MEYERBEER: Vasco da Gama (L’Africaine).

This article reviews a Naxos recording of Giacomo Meyerbeer's opera *Vasco da Gama* (formerly known as *L'Africaine*), highlighting its rarity in modern repertoires due to the demanding vocal, orchestral, and production requirements. The opera's plot centers on a love quartet involving Vasco da Gama, Inez, Selika, and Nelusko, set in a fantastical version of Selika's homeland rather than historical Africa or India. The recording features American tenor Michael Spyres as Vasco, German mezzo-soprano Claudia Mahnke as Selika, and other principal singers, with Antonello Manacorda conducting. While the performance is praised for vocal power and orchestral clarity, the recording lacks a complete libretto or detailed translation, offering only a brief synopsis aligned with the director's unconventional staging.