Glorious performance

“The stars are the same like in the performance in Napoli three years earlier which is also available from OperaDepot. The conductor is different, this performance is conducted by Oliviero de Fabritiis who was the conductor of the second commercial record from this opera (with Caniglia, Gigli and Bechi). De Fabritiis in very familiar in this music and leads the performance with great passion. Stella, Corelli and Bastianini are excellent in their roles. I don't think that we would be able to hear such singers today. The supporting singers are also very goods especially Carbonari and Pandano. The sound is more than acceptable. Highly recommended!”

Excellent Performance in Excellent Sound!

“Sir Thomas Beecham was a very fine overall conductor, but it's easy to forget how good he was at conducting opera. This performance proves that in spades. It doesn't hurt that he has a strong cast. Schlüter may be a little top-note challenged, but never does her voice sound wobbly or unpleasant. Just the opposite: her timbre is lovely and unforced, a rarity in this demanding role. She sings the top C in her first monologue, but ducks the second one in "Was bluten muss?" Allegedly Strauss was in attendance for these performances and there is no record of his protesting. Far from it: he was most enthusiastic about Schlüter and the entire cast.Welitsch sounds fresh and attractive as Chrysothemis and makes an appealing younger sister. I enjoyed her performance though her portrayal is rather generic. Höngen is a marvelous Klytemnestra, her contralto suiting the role to perfection. She makes Klytemnestra far more regal than we usually hear in other portrayals. Because these were concert performances she doesn't indulge in the hysterical laughter that normally concludes her big scene (nor does she speak the words "Lichter! Mehr Lichter" as written in the score). Whoever performs her offstage screams is much too young and sopranoish sounding. Schöffler brings great nobility to his brief role. Widdop sings Ägist's even briefer role accurately, but without much character. The supporting roles are all well performed. The sound is excellent and sounds pitched correctly.”

Joseph Brand

“This is an amazing performance in very good sound. The dramatic quality shoots straight out of the speakers while the quality of the singing leaves the majority of today’s performers standing. Shuard’s battle cry will make your hair stand on end. Pinpointedly accurate with stunning top C’s and B’s in a shining silvery sound with not an ounce of vibrato. Much of the role lays fairly low and again the beauty of her phrasing and dramatic understanding make it a most moving and feminine assumption. Matching her with a creamy legato is Jones’s Sieglinde – one of the most beautiful I’ve ever heard – and I think her first. Both Shuard and Jones bring an Italianate bel canto approach to their roles. These are great interpretations. Kozub, like Shuard, an unfairly underrated performer is a strong Siegmund whose powerful baritonal tenor can still shade into a gentle mezza voce as in the Zauberfest monologue. David Ward is a subtle and at times frightening Wotan whose beautiful bass voice is beautifully scaled to the demands of the role. Add to this the excellent Fricka and Hunding of Veasey and Langdon and Solti at his theatrical best (so much better than the famous recording) this set, live opera at its very best is highly recommended.”

An impeccable "Tosca"

“For starters, one must mention the impeccable, hi-fi sound quality. Double-bass pizzicati and bass-drum strokes palpitate vibrantly. German-language performances of Verdi and Puccini often hew to a higher degree of musicality than Italian-language ones and this "Tosca" is no exception. Hans Hopf's sweet-toned Cavaradossi belies his reputation as a Wagnerian bellower and Josef Metternich plays his cards close to the vest, at least until "Tre sherri, una carrozza," when Scarpia's animal lust is allowed to emerge. As for Leonie Rysanek, this is a very different Tosca from what her interpretation would evolve into and worth hearing for that reason alone. At age 27, she is (understandably) a lighter, more flirtatious Floria, her charm only exceeded by her insecurity about Mario's love. It is easy to see why this Tosca would be putty in Scarpia's hands. The comprimarios are all excellent save for a Spoletta who seems to have wandered in from Mime's smithy. Richard Kraus conducts firmly but with that lack of imagination which made him the millstone around the neck of many a performance.For comparison of what Rysanek's Tosca and what it would become, it's appended a generous selection of excerpts from a 1970 performance, with the prima donna having evolved into a real tigress. Fortunately, James King and Eberhard Waechter can hold their own, as hero and villain respectively.”

A magnificent Meistersinger

“A captivating performance, holding the attention and delight throughout its four/plus hours. The cast sang with convincing character and beauty, and the score was realised with unmatched tempos and dynamics by Kubelik and his orchestra. The best Meistersinger von Nürnberg I’ve had the pleasure to hear.”

Stack of Janowitz & Grists

“In general was what I expected - a variation of recording qualities - some very good. Service was exemplary - one mistake in sending - remedied in a flash. Couldn’t realistically ask for more.”

John Stanton

“Debussy's opera is a work of unusual and distinctive beauty. The distinguished cast here serves it well. Victoria de Los Angeles is a wonderful Melisande, gentle,with a potent sense of a fey, other worldliness. Her Pallas, Pierre Mollet is expressive and gentle. Joseph Rouleau is a steady and dignified Arkel, his voice resonant even in the lowest reaches of the low tessiture of this role. Julian Hass is dramatically rough Goulard, though capable of softening his tone when needed.The sound is very good”

Magic

“Thanks a lot for giving us the opportunity of being buy listening it, in this world premiere !!!!! Strauss directing !!!!!The composer directing, the amazing singers choosen. A delightful moment listening it.Thank you so much !!!!!”

Michael Proctor

“Wow this is good. I love buying these live recordings from OperaDEPOT because I'd never get the opportunity to hear this stuff otherwise. I'm not a musicologist who can give you a thorough going review of the ins and outs of each performance but, really, at these prices you can just download and decide for yourself. It's fascinating to me to hear these live performances. Despite not being a musicologist, I am a very experienced Wagner live performance attendee and I know what's good and not. Having said that I also have a personality sufficiently open to risk to just buy and download this rare stuff and listen to it and love it where it's loveable. So, I really like much of this Ring (and I am a huge Goodall fan and a huge ENO/Goodall fan and an Esther Gray fan) so my curiosity to hear this and the Davis here, was rewarded very much. Have to say I preferred Reingold but, buying these live recordings isn't about acquiring the "best" or "perfect" versions (we already have those, don't we?); it's about hearing something else and something new......”

Just a brief note...

“Just to make note, unlike the two commercial recordings of this opera, which omit Act II, Scene 1, this performance is complete !Sills, whether or not she liked the composer and his music, is astounding !”

Evans in great form

“Wonderful performance, Evans sounds better in the small Kings Theatre and he did at times at the Garden. John Shaw a great baritone in a role that suited him to a tee(in fact he was a very good Verdi baritone)Bainbridge in one of her first Quickly's and brilliant and good to have. Bosbalian a very good soprano whom I have a soft spot for as she was my first Mimi, again with Scottish opera with George Shirley as Rodolfo.The rest of the cast are indeed made up of Scottish singers except for Sarti,and very good they are , great ensemble work and Gibson is on form.”

Barry Allen

“Margaret Harshaw was on the voice factulty at Indiana University when I was a student. I heard her do Kundry and Brunhilda at IU. Recently, the Met on satellite broadcast the TRISTAN she did in’58. There was an abriviated version of Walkure with Harshaw that is excellent. It’s probably in domain and someone should put it out on CD. I did not know Madame Harshaw but I saw her all the time on campus. The day Svanholm died, someone who knew Harshaw told me that she was devastated by the news. Don’t let Margaret Harshaw be forgotten. Grab one of her live performances.”

Daniel Zara

“Without Wagner’s specially crafted, gravel-chewing, pseudo-quasi-Ur-Deutsch, the monster Fairy Tale loses a few clicks of Menace and Spookiness but gains a sort of close-up familiarity: certainly “kinder, friendlier”, this Brit-sung-Saga. and wonderfully sung. This Cycle is loaded with great voices–and The Wanderer of Don Garrard is especially notable. Too bad the Valkyrie 1st Act finale is so inartfully chopped up.”

Martin Ramor

“One one hand here is the problem, that this is very abridged version of Rossini's Otello. It is less than 90 minutes long, on the other hand this is also advantage, because it is more concentrated, with skillful, sensual, even sublime conducting of Arnold Gamson. It was perhaps better to make an abridged version of Otello, since it is beginning of Rossini's revival, to motivate listeners and artists to discover the wonderful world of Rossini. There are some differences with original. For example Iago is baritone Hugh Thompson, who sings very nice. It is a nice joke, bringing nearer Verdi and Rossini. Perhaps was easier to find a good baritone, than to find a third good tenor. Loren Driscoll (tenor) is Rodrigo and does a great job in his role. He was better known as creator of many tenor roles in the operas of 20th century. Farrell as Desdemona and Hayward in the title role are simply amazing. Farrell's Assisa a' piè d'un salice is breathtaking, her coloraturas are good, Heyward sings with great conviction, some stamina and manages coloraturas well.”

AMONG THE 3 BEST BAYREUTH RINGS!

“In the decades following Wieland Wagner’s death, Stein was a huge stabilizing factor at the Bayreuth Festival. After Böhm and Nilsson withdrew from Wieland’s RING, Wolfgang’s earlier one was revived in 1970, and Stein played the rescuer as he frequently did during his underpublicized career. He leads a swift, exciting cycle that’s often more cleanly executed than the familiar Böhm recordings issued by Philips—compare the shapeless string crescendi in the latter’s Rhine Journey.As for Stein’s cast, it’s likewise better balanced, the old hands always impressive here: Höffgen’s Erda was still the most sonorous around, Neidlinger’s Alberich even richer and firmer than on Decca’s pioneering SIEGFRIED (try “dann zittre der Helden”). Meanwhile Ridderbusch has taken over Fasolt, Hunding & Hagen, and it’s a relief to hear him call up the vassals with quality singing rather than Greindl’s belting and blaring. Two others from the later generation are also remarkable. In his 4th Bayreuth season as Wotan, Stewart offers an array of valuable assets: stamina … volatile temperament … handsome midrange … ringing top … lucid diction … lovely mezza-voce effects (e.g., “Wen ich liebe” in SIEGFRIED II) ... and power exactly where needed, from D4 to F4 in the ragings of WALKÜRE III ii; here he rides the orchestra with a fire and security beyond heavier voices (contrast the Teldec set, where Tomlinson is strained, under pitch, and behind the beat). In sum Stewart is the nearest thing to an all-embracing Wotan since Hotter in the 1940s. Lindholm (Brünnhilde) was Stein’s second ace in the hole—a true hochdramatisch soprano in prime estate and an authentic alternative to Nilsson: fluent top notes, centered intonation, plus a rounder, warmer sound with an enriching yet well-regulated vibrato. Compare her “Heil dir, Sonne!” with Nilsson’s on Philips: Lindholm is better tuned, steadier, more radiant, all characteristics of her work back then. True, her low notes are wiry at times, and her career achievement can’t match Nilsson’s, but her 1970 Brünnhilde is the genuine article and a continual pleasure. The other newbies are less exceptional though still of interest. Gwyneth Jones’s vocal problems began in 1970, both with Kundry on DG’s PARSIFAL under Boulez and here with Sieglinde. She’s restrained and lovely until I iii, then the upper middle turns tremulous when she pushes (e.g., the F#5 on “bis zum Heft”), and in Act II she can be screechy and scratchy, regaining some control in Act III. In the main she’s no less listenable than Rysanek, “Du bist der Lenz” and “O hehrstes Wunder” being largely attractive, but the firm, fresh instrument of the 1960s was never to return.Cox (Siegfried) has similar problems around the passaggio—raw tone on open vowels plus scooping and sliding. Elsewhere he is bright in timbre, energetic, phrases smartly, and woos Brünnhilde with plenty of voice left; and while Windgassen regularly made a hash of “Schmiede, mein Hammer,” Cox is vastly more adroit as both blacksmith and percussionist. Among the other tenors, Kollo is deluxe casting as Froh … Paskuda has patches of sagging pitch but furnishes more actual singing than many a Mime … Esser (Loge) owns a B-list heldentenor with, even so, more sound than the demigod often gets … and Brilioth’s Siegmund is intense and imaginative, through squeezing and struggling at the climax of the Todesverkundigung. Finally, we’re blessed with several major voices in minor roles: Bailey and Martin as the Gibichung siblings, Reynolds as a shrewdly etched Fricka and Waltraute, Bode as a full-throated Woodbird, the young Rundgren as a Fafner with all the low notes. In short this is a rousing, tightly knit, potently sung cycle, among Bayreuth RINGs superior to the erratically cast Philips set, and, thanks to its Wotan and Brünnhilde, in a class with Keilberth 1955 and Krauss 1953. Opera Depot’s sonics—mono in the first two works, stereo in the rest—are clear but without atmosphere or aroma. However they’ll do till Orfeo gets around to an audiophile issue of the Bavarian Radio tapes. For the performance alone this easily rates 5 stars.—F. P. WalterAlbuquerque”

A delight and a revelation

“Despite trying now and then, I was never attracted to I Puritani. This lyrical, un-stuffy performance changed my mind. Gavazenni has just the right touch, animating the music but not trying to over-inflate it. The cast is lyrical and all of them are near the top of their form, Kraus especially suave and unforced. Very decent sound.”

Wonderful Butterfly from a wonderful soprano !

“My first performance at the Vienna Staatsoper was April, l973, Madama Butterfly starring Lotte Rysanek, a soprano I knew from her many operetta recordings from the Volksoper. I was mightily impressed with Lotte. This l972 performance verifies my memories of that 1973performance. It is uncanny the resemblance to her sister Leonie's voice, a glorious and soaring top included. At times I would swear I was hearing Leonie singing Butterfly. Thrilling! Needless to say Leonie is one of my favorite sopranos and I did manage to hear Leonie at least half a dozen times before her retirement. Sound is quite satisfying.”

My first (and probably only) Ring recording

“After listening to opera for about 50 years, I’ve finally purchased my first Ring! While I appreciate much of Wagner’s music, I will never be a huge fan of all of his complete operas. I did think it was important to have at least one Ring in my collection and this one seemed like a good choice, above all because of Gwyneth Jones. She was the Brunnhilde in the only complete Ring cycle I attended at San Francisco Opera in the late 1980s and she was amazing, as she is here in this recording. I don’t have the experience listening to a lot of other recordings to be able to compare all of the singers to others who have sung the same roles, but on the whole I find this recording very enjoyable.”

full cast list

“RICHARD STRAUSS(1864 – 1949)Der RosenkavalierKomödie für Musik von Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Opus 59Die Feldmarschallin, Fürstin Werdenberg ∙ Christa LudwigOctavian, ein junger Herr aus großem Haus ∙ Yvonne MintonDer Baron Ochs auf Lerchenau ∙ Hans SotinHerr von Faninal, ein reicher Neugeadelter ∙ Raymond WolanskySophie, seine Tochter ∙ Lucia PoppJungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin, die Duenna ∙ Janine BoulogneValzacchi, ein Intrigant ∙ Michel SénéchalAnnina, seine Begleiterin ∙ Jane BerbiéDer Haushofmeister bei der Feldmarschallin ∙ Michel PhilippeDer Haushofmeister bei Faninal ∙ Robert DuméEin Sänger ∙ Alain VanzoEin Notar ∙ Jean-Louis SoumagnasEin Wirt ∙ Jacques Loreau Ein Polizeikommissar ∙ Fernand DumontEine Modistin ∙ Janine Cadet Ein Tierhändler ∙ Mario AgnettiDrei adelige Waisen ∙ Marie-Thérèse Dietzer │ Annick Dutertre │ Gisèle OryLakaien der Marschallin ∙ Michel Marimpouy │ Jean Deguara │ Jean-Jacques Nadaud │ Paul ThoronEin Hausknecht ∙ Jean RalloChœurs de l’Opéra national de ParisChef des chœurs ∙ Jean Laforge Orchestre du Théâtre national de l’Opéra de ParisHORST STEINMise en scène ∙ Rudolf SteinböckPalais Garnier ∙ Paris ∙ le 31 janvier 1976”

Fasten up!

“This is opera without artifice. Each lead leaps into their part and turns out real verismo without stage manner or hammy gimmicks. If we normally communicated through singing, this would be it. Lorengar is exciting as is Taglavini. Wixel's singing and voice are beautifully nuanced. Mazel draws beauty and electricity from the orchestra. The sound is crackling excellent in- house. This is a singularly satisfying Tosca. The minor roles are wonderfully handled. I wish I owned this years ago!”

Patricia Brooks, a great Massenet Manon

“For many the main attraction of this recording will be Domingo (aged 28), but it is mainly valuable for preserving an impressive and stylish performance as Manon by the seriously under-recorded American soprano and singing actress Patricia Brooks, who lived from 1933 or 1937 (both birth dates abound!) to 1993. Her very promising operatic career, centred on 32 roles in 6 languages at New York City Opera (NYCO), was tragically cut short in 1977 by breathing difficulties brought on by the onset of the multiple sclerosis which eventually killed her. She won a piano competition at the age of 10, and studied/performed dance with Martha Graham from the age of 14. However, a knee injury diverted her into acting (she starred in off-Broadway Circle in the Square Theater productions of Eugene O’Neill’s The Ice Man Cometh and Truman Capote’s The Grass Harp) and singing. In 1960, while performing in The Sound of Music on Broadway, she was engaged by Rudel to sing Marianne (in Der Rosenkavalier) and Musetta for NYCO. Subsequent successes included Gilda (available on OD 11738), Violetta, Mimi, Manon, Mélisande, Magda (on OD 10839, but in mediocre sound), Norma, and Lulu, mostly at NYCO, but also in various other North American venues (including the White House, for President Kennedy, in 1963) and at Covent Garden.”

Brian Morgan

“This 1963 Concert Version for Cologne radio of "Il tabarro" is fascinating. Immediately, it reminds one of the 1966 studio recording of excerpts from the same composer's "Tosca," for Decca, also sung in Italian translation, with Anja Silja as the prima donna.Helga Pilarczyk, celebrated particularly for her important interpretations of the works of Schoenberg and Berg, is an unexpected choice for the rôle of the hapless Giorgetta, but is a success nevertheless. The Kammersängerin does not provide the visceral thrill and catharsis of the great Italian sopranos, like Magda Olivero and Renata Scotto, in this music. Rather, the German artist provides a searing psychological penetration of the character with a precise examination of the score. As with the aforementioned Decca recording of "Tosca," this performance has an Expressionistic slant which is intriguing and extraordinary.The Heldentenor Ernst Kozub, principally remembered for his Erik in Otto Klemperer's 1968 recording of "Der fliegende Holländer" (with Theo Adam and Silja) is a marvel as Luigi. Despite such a large, dark voice, he sings for far more dynamics than the average tenor, and Marcel Cordes roars splendidly, like the dragon Fafner, as Michele. The mellifluous voice of Erwin Wohlfahrt is heard in the secondary part of the Song-seller, and Alberto Erede conducts con slancio. Opera Depot's pressing is exemplary.”

PHILIPPE GUILLON

“Je suis heureux d'avoir trouvé chez vous ce Parsifal où Ferdinand Frantz est Gurnemanz. J'avais juste un extrait (Titurel, der fromme Held) sur un 33T édité par melodram). A mon avis c'est un "très très" grand chanteur qui a souffert de la concurrence de Hotter. Mais son Gurnemanz est très bon! C'est à connaître et il est introuvable sauf chez vous et pour cela : un grand merci !!”

Touching

“A wonderful performance. Very touching for me, because myself I was in the audience then. Windgassen has never been surpassed, he was in a marvellous condition at this late time! Thank you for this wonderful recording in good sound!”

Jonathan Scott

“Macbeth seems to work in whatever language you want I have a number in German and English it still sounds as brooding as ever. The highlight to this performance is Dame Gwyneth who just seems to fill the theatre with voice. A tremendous thrilling performance not to be missed”

“Magnificent. A great historical document and with lovely singing from Janet Baker and Heather Harper. The sound is remarkably good. A real sense of occasion with Klemperer building tremendous momentum.”

“Exactly as I remember it all those years ago (and exactly on my no longer playable reel to reel recording of the performance, less the car ignition noise at one stage from outside)David \Ward was alweays wonderful in this sort of part and in those wonderful days when there ws a Covent Garden company they were very good all round. KenMacdionald sadly missed - died gar too earlyJoseph Ward perfect castingand Kempe .....!Those were the days”

Matey Yanakiev

“There are many places you can buy this recording, varying between somewhere under 10 to over 120 dollars. This is one of the cheapest options (if not the cheapest).The sound is great, and all the singers perform very well. Joan Sutherland is brilliant. The top notes are strong and the diction is a lot better than it became in the 1970s. The tracks are split well and labeled. You cannot go wrong with this recording, and if you appreciate either Joan Sutherland or even opera in general, this is an absolute must-have. This series of Lucias made history and will always remain regarded as one of the greatest achievements in bel canto.”

amazing Bastianini!

“A very moving recording with Tucci and Bastianini transforming this opera into an even greater masterpiece. The only thing I'd like to mention is that the recording is distorted at the climax of Tucci's aria (dice vivi ancora... io son l'amore). It doesn't ruin the overall magic for me, but it might for others.”

Superb performance

“I saw this performance during my first session at Bayreuth (1970) - among them Böhm's Tristan - and until now it is one of my best experiences, esp. Stewart (legato!) and Lindholm in 3rd act are wonderful!”

Rock

“Great singing; great sound. I saw Sills as Lucia w/ the New York City Opera inthe 70s. A wonderful performance.I sent her a fan letter afterwards. She responded on a postcard w/ her photoon it. Had similar postcards from Rosa Ponselle and Lotte Lehmann.”

Tassilo

“There was a period when, like several close friends of mine and for similar reasons, I despised Karajan and enjoyed quoting Bruno Maderna’s dismissive remark about “Karajan’s chocolate Beethoven.” Of course, our opinion of him was entirely formed on the basis of DG studio recordings from a certain period, and Exhibit A in our brief against him could easily have been what everybody refers to as “The Karajan Ring,” Karajan’s DG studio recording of the cycle. Since then, I’ve heard more performances both live and studio from earlier in Karajan’s career, and I have a more nuanced perception of his abilities. But the performance that really administered the coup de grace to my preconceptions was the live Salzburg Siegfried that preceded the DG studio recording, which I was able to hear in less than ideal sound a couple of years ago. I’ve also heard great bleeding chunks from the Walküre that preceded the DG recording. On the basis of these experiences, I think that the real “Karajan Ring” is not what was released on DG—a recording made in the relaxed and artificial context of the studio, where the conductor himself was complicit in the engineering of a kind of smooth perfection—but in the extremely interesting and more distinctive live performances that preceded the recording of the installments of the studio Ring. I don’t know whether this remark will be intelligible or not, but, in the live performances, you experience the sheer force of Karajan’s monomaniacal focus and control as it is being deployed in the thick of battle, whereas in the studio recordings you only hear a byproduct, what the control freak engineered under controlled circumstances.It is worth remarking that the very consciousness on the part of Karajan and his DG engineers and producers that they were undertaking a cycle in competition with Solti and Decca, a cycle they intended to be THE Ring that consumers should buy, would have had an equivocal impact on the recordings that were eventually released. On the one hand, convinced of the importance of their undertaking, everyone involved would have aspired to the highest professional standards. On the other hand, the sheer pursuit of the kinds of technical perfection for which Karajan, DG, and the Berlin Philharmonic were famous to the exclusion of other musical virtues would have resulted in a loss of the spontaneity and excitement so infinitely more characteristic of the live performances. (Where the tempi in the studio recordings differ from the tempi in the live performances, the live performances feature quicker tempi.)Which is why I welcome Opera Depot’s release of the live Karajan Ring in better sound than the transfers I’ve heard.”

Another great historic Bayreuth broadcast!

“What superb quality there was for the asking back in "them days"! Don't get me wrong, I'm not one who constantly hankers for "the Golden Age" (and it's always a "Golden Age" for something going on at any time...look at the Bel Canto repertoire today, for example) but there's something about this performance which just oozes star quality.There's Gwyneth Jones in her early Wagnerian phase -just about to jump into the heavier roles and with plenty of dramatic heft for an uncommonly positive Elisabeth. There's Hugh Beresford: not well-known but here a fine, lyrical, dramatically-considered Tannhauser, if not completely of the first rank except in the Third Act; I remember seeing him as a passionate Don Jose with English National Opera around 1970. There are Weikl and Sotin, both excellent in signature roles. Let's not forget the supporting knights (which include a notable Alberich and Mime), with Harald Ek very sweet in Walter's lovely song. Excellent Chorus and (bar the occasional sour trumpet) Orchestra, led by the brilliant, singers'-conductor-par-excellence, Erich Leinsdorf.Just an average evening at Bayreuth in the 1970s, then...and what an evening!!”

La Fanciulla del West - Neblett, Domingo, Carroli, Lloyd, Summers; Mehta. London, 1977

“Wonderfull performance in great sound. But your advertise is not correctbecause you, obviously use the BBC broadcast which was onJanuary 21r, 1978. Anyway just for information of correction but, musically this is a great Fanciulla!!!!.”

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.”

Outstanding recoding

“This recoding of Roberto Devereux truly stands out as a benchmark recoding of this opera. While the Sills/Mackerras studio recoding from 1969 is excellent, this live version easily outshines that. Sills vocal skills are clearly evident here and her ornamentation only adds to the drama of the recording. Having Domingo in the title role is another treat. Hearing his voice at the start of his career in a role he never recorded in the studio further elevates this recording.”

Manon starring Mary Costa and Giuseppe Campora

“How exciting to hear this exciting performance. Mary Costa's performance is truly remarkable in a role she sang at the Met, Geneva, Lisbon, and many other great houses of the world. Campora is in amazing voice as well.”

Davyd Booth

“Another great Grob-Pradl document! she is simply one of the greatest dramatic sopranos of all time. There is a complete performance around of Tristan from La Scala with De Sabata but the sound is horrible. Maybe Opera Depot could find that in good sound. In the meantime this second act is simply sensational. Grab it now!”

Stirring performance

“This is an excellent performance of Walkure. As most of the principals can be heard on other complete recordings, I will focus on the distinctive and (for me) unexpected feature here: Sylvia Fisher's Sieglinde. I think of this artist primarily in terms of her connection with Benjamin Britten's music. But her voice, as displayed here, is a fulsome instrument with a silvery sheen, and she has the power and, most importantly, the spirit for the Walsung sister. Her dramatic commitment, style, and vocal ability together make a striking contribution to the performance. Brava!”

John Querns

“Lovely performance of this wonderful work. Beautiful orchestral colours. Lilian Sukis sings beautifully with youthful tone and attention to the text and also sustains very successfully a very slow "Song to the Moon".Peter Hofmann, Theo Adam and Rose Wagemann also deliver fine performances. The only thing I am unsure about is the role of the Kitchen Boy - I thought at first it was a boy but now feel it must be a mezzo, though trying to sound too young and boyish for my taste. But this is a minor role in this opera so it's hardly a deal-breaker.”

1975 ！

“1975.It was a busy year for Wolfgang Wagner. The final year is the ring that has been going on since 1970. Stein, who has been conducting for a long time, is completely and can be said to be the total settlement of Bayreuth after the war.This year, Stein's Parsifal, Hollreiser's Meistersinger, and Kleiber's Tristan all had excellent sound quality, and I enjoyed the live performance that can be said to be the total settlement of Bayreuth after the war ❗”

Bumbry beats them all

“Great performance, technically AND live it´s 1964, but you do know that, when you purchase sth like this. Gem by all means.Performance of opera depot: It worked, but I had to convert your mp3 via format factory, then it worked both as mp3 (new) and in wav.format (which I prefer after manual preparation, because most mp3s produce a slight break between the tracks. Not exacty a catastrophy, but annoying nevertheless)thx, and we will surely meet again!ep”

Andrew Valentine

“Great recording with fine soloists. After seeing Amy Shuard many times on stage it is great that her performances are turning up on CD, she is a most exciting Kundry and has the full range of the part, a true dramatic soprano. All the others are well known for their performances in their roles at Bayreuth and else where. Under the exciting direction of Boulez this is a recording to treasure.”

Dag

“I have seen many Rings, the first with Birgit Nilsson in Stockholm 1972. Among my records I have around 60 complete Rings. This 1975 Ring with Kempe conducting is the best Ring I have ever experienced in an operahouse. Lindholm is unbelievable, and all other artists are in top form, clearly inspired by maestro Kempe. The public just roared, the applauds never ending. Something to treasure for a lifetime!”

Note

“Roberta Knie went on to sing Isolde to great effect. I disagree that her voice was too light for Wagnerian repertoire. As Knie herself was to say in interviews, the act of placing the voice in the mask and singing Wagner produced vibrations that detached her retinas. "I'd rather see than sing" she said, and promptly retired.”

Celine Papizewska

“Louis Quilico had one of the most sheerly beautiful baritones voices of all time, most evident in bel canto opera. Bellini wrote the most Romantic melody ever for baritone in “Ah, per sempre io ti perdei”, and Louis gives it all the dark, melancholy beauty at his considerable disposal. I used to study with him, and during lessons he would regularly overwhelm his students by demonstrating a technical point with phrases from Verdi. What a treat! If you could manage to find some of his performance in other bel canto operas, ie. Lucia di Lammermoor, and his magnificent Macbeth, as well as Falstaff, I would be in opera ecstasy.This Puritani vies with the Callas/Di Stefano as my favourite bel canto recording of all time.”

David Inglis

“I listened to the live broadcast at the time, being a Joan Sutherland fan. By the end of the performance I was a Joan Carlyle fan,too!There was once available a tape which had Sutherland sing her arias at the correct pitch. To achieve this , someone had raised the whole performance in pitch until after the Queen’s second aria. It was torture to listen to what was done to the other voices.I am so pleased to have the performance in its correct and wonderful form.”