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Every week we offer 12 new titles available to stream for free
Beethoven: Leonore (In English)
Tinsley, Beresford, Bailey, Garrard; Mackerras. London, 1970
Bellini: Norma
Caballé, Vickers, Veasey, Ferrin; Patanè. Orange, 1974
Donizetti: Anna Bolena
Cruz-Romo, Flagello, Tagliavini; Rescigno. 1968
Mozart: Die Zauberflöte
Carlyle, Schreier, Mesplé, Crass, Prey, Holm, Mattiello, Putz; Suitner. Buenos Aires, 1968
Mozart: Don Giovanni
Ghiuselev, Moser, Zylis-Gara, Mathis, Wohlers, Moll; Leitner. Wien. 1977
Spotlight: Grace Hoffman
From Our Collectors
Five-Star Reviews
Opera lovers share their discoveries from the catalogue.
Rock
“Gavazzi is wonderful. Used to have a Cetra recording of Don Giovanni w/her and Mary Curtis Verna, Cesare Valetti and Giuseppe Taddei.Prandelli recorded La Boheme w/ Tebaldi. Elena Nicolai said he was perhaps the most aristocratic tenor she ever appeared with.I suspect that he sounded even better on stage than on recordings. Somany tenors do.”
Jim Johnson
“Norman Treigle is why I love opera. I saw Faust with him in 1962 in New Orleans and have been hooked ever since. This recording shows why. His voice is so expressive and filled with anguish. His diction is superb. He fills his character with all the traits that make you believe he is The Prisoner---a true singing actor.”
A Great Night For Everyone!
“Other reviewers here have already extolled the virtues of this performance; this was a night when everything went right and the Pirate Gods smiled down on its sonic preservation. Borkh sounds young enough here to convincingly portray a spoiled 15 year old. She audibly becomes more unhinged as the performance continues, finally offering a searing final scene. Lorenz also sounds a little unhinged; his diction is superb and if he veers toward hysteria at times that's not inappropriate to the character. Barth sings Herodias better than most mezzos and Hotter is in his vocal prime, the voice steady and sure. He makes the prophet an implacable, intimidating force. The supporting cast is excellent down to the smallest part. Keilberth conducts a lyrical, dramatic performance that is very well-paced. The sound is very clear with no glitches that I heard.Salome lovers should get this!”
My favorite brunnhilde
“My enthusiasm for this '71 Ring has only increased in the months since I wrote the review below. The overall sound quality is among the best of any of the Ring cycles I've purchased from Opera Depot (15 to date), the occasional patch of distortion nonwithstanding. Catarina Ligendza may now be my favorite Brunnhilde of all time, sweeter in tone than Nilsson with none of Varnay's unpleasant tendency to scoop up to notes (although she's still amazing). Ligendza and Cox have real chemistry together and their duets are simply gorgeous! Even Theo Adam, whom I bashed rather severely in my previous review, has become much more tolerable to the point that I now consider him an asset instead of a liability. This Ring deserves 6 stars out of 5. Thanks Andy!”
An excellent Meistersinger
“An excellent Meistersinger, lively conducted by Hans Wallat. Sound is stereo and generally very good. Singing very fine, except for a slightly disappointing Beckmesser. Bailey a wonderful Sachs, having recently sung the role under Goodall at ENO. Well worth a listen.”
SEMIRAMIDE SUCCEEDS IN SPITE OF CUTS
“Overall excellent performance & the sound is great for the period. The only drawn back are the cuts. Sutherland is in top form. Simionato is a treasure, however - do not look for Arsace's IN SI BARBERA as it's not here! The gentlemen are also up to snuff! A worthwhile addition to anyone's library & if you are a SEMIRAMIDE connoisseur… a must!”
Royal pair come up aces
“Whoever was charged with running the wind machine for this broadcast performance certainly a high old time of conjuring up the Scottish moors. Although cuts in the music reflect the lack of confidence in Verdi's early operas that was endemic at the time, the musical rendition itself is ripe with zeal for the score, with Joseph Keilberth (of all unlikely people) whipping up tremendous excitement. With her black, pulverizing timbre and customary intensity, Martha Model redefines Lady Macbeth in her malefic image. Were it not for difficulty with the role's top notes (like the climax of "La luce langue") she would reign supreme among Lady Macbeths. Josef Metternich clearly knows he is up against formidable competition and rises to the challenge with a noble Macbeth, helpless in the face of forces he believes to be more powerful than himself. As Verdian singing it's top-notch, as is Theo Herrmann's Banquo, with his deep-pile carpet of a voice. The Macduff is one of those metallic tenors for which German audiences have a high tolerance but one is having such a good time listening to this "Macbeth" that he can't spoil the experience. The recording sound is absolutely first-rate.”
Wagner at it´s best
“This is my 52 Ring Cycle, Brouwenstijn, Nilsson & Hotter vocaly it their Best, the recording transfer on the CD´s are exellent, comparible with the recordings in Bayreuth 1960-1962 by Kempe, and Leinsdorf Met 1961/62”
David Fetz
“This was a wonderful performance. All of the cast was superb. I still have favorites in other recordings but this one is excellent. The flower ladies were the best I have heard. Probably due to the leadership of Caballe.”
Joseph Brand
“A truly epic interpretation with a stunning cast all in their prime. Goodall's tempi could change quite considerably from performance to performance and here he is at his most magisterial. This performance dates from some five years before the commercial recording and is fresher in every department. Hunter's magnificent Brunnhilde is built on a technique that also made her a great Verdi soprano, an outstanding Donna Anna and a fine Norma - and despite her generous physique she was a real stage animal who completely inhabited whatever role she was performing.”
Great sound, excellent performance, a few quirks
“First, the sound of this is astounding for a 50s Ring — only the ‘55 stereo Keilberth ring sounds better of the ones I have heard. Kna’s conducting is superb and joins (for me) a short list of conductors who make the Ring work at slower speeds— I usually prefer the swifter Rings of Bohm, Krauss, Boulez, Furtwangler (Milan 1950), Keilberth, and Janowski. The conducting has weight wedded to forward momentum and concentration. And the singing overall is typical of the era, excellent overall. Yet there are some oddities that keep this from being an absolute favorite, even though it is highly recommendable. This Rheingold is one of the oddest I’ve heard. There are a lot of stage and pit coordination problems, perhaps stemming from Knappertsbusch’s infamous disdain for rehearsal. Then we get the “alarm clock” electronic beeping in place of the anvils, apparently recommended by Carl Orff. It sounds weird. Lastly the Niebelungs were directed not to scream but but to growl and grunt as if they are acting like cavemen in a bad ‘50s movie. Just weirder. Things improve by Die Walkure, and while Hotter and Varnay are off their peaks, they are still better than most other postwar exponents of these roles. Nilsson is great as Sieglinde. The main sticking point that keeps this one from the absolute top for me is Aldenhof as Siegfried in the third opera. He might have the stamina, but his wobble is too much for me. Windgassen is an improvement in Gotterdamerung. Even with these criticisms, this is an extraordinary Ring, great overall and a bargain at this price.”
DRAMA
“Heinrich Porges, in his personal written records of the 1876 rehearsals for the first Ring performances at Bayreuth, comments that"When the Rhinedaughters sing individually, the character of a dramatic dialogue must be maintained". Felix Mottl comments, on the Wotan/Fricka scene of Walkure, that "This dialogue must on no account be dragged out, but must remain flowing all the time". I can't ever recall hearing or seeing a Walkure that adheres so closely to these instructions or is as dramatic as this one. Focus is almost entirely directed to the words and the interaction of the characters. That's not to say that the music gets short changed; it's gloriously played with complete conviction. It's one heck of a ride with stunning singing from everyone. Gwynneth Jones in particular provides some ravishing moments, especially in the final scene with her father and with the excellent Peter Hofmann as Siegmund in Act 2.”
Yigit Gunsoy
“HiThis is indeed the last ever operatic performance of Giulietta Simionato.She had asked the Scala management what was on the roaster on that specific date as it was her 30th year at La Scala. 30 years ago she had sung one of the flower maidens in Parsifal and she wanted to bid farewell to La Scala again on that very same day. The management informed her that there was nothing at La Scala but however there wa La Clemenza di Tito at Piccola Scala. She asked if the whole cast was definite and they replied that only Servile was not casted. She insisted on singing the part, the management contracted her without understanding her insistence on such a small role. At the opening night, she told to her wig maker that this would be the last ever operatic performance of hers so she wanted her hair to be perfect! Soon the rumor spread to the audience and she was called to innumerable curtain calls and there were many who crid and cheered her.So nice to have this historic recording! Many thanks!Yigit Gunsoy”
Alfredo
“A SEARCH ON INTERNET REVEALS THAT THE RICCI BROTHERS HAVE BEEN TOTALLY NEGLECTED BY THE OPERATIC ESTABLISHMENT EXCEPT FOR THIS OPERA, WHICH APPEARS IN AN EXPENSIVE, IMPORTED ITALIAN LABEL. I DOUBT VERY MUCH THAT RECORDING CAN COMPETE WITH THIS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING ACCOUNT OF A LIVE 1977 RAI PERFORMANCE. THE SOUND IS INDEED 5 STARS. AND THE SINGERS, WHO ARE NOT KNOWN AT ALL IN THE USA, ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. YOU CAN FIND A SUMMARY OF THE PLOT ON INTERNET: A COBBLER IS TURNED INTO A DOCTOR BY HIS FAIRY GODMOTHER (LA COMARE) AND WHEN HE ABUSES HIS GOOD LUCK, SHE RUDELY MAKES HIM MEND HIS WAYS IN A PLOT TWIST REMINISCENT OF “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”, WHICH IT SHARES A HAPPY ENDING. IF REVIVED, IT COULD GIVE “ELIXIR” AND “DON PASCUALE” A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY. BY ALL MEANS GET IT, SIT BACK AND ENJOY!!!!!”
Les Troyens, 1969
“A rarity, with Berlioz’s magnificent epic conducted by Colin Davis and sung by a distinguished cast. With the opera sung in the original French, but Janet Baker stepping into the role of Dido at short notice and singing in English, this is not a recording you will easily find. The rarity value excuses the sound quality which is typical of live recordings of the period (1969).”
Salzburg FIDELIO 1969
“Excellent performance, note-complete, in beautiful broadcast sound! While some listeners may prefer a different tone quality in the title role, Ingrid Bjoner shines, bringing voluminous reserves of sound to her music. Known for her Turandot-- which she broadcast from the Met in the 1970s-- she is just as powerful and fearless as Beethoven's loyal heroine. The voice can be slightly glassy, in common with many Nordic singers, but her determination, musically and dramatically, wins the day. Her spoken dialogue, while perhaps not as incisive as some of her colleagues,' is nonetheless phonated with bite and strength. James King is equally fine, singing with his customary heroic ring, and impressing, as he always did, with his stamina and with a consistently manly core to the voice. The lovely Swiss soprano Edith Mathis is surely the perfect Marzelline, Franz Crass her lovably kind father, and luxury casting, certainly, to have both Ingvar Wixell and Tom Krause as villain and overlord, respectively. It is at times easy to overlook Karl Boehm's achievements outside the Straussian canon, but here he is in his element. He brings symphonic expertise to the score-- the Leonore no. 3 is perfectly measured and played-- and otherwise guides with a knowing hand and pulse. As expected, the Wiener Philharmoniker more than lives up to its storied reputation, as well, under Boehm's leadership. This superb performance-- a time capsule of a period long vanished-- is one to which I will return often, as I predict others will, too. Highly recommended!”
VĔC MAKROPULOS, performed in French
“This success of the present gorgeous account of this shocking opera is in no small way due to the idiomatic, and loving, conducting of Charles Bruck. Everything Janáček asks for is here. Enough said. Most will rightly focus on the fact that this is the first run of performances as Emilia Marty by Elisabeth Söderström, a role for which she has become so justifiably celebrated the world over. She performs the role with exceedingly clear French diction in a translation that seems to defy the difficulties inherent in translating the Czech language. It is also a true feat of genius that Elisabeth Söderström also sang the role in German and English, but, astoundingly, never performed the role onstage in Czech. In fact, her first performance in the original came only with the studio recording made for Decca under the baton of Charles Mackerras.As for the 1968 (only) date and venue ORTF (only), difficult and time-consuming sleuthing came up with a true date and venue. The ORTF only performs at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. Looking through what they have online, and corroborated by that theater, the opera only made its first appearance there in 1979. Following help from interested parties at both theaters, it has been ascertained the performance at hand actually took place on Tuesday, 29 October 1968 at L'Opéra de Marseilles. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the names of the four missing characters.The sound is excellent for the time, which is saying much. This is a beautiful performance that belongs in any collection. One cannot recommend the performance highly enough and for all the parties involved. Sit back and enjoy!!!”
Swedish Meistersinger from Stockholm 1962
“An excellent performance, even in a different language. All the soloists are magnificent, especially S. Björling and Söderström. Svanholm pushes a bit but it was late in his career. The glory of the performance is the orchestra under the direction of Sandberg. The sound quality is amazing. This is a Meistersinger to treasure.”
Brian Morgan
“It was Giuditta Pasta who, in 1830, created the rôle of the ill-fated queen in Donizetti's masterpiece, "Anna Bolena," the character of whom bears little resemblance to the treacherous historical figure. In 1957, Maria Callas scored one of her greatest triumphs with the rôle at the Teatro alla Scala, in Luchino Visconti's production. Leyla Gencer, Beverly Sills, and Renata Scotto followed as important interpreters of Bolena.In November of 1975, Mme Scotto assumed the part for the Dallas Civic Opera. The following month, James DeBlasis staged the work for the Opera Company of Philadelphia, with Scotto, Susanne Marsee, and Samuel Ramey in the leading rôles, with the late Julius Rudel conducting; the recording under review emanates from the electrifying performance of December 16th. The soprano presents a gripping account of the eponymous part. She was entering the phase of her really great career as one of the important singing-actresses of the era. She was to have sung the opera again, in 1979, for the San Francisco Opera, but the management rather infamously changed it to "La Gioconda." By then, we would have probably experienced a "come scritto" traversal, since that had happily become her wont. Here, we have the usual cuts and interpolations of the time.Miss Marsee's interpretation of Giovanna (Jane) Seymour is thrilling. The greatest singing-actress among mezzo-sopranos, she is heard here in extremis, and is heart-rending in her unfortunate predicament as one of the countless victims of Enrico (Henry) VIII. Having sung the rôle opposite Miss Sills, she is a suitable rival for La Scotto, as well. In fact, though her répertoire extended from the Baroque to dodecaphony, she considered this (in 2012) to be "the most difficult opera I sang because of the length of the rôle and the tessitura."As the cruel Enrico, Samuel Ramey makes a towering impression, heard here only two years after his New York City Opera début, and in his only appearances opposite Mme Scotto. The voice seems limitless in size and force. The remainder of the cast is excellent, and Rudel conducts with his accustomed distinction.”
John Stanton
“Korngold's opera with it's libretto involving possessiveness, hedonism and murder has been dubbed "opera noir". The music is constantly beautiful with winning arias and one of the most beautiful duets in all opera. The lush orchestration adumbrates Korngold's later success in Hollywood. Marylin Zschau's is ideal in the twin roles of Marietta and Maria, her beautiful and pure voice revelling in the Straussian resonances of her music. John Alexander is a fine lyric tenor whose lean athletic voice admirably paints a picture of a dynamic and obsessive Paul.An oddity: we have the great bass baritone George London in the small role of Fritz, which must surely have been his last performance before his tragically early retirement in 1967 due to paralysis of the vocal cords. His voice is unrecognisable and his second act aria rough and unstable.The sound is very good, so good as to suggest this to be a concert performance.”
James Mertins
“Great performance from everyone. Fisher maybe bit over the hill by this time but stunning in this.Haywood is a very fine Katya,even better was Ava June. This performance would stand against any in the world, even today.”
ENO triumphs again!
“This is superb! I saw Margaret Curphey in many roles at the London Coliseum but had no idea that she had ever performed this role, and I can't imagine how I missed it. She performs the role beautifully with absolutely superb diction. I never heard Jon Weaving but he also is ideal in the role, also with perfect diction. I only ever saw Raimund Herincx at the very end of his career when the voice was faded, but here in his brief appearance as Wotan he is very impressive. As always Mackerras brings wonderful vigour to the performance. It's incredible to think that in the same year as this impressive performance I also saw the complete Ring cycle conducted by Goodall with the equally superb cast familiar from the commercial recording. The actual sound quality of this recording is terrific too. If only we had the rest of this opera, and the rest of the cycle with this cast too!”
A MUST FOR LOVERS OF CRESPIN!
“Crespin is an ideal Leonore, in superb control of her titanic soprano, glowing in haloed piano and resplendent at full cry. Rather than the heldentenors who came to sing Florestan, Pribyl may be closer to the tenor early audiences would have heard. His lyricism abets him in negotiating the passaggio tessitura, but his throaty production is his undoing at climaxes. Dramatically plausible given Florestan’s imprisonment. Robinson is a world class villain with a volcanic handsome voice. Greindl, ever the thinking, thoughtful singer, is a benevolent and humane Rocco. Sinclair’s soubrette is full and bright. Del Mar gives a reading that breathes, never setting a single tempo on autopilot. Note: Crespin’s bonus selections are recommendation enough to acquire the full “Iphigenie”.”
Another gem from H. Hollreiser
“Often overlooked conductor Heinrich “Hellraiser” Hollreiser leads a superb cast including vintage mid-1970’s Gwyneth Jones (check out her 1975 ring w/Horst Stein) in decent FM broadcast sound.”
Excellent Tristan
“I agree with the other reviewers. This is an excellent Tristan. The sound is very good broadcast stereo from Italian Radio. Nilsson is Nilsson and can't be beat as Isolde. The remaining cast is also very good if not up to Nilsson. Buy and enjoy,”
A total delight, wonderfully alive
“A total delight, wonderfully alive The conducting and singing are superb. The whole thing, including the spoken dialogue in a language don't speak, sounds just the way it should: like a party.”
Karl Heinz Konrad
“Rosvaenge was in his 60th when he sung this performance. He still has got no problems with the high notes but nevertheless he tends to speak instead to sing legato. But when have heard his earlier sung operas you will still enjoy the exceptional tenor. The other singers do well and it was interesting listen to Theo Adam who became a great Wotan and Hans Sachs later on.”
Mike Scott Rohan
“I heard Mackerras conduct all the other operas at one time or another, including the production premiere of Siegfried. I thought he was exceptionally good, vivid, plenty of weight but always more flexible and at the service of the scene than Goodall’s tempi allowed. A less distinctive vision, perhaps, so he was underrated; but his other Wagner work, including his Meistersinger DVD, confirms his standing. He also, of course, made an LP of Gotterdammerung excerpts with Remedios and Hunter, for CFP.Goodall’s tempi for his unfinished WNO Ring, incidentally, were much closer to Mackerras and indeed Solti.”
Louis K Newton
“This is the Scala production created around Maria Callas. Simionato if anything is better here than with Callas; she seems more settled into the character. Clabassi has been promoted from Rochefort to King and is very welcome in the role, replacing the unfortunately wobbly Rossi-Lemeni. I also like this Smeton better than a more matronly and not completely steady Carturan. As for Gencer, her only fault in the role is that she followed Callas in one of her greatest triumphs. (I don't know of a single soprano who doesn't suffer by comparison with Callas in the same repertoire.) Gencer, at least from the two video examples I've seen, was a more convincing singer than actor. While Callas *was* Anna in every way, Gencer sings the part wonderfully throughout. Once I turn off the memory of Callas in the role and focus on the performance at hand, I have no complaints at all and I remain a devoted Gencer fan. Excellent all round.”
Stabat Mater
“The performance is well-sung and played. The setting of the religious text is dramatic in the same sense as the Verdi Requiem, and the artists are committed to the work.We know the tenor and soprano showpieces from the likes of Pavarotti and Caballe, but the whole work is quite compelling. The sound is very good.”
On of the two best one !
“Sorry I do not write well English, so I m writing in French, sorry.J'étais informé de l'existence de cette version considérée comme une référence, l'ayant trouvé sur Opéra Dépôt, je l'ai acheté. Cette interprétation mérite largement sa réputation. La direction d'Antal Dorati est la meilleure de toute la discographie : nerveuse, poétique, théâtrale, comique, il a tout compris à cette opéra, on découvre des aspects inconnus de la partition qui souligne et mette en valeur l'action théâtrale.Les chanteurs sont plutôt bons voir excellents avec évidement une prime pour la jeune -à l'époque- J.Veasey. Les chanteurs se sortent très bien de la partie dialogues parlés qui ne pèsent pas des plombes...Pour moi, la meilleure version avec celle de J.Pritchard et N.Gedda bien sur !”
very interesting perfomance
“I don't know yet, we have so many recordings that in takes some time until the new purchases are heard. But being a Britten-fan, living in Vienna and having heard Dallapozza many times in live performances, it's fine to get a performance which is completely new for me.”
Another Rare Dimitrova Recording
“The foundation of Ghena Dimitrova's career was dramatic Italian soprano roles like the title role in Turandot, Maddalena in Andrea Chenier and Abigaille in Nabucco. On paper, Elvira in Ernani seems as far from that as possible, but Dimitrova surprises by displaying a voice capable of early Verdi.”
David
“I enjoyed this performance of Rigoletto very much. The sound is rather recessed, but the ear adjusts quickly enough. Domingo sings very well and sings a different ending to “Parmi verder” that is quite lovely. Moser is excellent, interpolating the usual high options into Gilda’s music (though not a high E at the end of “Caro nome”). She makes a very assertive, positive Gilda. Anyone who likes her should get this. Poskalis is marvelous, an underrated artist. The other singers are fine. The performance here is on pitch, unlike another company’s release of this. Keep in mind that the diapason in Vienna is slightly higher and continues to be so today.”
Anna Whelan
“This was the first production my father sang in at Covent Garden, as a new recruit to the Extra Chorus basses. The first voice he heard when he walked on stage for his first rehearsal was Gottlob Frick, and he very nearly turned round and walked straight off again. Frick was, as you say, in a class of his own.”
Mary Stuart at the London Coliseum
“I saw this performance and it was one of the greatest experiences in my life. Although Dame Janet was the big name, Pauline Tinsley was on top form (is she ever anything else!) as Queen Elizabeth 1st and WAS queen Elizabeth! She was nervous, twitched at her pearls and gave an absolutely stunning performance. That is not in any way to belittle the Mary of Dame Janet Baker. She sang the role wonderfully and brought tears to your eyes with the pathos of her singing and acting! The highlight of the opera was the confrontation of the two queens, where Mary calls Elizabeth "The daughter of a whore and a vile bastard" You will never hear the likes of this again!”
Robert Eddison
“Picking up on David L.'s review (with which I wholeheartedly agree), he comments on Robert Eddison's [not 'Edison'] introduction appearing to be cut off. Not so. What actually seems to have happened is that the actor comes in a mite too early with the phrase 'Music sounds' (end of track 2), quickly corrects himself [we hear 'Mu...'] and then comes in correctly just after the orchestra steals in (start of track 3). A tiny slip and not problematic, especially from such a great actor whom I saw several times in plays; always charismatic...and he was also (of course) the Grail Knight in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, quite stealing the film in the last scenes! I saw David Ward many times at both the Royal Opera and English National Opera, including as Bluebeard at the Coliseum with Ava June - around the same time as this Festival Hall concert, I think. He was magnificently enigmatic in his characterisation, whilst the familiar sonority of his beautiful basso cantante just rolled on and on!What a pleasure to hear this performance!”
Boyd Cathey
“This is a truly superb performance, from 1963, and it finds Gertrude Grob-Prandl in fine voice. Some authorities have written that Grob-Prandl had the largest and most powerful voice of the 20th century (rivaling Nilsson). The voice is always clean, even plangent, exactly placed, and exciting. Although this performance is from Graz, a provincial center, what we have is a performance that would make the Met or La Scala blush with envy today. My only complaint, and it is not about the performance, is that the recording I received seems to have a sudden cut-off at the very end of the first disc, and more audibly, a small gap at the beginning of the second disc. I have written to OperaDepot about this, as I think the problem CAN be fixed. Thus, far I have not heard back, but I hope they will reply. (9-29-2015)”
A Rare Widow
“I am delighted to find this treasure available at last. Maestro Bonynge and Dame Joan loved operetta and in 1976 presented exciting performances of The Merry Widow in Vancouver. The cast has great fun while not all being quite vocally equal. Margareta Elkins is memorable in her brief role. But no one matches Sutherland in the singing department. She is in superb voice and performs the title role with larger-than-life vocal gestures as it were. Bonynge understands this music and leads the performance with authority. Recommended.”
giovanni martini
“Interpretation vivid and dramatically superb voice cast and orchestra subjugated by perfect freedom granted by the Master, the intrinsic value of each singer and instrumentalist, fully exercised in the compactness of an Absolute: that of Herbert von Karajan!”
A GREAT "ERNANI"
“A great radio recording of Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Ernani", featuring and starring a fine cast: soprano Montserrat Caballe', tenor Bruno Prevedi, baritone Peter Glossop and bass Boris Christoff, all of them under the baton of Gianandrea Gavazzeni. Highly recommended! A must! Happy 4th of July and God bless America!”
PHILIPPE GUILLON
“Pour moi c'est l'une des meilleures versions des Kindertotenlieder de Mahler (je la possédais en 33T). La voix très expressive et dramatique de Rita Gorr convient parfaitement à ces lider. C'est merveilleux !!”
Great times of Lombard at Strasbourg
“Rare to hear Hunter in german, young, powerful, passionate. Very rare Sieglinde of Sarroca with french touch. Mazura truly magnificent with rich words. Andrew excellent. Lombard achieves wonders with his forces.”
The needed version !!!!!!
“What an amazing moment of happiness with that version of Elektra!!!! The perfect singers for the roles and the perfect director....Thank you so much for offering to us this recording !!!!!”
Ken Caswell
“This a truly superb recording. All the principals are terrific. Wonderful to hear Te Kanawa and Burrows in such deliciously sensual and romantic form.The recording quality is also excellent giving us a real feeling of being there. I shall play this set over and over again.”
David Inglis
“It is wonderful to hear this performance again after all these years! I think Georg Solti was at the peak of his powers then and the cast is ideal. Sena Jurinac is excellent as the Marschallin and Josephine Veasey sings beautifully and passionately as Oktavian. Michael Langdon captures every aspect of Ochs’s character and above them all soars Joan Carlyle’s Sophie with magical high notes, but also with a vivid character. Finally, there is the joy of Kenneth Macdonald’s Singer a beautifully sung cameo!”
Robert Calder
“It is worth noting, though I don’t have the specific reference, that with reference to Wagner’s obsession with Bellini and bel canto (the line, the ‘Melos’) one delightful pedantic old gent long ago regretted that this performance is in Italian because in his view it was the only one properly conducted — Vittorio Gui was one of the very great and among those great the greatest in the Bellini repertoire.So you may even be under-selling this recording,Panerai is very good, He had a longer voice than many other Italian baritones and was at one time engaged to record the lyric bass title role of Oberto in a radio recording of Verdi’s first opera. Some decades later he was on the live location recording of LA TRAVIATA aged 76, and perfectly able. His performances of lighter roles well up in the baritone voice mark him out as a considerable artist, showing up there a lightness of timbre quite distinct from what he produced in roles with a lower tessitura, as in Oberto, and of course here…”
EXCELLENT ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
“This recording preserves a classic 1962 Covent Garden production under Otto Klemperer’s direction. The stately Overture reading leads one to expect a slow, solemn rendering of the whole work, but the conductor (as he often did in his last years) surprises with a quick-moving pace to the vocal pieces, with tempos never lagging but appropriate to the singers and the fast-changing situations. Much of the opera is presented through two- and three-voiced ensembles, and here the company excels. Many of the cast had previously sung in contemporary British works in which it was crucial that words and action be put across clearly to the audience. Lewis and Sutherland had sung the leads in the 1955 premiere of Michael Tippetts’ “Midsummer Marriage,” (Carlyle took the soprano role in the 1968 revival.) Lewis also sang in Benjamin Britten’s operas, as did Carlyle and Geraint Evans. So the feel of this “Magic Flute” is clear and audience-focused, as indeed Mozart had wished in his day. As the fairy-tale couple Lewis brings a bright, expressive tenor, while Carlyle offers a crystal-clear vocal tone and considerable emotional depth. Evans is a great crowd-pleasing Papageno, getting huge laughs and performing his folksy songs with fluid expression. Even the Monostatos, Robert Brown, is excellent, with Klemperer keeping the orchestra so soft that (as Mozart directed) the music seems “coming from far away.”The only serious weak link is David Kelly (another regular in contemporary opera productions) as Sarastro. His warm upper voice gives the character likeable character, but Mozart wanted those deep basso profundo passages to count. Kelly has the notes, but they are soft and tentative when they need to be solid, even scary. By contrast, Hans Hotter does a superb job as “Der Sprecher” in a crucial Act 1 scene. Hotter, a legendary Wotan, richly inhabits this eerie advocate for Masonry, and he pronounces the deep descending final line, “So bald dich führt,” with total authority. One wishes that Covent Garden had cast him as Sarastro.Oh, Sutherland? She’s good, but, alas, the transpositions make her great aria into “Der Hölle Rache” Lite. She gets a warm hand from the crowd, but Carlyle soon gets more love for “Ach ich fühls” and Evans then brings the house down with “Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen.” Perhaps such a second-tier fate is inevitable and good reason for famous sopranos to avoid the role. In the end, the value of hearing this performance is Covent Garden’s deep casting and ensemble work, plus Klemperer’s alert conducting.”
