Boyd Cathey

“This excellent performance of LOHENGRIN comes from apparently an air check of a performance given in Stockholm, at the Royal Opera House, January 29, 1966 (the Opera Depot flyer lists "Royal Opera House, Covent Garden," but I wonder if that is a misprint?). In any case, it is a spectacular performance in excellent sound, and, to my knowledge it has only appeared, briefly in the past, on the Ponto label (which I think no longer available).As might be imagined, Nicolai Gedda is a principle reason to acquire this set, and he does not disappoint at all. In fact, he is simply magnificent. His "In fernem Land, " of course, is a true high point, but elsewhere he is a real model of how a lyrical Lohengrin should sound, portraying the knights' feelings and views through superb streams of gorgeous music.But then there is Aase Nordmo-Lovberg as Elsa, and artist not that familiar to me (although she sang at Bayreuth). Her voice reminds me a bit of Elisabeth Grummer, with its shimmering, silverly tone. She does extremely well.And the rest of the cast is strong, in particular Barbro Ericson's Ortrud and Bengt Rundgren's Heinrich and Rolf Jupither's Teleramund.Thus, this is a treasurable performance, superb in every way.”

Great Singing, A Lot of Cuts, Acceptable Sound!

“Massenet's Herodiade is better known today than it was back in 1963. There have been several fine commercial recordings since then and a number of excellent bootlegs. This one from the American Opera Society features four marvelous singers thoroughly familiar with the French language and style, all heard here in their vocal primes. Crespin demonstrates again why she was considered one of the top singers of her time. Her voice is powerful and beautiful and she has no difficulties with her two top Cs in Act 3. With her velvety voice and commanding presence, Gorr is every inch the Queen (far more sympathetic here than her character is in Strauss's opera). Massard sings the famous "Vision fugitive" with melting beauty while Chauvet contributes a memorable Jean, joining Crespin in some exciting duets. Patterson is very good as Phanuel, deserving the great applause he gets at the end of his aria. Cathcart is also excellent, but is only heard briefly since most of his role is cut. Lombard conducts with strength and love. I'm guessing the enormous cuts were forced on him because of a lack of rehearsal time. This is really more like extended excerpts from Herodiade, yet the singing is superb.The voices are only slightly recessed; certainly the sound is better here than in the Werther with Gedda and Gorr (also available from Opera Depot). Recommended to all Massenet lovers!”

Memorable Salome first night

“This was the premiere of a new Salome directed by Wieland Wagner. His relation to Anja Silja was well-known, and it would prove that he had less than one year to live. Several of the singers take their roles also in other recorded performances, but I found this to be well worth adding to my collection. It is well conducted and in good broadcast sound (although I don't hear it as stereo).Nils-Göran”

Awesome

“This is a great document of a legendary performance! I bought this recording especially for Ursula Schröder-Feinen, who gives an overwhelming Färberin.Rysanek (at the end of act 3 a little bit tired), Hesse and Berry are all the way outstanding! The smaller roles are done very well, worthy of a festival like Salzburg. Böhm conducts in his unique way the wonderful Vienna Philharmonics.The sound is excellent!”

Corelli fantastic!!!!!!

“I was there. I had heard Franco in Fanciulla, Chenier, and the Verdi Requiem. I also had most of his recordings. But this Tosca was even more intense. I had wanted to stand up and scream, "Bravo" at the "Vittoria." But I seem to have melted. And later in E Lucevan le Stelle I was held on a vocal tightrope at the incredible PPP. My most awesome opera experience. I had seen Lucia with Sutherland, Faust with Trigle and Domingo and more”

GIACOMO PUCCINI'S MADAMA BUTTERFLY

“SOPRANO RAINA KABAIVANSKA AS CIO-CIO-SAN AND TENOR BRUNO PREVEDI AS PINKERTON ARE DEFINITELY THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS GREAT LIVE... A GREAT MADAMA BUTTERFLY! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! A MUST!”

Wonderful

“A fantastic opera of Verdi and a fantastic casting !!!!! What an happiness hearing those great singers in the best of their art of singing and of acting. All are really wonderful. Thank you to the Liceo of Barcelona for offering a so beautiful production, thank you for that recording. Delightful.”

Strauss: Elektra - Varnay, Synek, Madeira, Esser, Meghor; Kaufmann. Wiesbaden, 1964

“Eine gute Vorstellung mit der damals noch jüngeren Astrid Varnay als Elektra und die leider zu früh verstorbene Liane Synek. Alle Sänger sind hervorragend. Die Aufnahmequalität ist gut. Es ist eine Freude diese Elektra Aufführung zu hören. A good performance with the then still younger Astrid Varnay as Elektra and the sadly too early deceased Liane Synek. All the singers are excellent. The recording quality is good. It is a pleasure to hear this Elektra performance.”

John Stanton

“Souliotis is wonderful in this recording, the voice is full and powerfull, her Leonora a moving, flesh and blood heroine. Her second act aria is very fine,(The audience thinks so too) and she is heartbreakingly touching in the final trio. The Alvaro, Carlo Menippo while not in her class, and in spite of some moments of unsteadiness has an attractive voice and sings the role well enough. Mario Sereni had one of the most attractive baritone voices of the 50's and 60's and gives us an energetic and appropriately young sounding Carlo. Ivo Vinco is a sonorous and dignified Pardre Guardino and Alfredo Mariotti a "singing" Melitone, avoiding the unnecessary histrionics often associated with this role. Franca Mattiucci is a vibrant Preziosilla.The sound is particularly good.”

A LOHENGRIN TO CHERISH

“This is the performance of 17 December 1983, the last of four and the only one featuring Anne Evans as a last minute replacement for Marita Napier, not that one could tell.Her singing has great serenity and beauty, not to mention warmth and the necessary vehemence for her confrontation with Rysanek's vivid Ortrud. It's good to have a German language performance of the title role from Alberto Remedios's outstandingly sincere portrayal sung with finesse, power and musicality. Rysanek's malevolent, driven Ortud finds her in vivid and rivetting form, if slightly less confident voice than her San Francisco role debut a couple of years earlier. Donald McIntyre is, rightly, I think, rather overpowered by his single-minded spouse. He is after all, one of opera's great losers, from the constantly hard time he gets from his wife to his defeat and eventual death at the hand of Lohengrin. Furst's perversely slow tempo for their Act 2 scene somewhat compromises Rysanek and McIntyre's efforts, and a sudden speeding up at the end of the opera, as if he has just realised that if he doesn't get a move-on the pubs will be shut, makes for a bit of a scramble.Nonetheless, this is a fascinating and highly enjoyable performance, in excellent stereo, that will satisfy both Wagner lovers and the singers' fans. One wonders why it took almost thirty years for a recording to come to light, but "Sei gegrüsst, du gottgesandter Mann!"”

Extraordinary: contrast of Heldentenor and baritone highlists

“Ramón Vinay became famous as a heroic tenor, for many years he impersonated Wagner's heroes in Bayreuth, and was also Verdi's Otello. Toscanini chose him for his recording of Otello, it is the only recording of a complete opera in a studio with Vinay. Opera Depot's CD combines recordings from the 1950s, when Vinay was Heldentenor, with recordings from the 1960s, when he had switched to baritone. The arias and duets are not arranged chronologically, but according to the operas' country of origin - from France (Bizet, Saint-Saëns) to Germany (Wagner) to Italy (Puccini, Verdi). Thus, the recordings jump back and forth between tenor and baritone several times.The recordings from the 1950s are of the highest quality, both in terms of Vinay's vocal artistry and the technical side. As a baritone, he can certainly hold his own with the best singers in the field: His Holländer (the recording is unfortunately technically not good) and his Scarpia (both duets with Birgit Nilsson) are powerful. Vinay was a voluminous baritone - in contrast to Placido Domingo, for example, who in his recordings as a baritone presented a rather lamentable picture.”

A great Kempe performance

“This a great performance under one of the finest Strauss conductors of the 20th century (only two years before his tragically early death) and with a first-class cast. The recording quality is equally remarkable.”

David McKee

“That famous Vienna ensemble spirit is in prime estate here. About the closest I can come to a criticism is to note some hardening in Hilde Gueden's tone and some dowdy sounds from the Marcellina. Reri Grist does stand out from the crowd somewhat, but for all the right reasons. In addition to sounding cute as a button, she's got a terrific feel for the music and her inflections are always full of point. Berry, Waechter and Czerwenka head up an exceptional male contingent, and even Barbarina is cast from strength. Karl Bohm keeps a lively pace, finding the ideal mix of comedy and melancholy in this quicksilver work.”

TERRIFIC!

“At his entrance, Windgassen employs a haunting “mezza voce” to differentiate his mystic nature from the heroics of his mission. Nilsson’s Elsa is a guileless creation, her tone round and warm. Varnay is Ortrud to her core. Place any other beside her to pale. Uhde’s vocal prowess and control encompass Telramund’s daunting range, steeped in malice and misery. Adam, here promoted from Bayreuth’s 4th Noble to King, is all benevolent legato. Fischer-Dieskau, in his Bayreuth debut, is splendid, youthful and clarion in his declarations. Jochum’s romanticism is unabashed in a nod to the opera’s Italian cousins.”

Theodore Shulman

“I have a recorded performance from Bayreuth 1960, conducted by Knappertsbusch, with (almost) the same cast. Josef Greindl is (IMHO) the best Sachs EVER! With tremendous volume, limitless depth, and a superb, subtle brain. As it turns out, his well-known rough, savage, "cave-man" persona, for which he was typecast, was just an act. He can also be as intimate and tender as anyone. And he is not at all troubled by the high (for him) tessitura.The rest of the cast is fine, especially Wolfgang Windgassen as Walther and Eliz. Grummer as Eva. With low-bass Greindl as Sachs, bass-baritone completes the "invert" motif by playing the low bass part of Veit Pogner the goldsmith, and Ludwig Weber, the leading low bass of the previous generation, takes on the loud, declamatory baritone role of Fritz Kothner the baker. The result is one of the most interesting casts in any MEISTERSINGER.But the best things about this are the conversations. I have to stop myself from interrupting Sachs with my own questions about music, philosophy, history, and mastersinging during the singing lesson Sachs gives Walther at the beginning of Act III.”

Walter Hartman

“Leyla Gencer is a singer I discovered only after her career was over. I have been collecting her wonderful performances that are preserved and am very pleased to have this Cavalleria Rusticana. Gencer was a very instinctive performer and her Santuzza has both refinement and passion. There is always something exciting about her tone, her vocal control and her complete immersion in the character she is playing. It is a performance one should have if you love this opera and one that you should investigate if you have interest in this performer, who was unfortunately very much under represented in America. Zambon and Meliciani provide good support.”

Jones triumphs in a jundendlische rarity

“Gwyneth Jones, known more for tragic heroines, gets a rare turn as ingenue in this production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and is nothing short of stunning. Theo Adam scales back his stentorian baritone, delivering a Sachs that is both reflective and human.”

Nilsson´s first Turandot

“Suzanne is right. Nilsson sang her first Turandot at the Stockholm Opera on febr 23th -57. I am a witness, I was there, Nilsson had already sung all heavy Wagner roles and an extraordinary Salome but the public was not prepared for her Turandot. We were chocked and overwhelmed. How could there be a a voice capable to be heard the whole act 2? Enormous sound without effort and when the lasertones met one´s body they provoked a thrilling physical feeling. The initiative was taken by Svanholm, the famous wagnertenor, chief of the opera since -56. The old production was by Dobrowen. Svanholm wanted to find a new role for her. She was glad as the role was so short! Ít has gone 60 years and such a voice will never be heard again.”

Wonderful Meister

“This is a fantastic live Meistersinger from Vienna. From 1955, it is historic, celebrating the reopening of the State Opera after it was destroyed in the war. History aside, this is a great performance. Schoffler is at his best here and Kunz cannot be beat as Beckmesser. Seefried is a wonderful young Eva and Beirer is solid as Walter. The sound is also excellent for it's time. If you have an interest in this opera, this is a top live performance.”

Superior to Davis's studio set

“A fine recording of Mozart’s first operatic masterpiece. Norman and Harper deliver breathtakingly beautiful singing throughout. Gedda’s coloratura is at times muddy (Fuor del Mar is a disappointment), but otherwise his sensitivity and elegance are all one expects; in the last act he is quite moving. Davis is attuned to the underlying turbulence and nuance of the score; this is far livelier than his dull 1968 studio recording on Philips. (I am unfamiliar with his second set from the 1990s.) The sound, though cramped and muddy at the beginning, opens up as the work proceeds.”

Jim

“Having heard Corelli live at the Met many times I can say that his vice was a golden trumpet in many ways reminiscent of the great Giovanni Zenatello. His was a unique gift and if not subtle in his singing he was always thrilling.”

David Duke

“Wonderful atmosphere. Very international for Vancouver which I never rated for opera. That only goes to show how insular we in England are. Domingo wonderful as ever. Reminds me how young and high his tessitura was in those days. I agree that recordings like this are full of atmosphere. Bravo the audience response.”

Brian Morgan

“This 1976 performance of "La fanciulla del West" (in very clear sound) is a record of the only time the great Anja Silja sang the rôle of the heroine, Minnie. The singing-actress seemed to always relish a new challenge, and--without the semblance of an Italianate voice--she triumphs in the part, and is absolutely unique in her portrayal.Róbert Ilosfalvy will be best remembered by collectors as the title rôle in Beverly Sills' 1969 studio recording of Donizetti's "Roberto Devereux." Sir Charles Mackerras conducts that set, as well as the performance under review, where he leads an exciting account of Puccini's opera set in the Wild West.”

Important documentary

“This is audio gold. It is an example of the BBC Third Programme at its best at a time, long gone, where in depth and searching, opinionated documentaries were the norm. The patient and thorough analysis of the working progress is incredibly enlightening, with every stage of the development of the staging of the scene between Telramund and Ortrud carefully delineated. Wieland's own input is marvelously energetic and searching. As in a good radio doc the whole event comes vividly to life in the mind's eye. The comments by Dalis and Vinay are so profound and the intellect of these two artists is very evident. It's a shame that there's not more of Wieland speaking, but what is said is so pertinent it doesn't seem to matter. What a revolution in operatic staging was going on back then! And to think that when Dalis was unwell, and had to cancel (what a shame for her after doing 14 hours of intensive work on a 20 minute scene) an artist of the stature of Astrid Varnay was waiting in the wings to step in! Very, very strongly recommended to anyone interested in or working in our profession!”

Meistersinger-Varviso-Bayreuth-73

“La fecha es -25-Julio, 1ª función de 7, estreno de esta producción de Wofgang Wagner , según archivo del Festival.También lo dice en "Wagnerdisco.net", que no se como sonará esta grabación.Si es un poco molesto, pero casi no se nota, de todas formas, ya aparecerá alguna grabación mejor.No puedo comprobar la de "Wagnerdisco.net", porque vendía por PayPal, y cambió el sistema de venta a no se que de tarjeta Master o algo parecido y ya no pude comprarle mas, al ser mas complicado.”

Toscanini... Knappertsbusch... Goodall... A same line of conductors

“If one is a follower of the tempi of Pierre Boulez or Clemens Krauss, one risks to be totally disconcerted by the extreme slowness of the interpretation of Reginald Goodall. The whole score is adorned with an exceptional aura. Surprisingly, we have no trouble listening to this wonderful music so well served by such great artists as Vickers, Shuard or Frick. To know absolutely!”

An essential "Troyens"

“Although I generally cannot tolerate opera recordings in the wrong language, I’m making a major exception for this one because it is one of only two surviving performances in which the great Janet Baker sings Didon, albeit in English, paired by the greatest Énée of the 20th century, tenor Jon Vickers. For years I owned Vickers’ studio recording in French, which was pretty good, but pretty good is not great. Several of the tempi in that studio recording are just a bit too slow and both the chorus and orchestra sound as if they phoned their parts in. Also, although Josephine Veasey was a pretty good Didon, pretty good is not great. Other improvements in this performance are Richard van Allen as Panthée and Dennis Wicks as Hector’s Ghost. but you have to get this recording to hear the Vickers-Baker collaboration in pretty good stereo sound (there is also a 1969 performance, but the sound on that is not very good). The performance is slightly abridged, mostly the ephemeral ballet music, but the “Royal Hunt and Storm” is complete.”

Christa Ludwig as Ariadne

“As You mentioned already: Christa Ludwig ceased to sing Ariadne after one performance and was replaced by Hildegard Hillebrecht. So this is a very rare recording and I am glad to have it. In 1964 I attended the Salzburg Festival, having no billet for Ariadne but a very nice women gave me (free of charge) their place. Probably because she wanted to see Mrs.Ludwig but the cast hade already changed. Anyway the representation was great (with Dr.Karl Böhm, Reri Gris:t and all others) and this recording is it also.”

Hans Kuschinsky

“I have already had my tape recording of the opening night of the Munich Opera Festival since its broadcast on 7/10/1977 on radio, but I wanted to have it on CD. That proves how much I appreciate this performance in spite of all the others which have been released since then, e.g. Böhm, Haitink, Bychkov.Why? It is all about two singers rarely recorded: Lilian Sukis and Peter Lindroos. Even after listening to them after some time I am again deeply emotionally touched by their rendering. Lindroos gives lies to the wide-spread opinion that Strauss did not write well for tenors, because he sings Apollo effortlessly with a belcanto-like approach. His god is heroic and vulnerable at the same time. Sukis is pleasantly natural with a beautiful tone in all registers. The rest of the cast shows the high standard of the Munich Opera with Schreier, Wenkel and the orchestra, also present in Haitink's studio recording five years later, Nikolaus Hillebrand (Peneios), Nöcker, Orth and even Erika Köth. And there is Wolfgang Sawallisch - the outstanding conductor, not only for Strauss.So treat yourself to a great listening experience of bucolic tragedy.”

Exciting

“A really entertaining performance, with Bergonzi on wonderful form after a bit of warm up in Act I. Cruz-Romo is a marvelous Maddalena, her voice the right weight and texture for the role (better than some of the commercially recorded competition). I had to hit repeat for the ""Ora soave" duet in Act II, they were so good together. Manuguerra is also exactly on point, and there are some good supporting performances as well. I wonder where this performance took place; but anyway, it's well worth hearing.”

Fabulous Tristan buy

“My favourite Wagner opera and I wasn’t disappointed with this 76 Bayreuth performance under Kleiber. He gets everything right and the lead performers are on top form. Wenkoff is outstanding especially in Act 3. You won’t be disappointed. Great purchase.”

1972 ERNANI from Catania

“This performance has been around for years, and Opera Depot's copy is my third. It is, happily, in the clearest sonics of the three. Listening to this performance amounts to a trip back in time, when singers knew the traditions and sang with purpose and point. The men are, simply put, superlative. In the title role, Bergonzi is in the full bloom of his career and offers an abject lesson in Verdian style. He was, after all, the premier Verdi tenor of the day. The voice has endless reserves of power, thrust, and high notes, all splendidly delivered. Cappuccilli is in magnificent form, as well, singing his great Act III scene with beauty of tone, melting legato, and that characteristic virile core to his sound. Hearing Italians singing in their native tongue makes a great difference, I think, very noticeable as the performance unfolds. Ruggero Raimondi, likewise, holds up the lower reaches of the staff. He was in ringing voice in these early days of his career, and portrays the disappointed Silva as a character of pathos. I can recall hearing him live~ it was a big voice, all of which comes through on the recording. For me, Leyla Gencer, despite fine vocalism, is something of a weak link. Her gottal attacks distort Elvira's glorious vocal lines, and she lags at times behind Maestro Gavazzeni's beat. She doesn't offend, but neither does she illuminate the score as she might. Having to begin her first scene with the opera's hit tune, "Ernani, involami" is a sneak attack from the composer (akin to the tenor's "Celeste Aida" in that work), and she meets its fearsome challenges not brilliantly, but well enough. We would be sore-pressed to hear her like today, of course, so we shall leave it at that. The audience recording is well-made, vibrant, and with a minimum of chatter near the recordist.”

JÁNOS KÁDÁR

“Beside Callas I find Scotto the greatest Norma and here at her prime she can give all nuances of this role. Her partners are also in excellent form and Patane leds an exciting performance”

Richard

“The sound on this release IS fantastic, brilliant and clear as a bell. Sutherland is in 95% best form. This was her debut with the Australian Opera, and the pressure must have been immense. The Ds and Ebs are not her very best–she had sung the same roles just 5 weeks earlier at the Met with not the slightest difficulty, but there are some slightly tentative sounds at the very top. This does not detract from the astounding flash of the Doll Song. People who are used to the CRAWL through this aria heard over the past two decades will be amazed to hear the most difficult lines tossed off with abandon, dazzle, beauty and speed. Sutherland’s Giulietta was always underestimated, for she sang the duet with the tenor with passion and force, as she does here. The performance highlight is her Antonia. She sounds possessed in the great trio, never losing tonal beauty, but singing with great energy, warmth and volume. Unfortunately, this is possibly the crudest bunch of male voices with which she ever sang. Wilden and Raymond Myers (who yells all four villains) sing in an unyielding forte throughout–and Wilden’s “Aimé, Dieu puissant” high B in the Doll Scene has to be heard to be believed. Graeme Ewer’s servants are so overdrawn that one wishes Dr. Miracle would finish him off as well. Luckily, Tourangeau, in perhaps her best role, is in wonderful form, and her natural French dialogue is a rebuke to the overacting men.I absolutely recommend this to any Sutherland fan or to the many people who think that today’s Olympias and Antonias have any real virtuosity. The track markings, hélas, are bad. For example, the Doll Song is buried in a half-hour track which includes Coppélius’ and Nicklausse’s arias, plus the entrance of the chorus and Olympia herself. However, in Act III, “Elle a fui”, which begins in the same track as the spoken introduction, has two tracks within the aria itself, each time there is a pause–three separate tracks for a two-verse aria!If you want to hear one of the true greats of the world of song working at her almost-best, do not be deterred by any of my complaints. You will hear a feast of great singing from her, some wonderful work by Tourangeau, exciting conducting by Bonynge (there is enormous clout in his pacing of the Antonia trio, for example), all in magnficent sonics. It is worth the modest price for Joan alone.”

LIVE OPERA AMBIENCE

“As expected, Olivero's voice is responsive to character and the drama at hand. The rather dark timbre of her voice foreshados the cumulative tragedy. The rest of the cast is quite vocally and dramatically dedicated in this performance. The sound is just fine. There is lots of live stage business, but I like tha- especially now as attending live performances is such a hassle during pandemic.”

Die Fledermaus with a dream cast

“2 things: one is I emailed you 7 Jan asking if the missing track 8 was a flaw, but got no reply.two is, following the arrival of a new computer (Windows 10), Windows Media Player runs along nicely until I get to burn, when it tells me it won't go any further, giving a list of possible reasons, none of which I understand.Any ideas please?Bernard SmithLondon”

Awesome document of Gwyneth Jones singing beautifully.

“Detractors should never forget that Gwyneth Jones had such an exquisite voice. It still sounds beautiful to me even through her recordings in later career. This live Vienna 1966 performance or her 1964 breakthrough in Covent Garden... I think she sings more exquisite and more expressively in the Vienna performance. You must not miss her whole Act 4, she literally gives me the goosebumps when she cries. That is a Leonora with life. There's also Fiorenza Cossotto, James McCracken, Mario Sereni and Ivo Vinco in the luxury cast this September evening.”

Wonderful find!

“Great performances! As a student of the late Gloria Lane, to hear her wonderful singing is a constant inspiration. Please try to find a recording of her in her greatest role, CARMEN.Thank you for offering this!”

Wagner/Lohengrin/Salzburg 1976

“5 gold stars = equivalent to Excellent. Quality of the product, service and attention = Very very good... Perfect! I am totally satisfied. Please accept my warmest congratulations.Thank you so much!From Spain ; Ángel Crespo López.”

richard inverne

“Musically, this is one of the best Meistersingers around - it's as simple as that. Historically and politically, Hitler's last visit to Bayreuth was (I believe) in 1940. http://www.wagneroperas.com/indexwagnerbayreuthreich.htmlThis is an interesting website to view but it gives the idea that Hitler attended a performance during this run of Meistersinger - he did not but was represented by Nazi officials. It's chilling to listen to this incandescent performance...and think about the audience at the same time!”

James Mertins

“This performance is far far better than the Decca recording.Nilsson and Windgassen are better live and the great Scottish Bass David Ward is better than Hotter in every way. Hotter was a great Wotan but his voice had taken on a huge wobble by this time. Stolze is superb on every level. If anyone wants a Siegfried this is the one to have.”

Brilliant right from the start

“I believe this performance was the very first time that Callas ever performed the role of Medea, and her mastery of the role, both musically and dramatically, is extraordinarily complete. Nothing in any of her later recorded performances of the role surpasses what she achieves here, except for the extra venom she conveys in the Dallas performance at the end of the decade. Barbieri performs beautifully in the role of Neris, and it is interesting to hear Tucci performing in the same cast as Callas. Gui was outstanding in everything I have ever heard him conduct.”

Great Performance

“It was a really good performance, only slightly abridgded. Great that the performance was brought to the public by Opera depot. PD Dr. Michael Bastian Weiß, Composer and Philosopher”

joseph Giles

“Sills is thumbs down my favorite Elvira & Gedda was her worthy sparring partner. This comes very close to being equal to it. The only problem is the sound is somewhat rustic, but don't let be a deciding factor. d'Angelo & Kraus are also great sparring partners. This tenor role has to rank as one of the hardest to sing and both Gedda & Kraus are up these difficulties (Kraus does not attempt the F in alt,but then no one but Gedda & Pavarotti attempted it). This definitely deserves to be listened to. These Basques really showed their appreciation!”

Great Parsifal

“I loved this performance. Most of the cast we’re familiar to me from other performances at Bayreuth conducted by Boulez but Christa Ludwig’s Kundry was something new. She certainly shows how it should be done. Thrilling singing and, as always, technically so secure.Crass as usual delivers a beautifully sung Gurnemanz. Thomas Stewart and James King both repeat their exemplary performances. I loved especially Nienstedt as Klingsor. This part does seem to bring out the best in many singers. Boulez leads a faster Parsifal than most, something I like. Highly recommended performance.”

David Inglis

“A great performance with the two stars in fine form, Solti as ever a great Strauss conductor and the Covent Garden regulars fully worthy of the leads .Joan Carlyle is excellent as Zdenka, as she was two years later as Arabella herself . Michael Langdon’s Waldner is as fine as his Ochs and is well paired with Josephine Veasey’s Adelaide .”

“I travelled specially from Vienna to London, s a young man, to hear Sena Jurinac sng this part, not long after a beautiful prodution with her in Vienna. Both productions were impressive and very different.”

SIN-sational MEFISTOFELE

“Can’t say enough good things about this performance. The soloists are fantastic. Treigle rules the roost. Nobody can touch him for the sheer animal ferocity of that voice! A force of nature! Cruz-Romo is the best Marguerite (AND Elena!) I’ve ever heard. Simply stunning! A youthful spinning, Tebaldi-esque spinto soprano, with fearless high notes hurled about like lightning bolts! Salvador Novoa was unknown to me! No longer the case. His voice easily rides the sea of orchestral sound. Rudel knows this score and he relishes it. The only drawback to the recording is the muffled sound. However, listen to it on VLC Player. There is an excellent, user-friendly Equalizer that can correct that in a few simple adjustments! This is now my Go-To recording of this opera. Boito says it best, “Poësia libera t’alza pe’cieli!””