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Looking at the productions photos, once more one has to deal with a typical "Deutsches Regietheater" ejaculation

Yeah, it was the same Kirsten Harms who attempted to ruin the Königin von Saba production....
But at least, in Freiburg, they seem to have a knack for discovering promising talents and giving them chances !!!

Anyway, I'm going back to Freiburg in June, to hear 1 or 2 performances of these "Jewels" along with a performance of Boïto's Mefistofele (and then on to Bielefeld, for a Sondheim Little Night Music).  In Freiburg, my only disappointmoint so far has been a rather terrible Sweeney Todd.

Oh, OK, Alan.  However I think I presumed that (it was sung in german) because I had SEEN it written somewhere (maybe on the Freiburg program brochure ?), but now I can't seem to find it.

Oh, I didn't know that.  I'll check into it.  Thanks.

Yes, but why this label uses always such an odd and dangerous packaging?

I guess the "odd and dangerous packaging" is dictated by the book format.  I wish every opera or music CD editor would provide such complete and informed "booklets" as does the Bru Zane Foundation and its editors.  Each publication from them is a little jewel !
Personally, I've never had any trouble with the packaging nor scratched CDs.

we should probably add Gordon Jacob's orchestration of the Organ Sonata, Op. 28a, too.

Hmmm, I should look for that one.  I'm very often frustrated with organ music, as I find that most church acoustics don't give justice to the works. I've always wondered how no one has ever ventured into orchestrations of the Vierne and Widor organ symphonies, for examples....

It seems there has been a change in the Freiburg cast, and that Mr. Kim will not sing the rôle of Gennaro anymore, and will be replaced by Hector Lopez-Mendoza.
It also seems to me that the Freiburg production will be sung in german, and not in italian (thus the title "Der Schmuck der Madonna")

http://www.theater.freiburg.de/index/TheaterFreiburg/Monatsspielplan.html?SpId=75488

The tenor's spectacularly good. He's a major new star.

Yep, I'm glad you liked him.
He participated in the last Operalia contest, but didn't make it to the finals, being sick.
That is very unfortunate, since I know of some other singers half as talented as him who made it to the finals....

"And if in doubt, we ask members to contact us first before posting."

Yes, I got the point AFTER posting...
Sorry...

In the wonderful series of rare French operas released by the Bru Zane Foundation, here comes a new jewel :

www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/charles-gounod-cinq-mars/hnum/2629081

Yes, but these scores are "post 1918"....      And they are not, by far, the most interesting among Tailleferre's output.

These (tonight's broadfcast) are old archives from the French Radio.
BUT, the Limoges Opera did a stage show a couple years ago integrating these four 1-act operas, and a DVD has been released :

https://www.amazon.fr/LAffaire-Tailleferre-Quatre-op%C3%A9ras-bouffes/dp/2240036524/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1460923013&sr=8-1&keywords=affaire+tailleferre+dvd

Hello to all,
Discovered this great forum by chance, while googling "Die Königin von Saba", about the about-to-be-issued recording on CPO.

I'm a 53 year old music lover presently living in Lyon, even though most of my professional activities now make me spend most of my time in Paris, and most of my "vacation activities" take me all over Europe and Asia.
I've started the piano as an amateur at age 7, and been playing off and on (rather more off than on, actually), and always fan on exploring "unsung" repertoire, wishing everyday that programmers and decision-makers in the music bizness would take more "risks"...
My professional activities have always been related to music, but mostly on the administrative / management side.  After 4 years spent in Eugene, Oregon, USA, completing a Master's in Performing Arts management, I got involved there with the Oregon Bach Festival, the Eugene Opera (chorus), and various on campus music and theater activities.  I sang in several choirs as an amateur singer, both in Eugene and in Paris, then spent 13 years as Chorus Manager at the Lyon Opera.  I'm now a free-lance ("intermittent") stage manager / stage hand, desperetaly trying to align contracts, and getting busy mostly at the Paris Opera, now, and in other local houses.
My interests are quite varied, around opera and lyrical repertoire (from operetta to musical), piano repertoire (including things I'll never dream on even trying to play), and choral repertoire.  I've been exploring the unsung French repertoire, and still much, much, much remains to be discovered, especially in the lyric repertoire.
Through a network of crazy friends like me (and you), I can put my hands on a lot of rare recordings of French music (French radio archives) which, for the most part, have never been issued on any medium.  So if you have any wishes on that field, feel free to ask, and I will tell you if that has even been recorded or not, and if I can put my hands on the desired recording.
Looking forward to discover new things with you, and to share as well what I can.
Eric

"As far as I can see, the only items of interest this year would be Zemlinsky's Lyric Symphony and Reger's Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart. Oh dear, oh dear. "

Same feeling...
I had not even noticed the Zemlinsky...

Don't forget the wonderful Reynaldo HAHN Concerto (which you can now find, coupled with the MASSENET Concerto in the Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto series.  Even though it was written in 1930, its inspiration remains very much that of the late romantics, in the vein of Pierné and Fauré.

1/ Have you explored the Six Sonatas by Sophie-Carmen EKHARDT-GRAMATTÉ, a XXth century Canadian composer ? Hamelin did a very impressive recording of the lot...

2/  No one seems to have mentionned the 3 Korngold Sonatas, which are fairly interesting, especially knowing that the 1st one was composed by an 11-year old prodigy... 

3/  If you want to tackle something REALLY hefty, you can try the 53 GODOWSKY Etudes cycle ?      or even just his Sonata...

Have fun !!

Here are links to a 2 part-PDF of the Roger-Ducasse catalogue of works, since it doesn't seem to appear in the composers' catalogues index.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ond4ke5s2cgs6mi/Catalogue%20Roger-Ducasse%201.pdf?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bietjsvhtjn4gr9/Catalogue%20Roger-Ducasse%202.pdf?dl=0