“THE ACADEMY PLAYS OPERA.” Academy of St....

“THE ACADEMY PLAYS OPERA.” Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields conducted by Neville Marriner. Angel CDC 7-49552-2 (compact disc). This is nothing more than one of those 1950s’ opera-without-words packages gussied up in the latest digital sonics. Marriner and his arrangers at least exhibit a rare wit in these 10 transcriptions from Verdi and Puccini. Where else will you hear excerpts from “Madama Butterfly,” in which the ghostly ondes martenot takes over the soprano’s vocal line? Where else will you find the Anvil Chorus from “Trovatore” pounded out by the exotic cimbalom? And where else can you hear a bassoon ousting the baritone in “Di Provenza il mar,” or a guitar supplanting the tenor in “E lucevan le stelle”? Mildly amusing of its kind.