Jason Victor Serinus

What do Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas (premiere 1689) and Manuel de Falla’s La Vida Breve (premiere 1913) have in common? West Bay Opera does not hesitate to mate such strange, albeit intimate operatic bedfellows.

Composer and performance artist Meredith Monk’s uncanny ability to express universal truths through highly evocative, elemental sounds has kept her in the forefront of contemporary music for over four decades. Her latest recording for ECM New Series, confirms that her work remains as vital as ever.

Ranging from good to great, despite some odd tempos along the way, two brilliant singers render arias by Verdi, Mozart, Dvořák, and Puccini.

This European recording of Grofé's original jazz arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue is a raucous romp that thrives on improvisation. It also continually contrasts seemingly unstoppable propulsion with subtle, laid back lingering.

The human voice reaches its apogee with Lorraine Hunt Lieberson’s recording of Berlioz and Haydn, accompanied by the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra.

Steven Blier’s N.Y. latest Festival of Song appearances in S.F., always cause for celebration, is Amores Nuevos — featuring discoveries born of a love affair with Spanish and Latin American song and blessed by the gifts of four Adler Fellows.

Something special is happening at the Livermore Valley Opera, which has taken the care to stage Puccini’s Madama Butterfly with a cast that does the opera and the company proud.