Sunday Night at the Opera: Alexa’s prediction for “Best Classical Solo Vocal Album” for next week’s Grammys

January 19, 2020

Here’s what host Alexa Petrenko has to say for tonight’s edition of “Sunday Night at the Opera”:

“The 62nd Grammys are just a week away, so this week I present my pick for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album,  American tenor Stephen Costello’s “A Te, O Cara”.  On his first recording for Delos, he dedicates a glittering assortment of bel canto arias to his friend Dmitri Hvorostovsky.  Constantine Orbelian and his vaunted Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra provide perfect orchestral collaboration in this recital of Donizetti,  Bellini, and Verdi.”

Bel canto refers to a traditional type of beautiful singing; arias refer to “the big moment” in an opera, a moment of intense emotion or drama, and also where the singer gets to show off his or her chops. Dmitri Hvorostovksy is the legendary Russian baritone who passed away from brain cancer in November 2017.

“Sunday Night at the Opera” can be heard at 9 pm on The New Classical FM at classicalfm.ca .