Opera Rara, committed champions of neglected operatic gems, and Warner Classics have struck a distribution partnership.

The deal will see the major label take on the worldwide distribution for all future Opera Rara recordings, the most recent releases, and selected recordings from the catalogue. It will begin with Rossini’s Semiramide, conducted by Opera Rara’s artistic director Sir Mark Elder and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and relased on September 7. The next release after that will be Donizetti’s L’Ange de Nisida, about to receive its world première at Covent Garden on July 18.

Gramophone celebrates Opera Rara’s contribution to opera on record in our current issue of the magazine, talking to some of the key figures and artists behind its 40 years of success. Opera Rara Chief Executive Henry Little described the deal with Warners as ‘the start of a new era for our small but unique opera company’.

Alain Lanceron, President of Warner Classics and Erato, said: ‘For many years I have been an admirer of Opera Rara and their mission to bring neglected operatic masterpieces to life.  We are delighted to welcome them to our roster of distributed labels.’