Michael Spyres: Espoir CD review – hits all the high notes

Michael Spyres (tenor), the Hallé/Rizzi
(Opera Rara)The specialist label Opera Rara has issued a pair of bel canto “collection” discs, this one featuring the American tenor of the moment (the other is Echo by soprano Joyce El-Khoury). Michael Spyres has chosen mainly French repertoire made famous in its day by Gilbert Duprez (1806-96), credited as the first modern tenor. Arias from Donizetti’s Rosmonda d’Inghilterra, Halévy’s La reine de Chypre and Aub