Michael Spyres and Lawrence Brownlee celebrate the art of the trailblazing star singers of Rossini’s time. Amici e Rivali – ‘Friends and Rivals’ – comprises arias, duets, and trios from seven of the composer’s operas, written between 1815 and 1826: the most famous comic opera of them all, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and six serious dramatic works Otello, Armida, La donna del Lago, Elisabetta, Regina d'Inghilterra, Le Siège de Corinthe, and, the rarest title here, Ricciardo e Zoraide.

If the spotlight is on the two American stars – not least as they assume the roles of ‘dueling tenors’ – they are in excellent company: there are guest appearances from the effervescent Irish mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught and the prize-winning young Spanish tenor Xabier Anduaga, and the recording was made at the artistic home of conductor Corrado Rovaris and I Virtuosi Italiani, the Teatro Ristori in Verona.‍

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Gioachino Rossini (1792– 1868)

1) Il barbiere di Siviglia: “All’ idea di quel metallo “Act I

2-5) Riccardo e Zoraide
‍2) “S’ Ella mi èognor fedele” Act I
3) “Qual sara maila gioia” Act I
4) “Donala a questocore” Act I
5) “Teco or sara” Act II

6-7) La donna del lago
6) “Nume! Se a’mei sospiri” Act II
7) “Qual pena in me già” ActII

8) Elisabetta Regina d’Inghilterra: “Deh! Scusa i trasporti” Act II

9-11) Otello
9) “Non m'inganno: al mio rivale “Act II
10) “Ah! vieni, nel tuo sangue vendichero le offese “Act II
11) “Che fiero punto e questo” Act II 

12-14) Le Siege de Corinthe
12) “Grand Dieu, faut-il qu'un peuple “ Act III
13) “Cher Cleomene“Act III
14) “Céleste providence" Act III

15) Armida: “Inquale aspetto imbelle” Act III

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Artists:
Lawrence Brownlee, tenor (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15)
Michael Spyres, tenor (1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10,11, 13, 14, 15)
Tara Erraught, mezzo soprano (6, 7, 11, 14)
Xabier Anduaga, tenor (3, 9)
I Virtuosi Italiani / Corrado Rovaris, Conductor