Verdi: Il trovatore Blu-ray (The Royal Opera) 2017

"Lianna Haroutounian, who deputised so brilliantly for Anja Harteros in Don Carlo a few years back, is a devastatingly powerful Leonora. On grand tragic form throughout, her substantial voice retained its radiance throughout and was still fresh enough for a knockout account of the heroine's final-act set piece, the spectacular 'Tu vedrai che amore in terra', in which the security of her vocal command was a wonder... Conductor Richard Farnes drew some fabulous singing from the Royal Opera Chorus: the women in particular were a credit to their new director William Spaulding in the hushed luminosity of their offstage requiem in the final act." WhatsOnStage

"The evening’s musical credentials are unequivocally outstanding. The soloists are very strong with two performances standing out in particular. The first comes from Vitaliy Bilyy who is making his Royal Opera debut as the Count di Lunaand who combines a deep, rich and secure baritone with a suitably commanding presence... The second comes from Anita Rachvelishvili as Azucena who displays a rich and nuanced mezzo-soprano, and whose voice and acting mark out the weight of sorrow and resolve that she constantly carries. As Ferrando, Alexander Tsymbalyuk has a full and engaging bass that ensures the evening starts strongly as he explains the backstory in ‘Abbietta zingara’." Opera Online