EMI Classics’ and Virgin Classics’ Releases for May 2011 Include Kate Royal in New Don Giovanni from Glyndebourne on DVD

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A DVD of Jonathan Kent’s Fellini-esque Glyndebourne Festival production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni – with Gerald Finley in the title role, soprano Kate Royal as Donna Elvira, Luca Pisaroni as Leporello and Vladimir Jurowski on the podium – headlines EMI Classics’ releases this month. Other May highlights from EMI Classics include a “terrific” (Los Angeles Times) set of Schumann’s complete (and unjustly neglected) works for Piano Trio, featuring pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, violinist Christian Tetzlaff, and cellist Tanja Tetzlaff, and three special releases – including a legendary recording of Wagner’s complete “Ring” cycle – celebrating the 125th anniversary of the birth of Wilhelm Furtwängler (1886-1954), one of the truly legendary conductors of the 20th century. From Virgin Classics this month, a transcendent recording of Brahms’s German Requiem, performed by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, led by Paavo Järvi and featuring soprano Natalie Dessay, to mark the ensemble’s 80th birthday; plus, Fabio Biondi and his dynamic Europa Galante add to their burgeoning and celebrated Vivaldi discography with a recording of John Walsh’s 1728 edition of the Venetian composer’s concerto collection known as “La stravaganza.”

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