Opera Rara was created to explore forgotten bel canto operas. Fifty years on it has an award-winning catalogue and a starry stable of artists. Two of these, tenor Michael Spyres and soprano Joyce El-Khoury, have released recital discs, each featuring guest appearances from the other. Écho, the Lebanese-Canadian soprano’s debut solo recording, is a tribute to 19th-century soprano Julie Dorus-Gras, whose dramatic and vocal range made her the soloist of choice for Donizetti, Berlioz, Meyerbeer and more. It’s easy to see the appeal for El-Khoury, whose craggy, smoky...