Professor Alexandra Wilson
Recent articles by Professor Alexandra Wilson
Review: JS Bach – Mass in B minor (Pygmalion)
In her review, Alexandra Wilson thinks this latest interpretation of Bach’s mighty B minor Mass by Pygmalion is exceptional and a must-listen
Review: Attende domine (The Bevan Family Consort)
In her review, Alexandra Wilson finds much to enjoy in this glorious family album of beautiful music for Lent and Passiontide from the brilliant Bevans
The singer who spat at her deadly rival: lurid tales from the 1920s' great opera divas
The Roaring Twenties saw the rise of sports, jazz and film stars, so how did opera’s leading singers stay in the limelight? By trying to beat these new celebrities at their own game, writes Alexandra Wilson
Tosca: the story behind Puccini's dramatic tale of sex, violence, politics and lies
Early audiences were perplexed by Tosca, Puccini's thrilling opera about lust, jealousy and corruption - but it's now an operatic staple
From nightclubs to condoms - weird and wonderful opera advertising campaigns
For centuries, promoters have advertised opera in weird and wonderful ways. Alexandra Wilson takes a look at some of the more memorable campaigns
Turandot: a guide to Puccini's bloodthirsty final opera, its famous 'Nessun Dorma' aria, and its best recordings
No-one shall sleep, says Alexandra Wilson, until she has solved the riddle of choosing the best recording of Puccini’s brutal final opera
Salieri: history has him down as music's sorest loser. He deserves better
A certain portrayal in a seminal classical music film has portrayed Salieri as Mozart's deadly rival - and possibly his killer. Is there any truth in this?
Rachmaninov: All-Night Vigil
Verdi: Ernani
A te, Puccini (Songs)
Puccini: Tosca
Verismo – Preludi e Intermezzi
Vincenzo Bellini: the well-travelled bel canto composer whose life was cut short
Alexandra Wilson explores the short but lavishly successful life of an opera composer feted from Milan to Paris and far beyond
The Great Puccini (Jonathan Tetelman)
Remembering Tebaldi (Melody Moore)
Melody Moore (soprano); Transylvania State Philharmonic Choir & Orchestra/Lawrence Foster (Pentatone)
Puccini: Il Trittico (Vienna/Welser-Möst)
Asmik Grigorian (soprano) et al; Wiener Staatsopernchor, Vienna Philharmonic/Franz Welser-Möst (Unitel/Salzburg)
Verdi: Un ballo in maschera (Dresden/Janowski)
Freddie de Tommaso, Saioa Hernández, Lester Lynch, Annika Gerhards, Elisabeth Kulman; Sachsischer Staatsopernchor Dresden; Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo/Marek Janowski (Pentatone)
Casta Diva (Matilda Lloyd)
Matilda Lloyd (trumpet) Britten Sinfonia/Rumon Gamba (Chandos)
Puccini: Turandot (Santa Cecilia/Pappano)
Sondra Radvanovsky, Jonas Kaufmann, Ermonela Jaho, Michele Pertusi, Michael Spyres, Mattia Olivieri, Gregory Bonfatti, Siyabonga Maqungo; Orchestra e Coro dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia/Antonio Pappano (Warner Classics)
Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore (DVD)
Caterina Sala, Javier Camarena, Florian Sempey, Roberto Frontali; Donizetti Opera; Gli Originali/Riccardo Frizza (Dynamic/DVD)
Leoncavallo, Ruggero
A widely-travelled Italian opera composer, Leoncavallo is best known for one big hit: 1892's Pagliacci, a tale of adultery and murder
Puccini: La bohème (arr. violin and piano)
Mathieu van Bellen (violin), Mathias Halvorsen (piano) (Backlash Music)
Signor Gaetano (Javier Camarena)
Javier Camarena (tenor); Gli Originali/Riccardo Frizza (Pentatone)
French Bel Canto Arias (Lisette Oropesa)
Lisette Oropesa (soprano); Sachsischer State Opera Chorus; Dresden Philharmonic/Corrado Rovaris (Pentatone)