Alba

The diva Eva Urbanová (soprano) invited to her pre-Christmas concert given at the Smetana Hall of Prague's Municipal House on 10 December, 1999, several leading Czech opera singers. For that occasion, she chose a programme focused exclusively on classicsof Czech opera literature: works by Smetana, Dvořák, Fibich, and Janáček. Famous operatic duets constituted the backbone of the night, and their renditions showed both Eva Urbanová and her guests in the best light. For aficionados of Czech opera, this CDis certain to become the source of much delight. It brings an edited live recording from the concert. Eva Urbanová heralds the programme's festival atmosphere by her account of the illustrious Prophecy aria from Smetana's Libuše, and closes it off with apeerless reading of Kostelnička's aria from Jenůfa.