The Richard Wagner Complete Edition presents the composer's entire output for the first time in a reliable form. The conductor Michael Balling, in the early years of the 20th century, attempted to make Wagner's work more accessible for research and performance, but the edition only reached 10 volumes - some with grave shortcomings - and was discontinued after Balling's death in 1925. A further attempt at a complete edition by Otto Strobel was abandoned at the preliminary stages.This third attempt at a complete edition will be the first scholarly, critical edition, based on an evaluation of all the accessible source materials and the latest findings of serious Wagner research. As the edition is also intended for practical performance, the musical text has been kept free of philological insertions - these are listed in the appendices of each volume in the Critical Commentary. Numerous, partly unpublished works - some relatively unknown - and variant versions are published here for the first time. The edition presents authentic texts for Wagner specialists and researchers and critically based performing materials. Contrary to widely held opinions, even the well-known works of Wagner are not necessarily available in reliable editions. The genesis, history and performances directed by Wagner himself are extensively documented so as to present as complete an image as possible of Wagner's compositional intentions. / Conducteur

'A cleverly devised texturally fresh and engaging short essay. . .with its percussive tick-tocks extended melodies for a woodwind section including saxophone. . .'Paul Driver Financial Times June 1986

Opera in three parts-The libretto of Handels shortest opera is based on Plutarchs account of the life of the cruel Roman consul and dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla. He was a figure who went down in history above all for his reign of terror his libertine life-style andhis unexpected abdication and withdrawal to private life. As Sulla voluntarily declined his rulership Handel was able to provide a lieto fine - the happy ending typical of Baroque opera.