Garsington Opera, celebrating its 25^th anniversary season in June-July 2014, releases its first commercially available recording in June, the rare Rossini opera Maometto secondo under the Avie label.   The 3-CD set, recorded live at Garsington Opera’s universally acclaimed 2013 performances – the first-ever fully staged production of Maometto secondo in the UK –  is stylishly packaged in a 100-page hardbound book, complete with synopsis, essay and libretto in Italian with English translations. Set in the 15^th century, Rossini’s hugely ambitious undertaking depicts the Turkish Sultan Maometto’s siege of the Venetian outpost of Negroponte and his ultimate defeat. The superb international cast is led by the suitably menacing bass-baritone Darren Jeffery in the title role, with American soprano Siân Davies in her European debut as his anguished daughter Anna, Australian mezzo Caitlin Hulcup as the general Calbo, and tenor Paul Nilon as the Venetian Governor.  Under the assured baton of David Parry  the highly praised Garsington Opera Orchestra and the talented and energetic 27 strong Chorus highlight the brilliant and dramatic score.