Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducts the LSO on this his first release for LSO Live, Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex and Apollon musagete. Also featured on the release are the gentlemen of the Monteverdi Choir, considered one of the world’s leading choirs, and a mix of international and home-grown soloists including Jennifer Johnston and Stuart Skelton. French actress Fanny Ardant, who has appeared in more than 50 motion pictures, takes the role of narrator.

Oedipus Rex and Apollon musagete are both ancient Greek themed works by Stravinsky. The rich string harmonies and textures in the ballet score of Apollon musagete are expressive and calmly indulgent. In contrast, the dramatic and compelling opera-oratorio Oedipus Rex is composed of an assemblage of monumental and powerful sounds, such as playful woodwinds and robust brass, with magnificent vocals from the choir and soloists.