CCMusic.com

Anita Rachvelishvili became internationally known on the opening night of the La Scala season in 2009, when she sang the title role in Carmen opposite Jonas Kaufmann under the baton of Daniel Barenboim. This performance marked her debut in the role and was televised all over the world. She has since debuted this signature role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bavarian State Opera in Munich, State Opera in Berlin, Seattle Opera, San Francisco Opera, Teatro Regio in Turin, Canadian Opera Company, and Arena di Verona. The present album features some of the most popular and enduring opera arias in the mezzo Repertoire: two arias from Carmen, operatic favorites such as Saint-Saens Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix (Samson et Dalila) and Verdi's O don fatale (Don Carlo), in addition to a rarity: the Cavatina of King Tamar, from Georgian composer Dmitry Arakishvili's opera The Legend of Shota Rustaveli, demonstrating her Georgian heritage.