Mark Elder - Donizetti: Rita (2019) [Hi-Res]

Conducted by Sir Mark Elder, "Rita" is the first studio recording of the newly restored critical edition of the score. The recording is sung in the original French, with Katarina Karnéus in the title role of Rita, Barry Banks as Pepé and Christopher Maltman as Gasparo. The new edition on which the recording is based was created from Donizetti’s complete autograph score and a recently discovered manuscript libretto with autograph annotations. It restores the French spoken dialogue originally intended for the opera.

"The two men...both sing and speak French perfectly. Unfortunately, although Katarina Karnéus is on lively, lovely form, her French when singing is almost indecipherable...The singers make a great team, but what makes it so much fun is Mark Elder's immersion in the work, which sounds almost as if it was Haydn on top form." (BBC Music Magazine)

"Rita can hardly be described as a masterpiece, but you cannot mistake its French comic style...While it might have been preferable to have native French speakers, Katarina Karnéus, Barry Banks and Christopher Maltman bring Rita to life with infectious spirit." (Financial Times)

"The lively score is deftly conducted. Katerina Karneus, Barry Banks (Pepé) and Christopher Maltman (Gasparo) have unidiomatic French, but their voices give pleasure." (Sunday Times)

Katarina Karnéus, mezzo (Rita)
Barry Banks, tenor (Pepé)
Christopher Maltman, baritone (Gasparo)
The Hallé
Sir Mark Elder, conductor