Composers: Berlioz, Ravel, Debussy/Adams
Compositions: Les Nuits d’étéShéhérazade, Le livre de Baudelaire
Performers: Ian Bostridge t, Seattle SO/Morlot
Catalogue Number: Seattle Symphony Media SSM1021

Here’s a pleasing rarity. Les Nuits d’Été has been recorded with various voice types over the years – a recent lovely account from baritone Stéphane Degout lingers in my ear – but other than Villanelle, I cannot recall a tenor singing the whole cycle since Nicolai Gedda. As for Shéhérazade – “les dents de poule” as they say – and I was sceptical, but after hearing this it could become a fashion.

Such...