Toulouse under Michel Plasson which sounds fantastic.
NESSUN DORMA
Roberto Alagna Orchestra of Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Conductor: Mark Elder
EMI CLASSICS 5 57600 2
Alagna also stars on this CD of verismo arias, but he generally sounds too well-behaved for this characteristically passionate music, and rarely thrills. For real feeling and flamboyance you have to turn elsewhere. The next CD, from an earlier age, amply demonstrates how it should be done.
FRANCO CORELLI: The Unknown Recordings
Franco Corelli (tenor), New Philharmonia/Royal Philharmonic Orchestras
EMI CLASSICS 5 62698 2
The 1960s tenor Franco Corelli taught himself to sing at the age of 23, mostly by listening to records. He went on in his 40s to become one of the most ringingly charismatic tenors of his day -- when he and Leontyne Price made their joint debut at the Metropolitan Opera the sensation they caused made the front page of most American newspapers. This newly-released CD has a rather mysterious history. It was mostly recorded in 1967, but never released because, according to EMI, Corelli "intended to do further work on it." Yet he is quoted now, aged 82, as saying that he is "delighted EMI is releasing these recordings after so many years."
Strange. Whatever the truth, this is magnificent material -- tigerish, electrifying, a voice of steel coated in silver. Recommended.
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