Opera Australia will be the first company represented in a series of new CDs and DVDs.

A new label has been established to release productions from the world’s most prestigious opera companies on CD, DVD and Blu-Ray. The expense of producing complete opera recordings, particularly in staple repertoire with plenty of competition already on the market, can prove difficult for opera houses to manage and has seen fewer releases in recent years.

The British label EPCD, a new branch of Electric Picture Company, aims to reverse that trend with its dedicated opera service to present major productions from around the world, commencing in May with a focus on Opera Australia.

The series will be launched worldwide with a trio of Joan Sutherland classics issued on CD: Donizetti’s Lucia Di Lammermoor (1986), Lucrezia Borgia (1977) and La Stupenda’s farewell performance of Meyerbeer’s Les Huguenots – all conducted by Richard Bonynge.

In addition to archival recordings, some of the newest Opera Australia performances will be made available on DVD and Blu-Ray, starting with last year’s Le nozze di Figaro starring Teddy Tahu Rhodes in the title role, Taryn Fiebig, Peter Coleman-Wright and Rachelle Durkin. Potential future releases from OA’s current season include La...