Nov 122009
The estimable LindoroRossini is a Russian political scientist in love with bel canto singing. He has posted hundreds of excerpts on YouTube, each neatly annotated. The single best thing about the web is encountering these generous people. Go thence and enjoy.
No sooner had I decided that Pineapple Poll might stand in for the operas than LindoroRossini introduced me to the Charles Mackerras recordings with Welsh Opera (on Telarc). ArkivMusic has all five for US$70.