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Gwyneth Jones & Joan Sutherland
This is a big week for opera lovers. It marks the 90th birthday of Dame Gwyneth Jones and the 100th Birthday of Dame Joan Sutherland.
In celebration we are offering all of their recordings at 50% off through Friday.
Gwyneth Jones
Joan Sutherland
Jon Vickers Centenary
Giordano
Andrea Chénier
Vickers, Ligabue, Carroli, Chookasian; Rescigno. Dallas, 1973
Jon Vickers
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Free Streaming Recordings
Every week we offer 12 new titles available to stream for free
Beethoven: Fidelio
Behrens, Vickers, Ward, McIntyre, Masterson, Davies, Lloyd; Goodall. London, 1976
Beethoven: Fidelio
Jones, King, Crass, Adam, Popp, Dallapozza, Nienstedt; Bernstein. Wien, 1970
Bellini: Norma
Caballé, Vickers, Veasey, Ferrin; Patanè. Orange, 1974
Berlioz: Les Troyens (In English)
Vickers, Thebom, Shuard, F. Robinson, Rouleau, Collier; Kubelik. London, 1958
Bizet: Carmen
Bumbry, Vickers, Elgar, Bacquier, Darrenkamp; Guadagno. 1967
Spotlight: Fedora Barbieri
From Our Collectors
Five-Star Reviews
Opera lovers share their discoveries from the catalogue.
Wonderful
“This is a superb performance in excellent sound. I tend to agree that Windgassen sounds rather narrow of tone next to Nilsson but he's honest and often moving. Kerstin Meyer, of whom I had no clear impression before, sings most beautifully as Brangäne and Nilsson is extraordinary. We think of her as shining steel but as her auto-biography proudly states, Wieland Wagner thought that she was "the loving Isolde" and that is what we have here: yes, there is fury in Act One but also an underlying tenderness and pain and the final note of the Liebestod (approached without a breath) has to be heard to be believe. Compulsive conducting from Böhm that sweeps you through an epic journey. Wonderful.”
SUPER
“Si la perfection existe alors cette représentation en fait partie. Il y a beaucoup d'enregistrements superbes du Trouvère mais celui-ci est au sommet. Le quatuor vocal est exceptionnel. Le son est excellent.”
Classic Performance in Excellent Sound!
“This is a performance from Karajan's Vienna years and was the basis from which the famous film was derived (the film used some different cast members). Freni is heartbreaking in her sincerity, the voice at its freshest. Raimondi is a fine Rodolfo; he was taken for granted at a time when there were so many great tenors in this repertoire. Panerai and Guden are world-class as Marcello and Musetta. The luxury of having Taddei and Vinco as the other two roommates pays off big time in their individual characterizations. One correction to the above cast list: Siegfried Rudolf Frese sings Alcindoro; Peter Klein sings Benoit. Karajan is less self-indulgent than he would become and the music flows naturally: a classic performance. Would that all live performances were in such excellent sound. If you love Boheme or opera in general, you must hear this recording!”
Caballe is it
“Montserrat Caballé is the only interpreter I have seen who obeyed Strauss' directive to emulate the demure femininity he associated with the women of the East. Also, while many have wrecked their voices on the part, Caballé was able to keep singing it throughout the duration of her (very long) career. She definitely knew what she was doing.”
Excellent sound
“I have not listened to this performance in its entirety, but from what I have heard, the sound quality is excellent and the performance of a high quality. Is it better than Boulez’s commercial recording with Philips in 1980? I’ve heard too little to make that distinction, but it is certainly a performance of the same general high standard. Bravo to Opera Depot for making this available.”
One of the best
“For someone allergic to Adam, Windgassen and DFD, finding a decent Meistersinger is not easy. So far, my top choice has been Kubelik with Konya. This one here is very good, excellent conducting, Gruemmer, a surprisingly good Stolzing. There is Sawallisch, capturing the BSO as I know and love it, but Sachs is bit too large for Weikl. The older BSO recording with Keilberth is frustrating -- the sound is harsh and lacks depth and, while the smaller parts are an encyclopedia of German singing, Eva and Stolzing are not in the same class. I still need to hear the live BSO with Kna.”
Jerry V
“This is a brilliant release miles ahead of earlier versions of this performance….It is characterized by the urgency and passion which marked many opera performances from the 1960s…The cast (named above) are in peak form..A must have at any price.”
James Mertins
“THIS WAS MY FIRST VISIT TO VERONA AS A STUDENT, AND TO SEE MY FAVORITE TENOR WAS SOMETHING. I STAYED ON FOR 3DAYS MORE TO CATCH THE LAST PERFORMANCE OF THIS TRAVIATA. VERONA AS WE KNOW IS IMMENSE BUT SCOTTO,BERGONZI AND ZANASI MADE IT AS THOUGH WE WERE IN A SMALL OPERA HOUSE DESPITE THE SIZE. BERGONZI HAS ALWAYS SAID THAT ALFREDO IS THE ROLE THAT TEACHES YOU TO SING, ONE WRONG NOTE AS IT’S ALL OVER FOR THE ALFREDO OF THE NIGHT, MORE SO THAN ANY OTHER VERDI TENOR ROLE.”
One for the ages
“I bought this recording largely on the strength of Mr Reynolds’s review below, and concur with every word. Hard to believe that sound this good comes from 1963, and embarrassing to find that Hoiseth and Tyren (both magnificent) were until now completely absent from my collection. I wonder if Tyren ever performed Sarastro. Nilsson is at her imperious best, projecting character as well as complete vocal control. Orchestral weaknesses are audible, particularly in the horn and oboe sections, but are unlikely to disturb the listener for long. This is unmissable - and makes one wonder whether this was part of a complete cycle. Andy, once again, puts Wagnerians hugely in his debt.”
A GREAT SURPRISE: TENOR WOLFGANG KASSEL
“Tenor Wolfgang Kassel is the great surprise of this wonderful live recording... A cast of fine singers: Jessye Norman (soprano), Josephine Veasey (mezzo-soprano), Norman Bailey (baritone) and Karl Ridderbusch (bass)... Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, London, and a great conductor: Sir Colin Davis... A must!”
FINE ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE IN GOOD SOUND
“The New York City Opera’s 1970 production of this opera was a legendary showpiece for Beverly Sills, then at her vocal prime. I saw Sills during this run and find this recording an accurate document of the singer’s powers. In addition to spectacular coloratura, she added a keen dramatic sense to her scenes with Roberto, showing both feline playfulness that could at a moment shift to frightening authority. But a strength of the performance is the strong sense of ensemble. While Sills is the star, she is supported by a strong and dramatically committed supporting cast. Placido Domingo, then a relative newcomer, adds the golden tone of his young voice to Roberto and earns a generous ovation for his final-act cavatina. Susanne Marsee vividly puts across the dilemma of Sara. the hero’s other woman, a position that she knows will bring down the wrath of the jealous queen on them both. And I’d call out the outstanding work of Canadian baritone Louis Quilico in the role of Nottingham: he brings a mellow, tuneful timbre to the early scenes, where he is Roberto’s most devoted supporter. Once his pal’s affair with his wife comes out, Quilico adds a Verdian intensity to his vindictive actions that recalls Renato in “Masked Ball,” a similar role that the baritone also sang with success. The sound quality is quite good for both voices and orchestra, especially in the composer’s brooding orchestral preludes to scenes.”
Un Enlèvement de référence
“Magnifique interprétation, dominée par la merveilleuse Christiane Eda-Pierre, trop méconnue, et l'inusable Kurt Moll. Les autres rôles sont bien tenus et Karl Böhm fait jouer l'orchestre de l'Opéra de Paris comme des viennois ! Le son est excellent.”
Reinhold Föckersperger
“Ernst Kozub was one of the most important Heldentenors in the postwar aera, but he died prematurely. His voice was perfect for the interpretation of Tannhäuser! The live recording from Munich is therefore an important document. The other singers all are excellent, as it is usual in the Bavarian State Opera still today... Anja Silja sings the first scene and the duet of act two. Lindholm‘s Interpretation of Elisabeth‘s prayer in the third act is slightly overdramatic, the power of her voice is too great. The last words of Venus in my ears do not belong to Astrid Varnay as listed. It could be Marianne Schech? The voice sounds very different from Varnay‘s incomparable timbre.”
historique !
“Pour ouvrir le festival du centenaire à Bayreuth. Représentation unique des Meistersinger dirigée par Karl Böhm.C'est donc une représentation historique ! De plus, elle est magnifique. Malheureusement, elle est réduite à la scène finale, on ne peut que le regretter.”
ONE OF THE GREAT WOZZECKS!!
“Aside from the incredibly great singing in all the roles, Sanzogno's conducting rivals the best!! He studied with Hermann Scherchen which may explain the wealth of probing detail exposed at every measure. The sound is excellent and should not be a factor. I far prefer this Italian Wozzeck to the one conducted by Bohm.”
Wonderful emotions
“Such a beautiful casting!!!!!Montserrat Caballé singing Richard Stauss in 1965 it is pure happiness. How much Richard Strauss suits to her... i was so lucky as once i saw her singing on stage Ariadna auf Naxos in Paris...my dream was to see her in Rosenkavalier.... but we have that fantastic recording...thank you so much .”
Walter Hartman
“I loved this recording. Everyone is well cast and the performance, as a whole, is a very satisfying performance of Tristan. Leitner conducts with passion, Crass has a very beautiful tone, Hoffman is a strong well sung Brangane and Alexander a sturdy Kurvenal. Beirer sounds quite good as Tristan while Kuchta is really wonderful as Isolde. Her tone has warmth, she has the full range for the role and she brings something very real to the role. This is not a Brunnhilde type Isolde but rather a warm, feminine , human being. She is very worthwhile investigating.”
Wouter de Moor
“This recording of Götterdämmerung is the best I have heard so far. Pierre Boulez finds a pulse in the score that turns the music into a perpetuum mobile. It is irresistable. Fast without rushing, swift with all ear for detail. Gwyneth Jones is in better voice than on the 1980 video-release (which, for the brilliant Cheréau-regie, I would not like to be without). For me the booiiing (at the beginning of act 3 and at the end) adds to the magnitude of this historical recording. It not only illustrates the hostility towards this production but it is also a reminder of the controversy and scandal that more than once surrounded Wagner's music throughout the years. It is Bayreuth 1976, but I also hear Tannhauser in Paris 1861.”
Alex
“is an incredible recording!!!!thank you for discover it me…it’s a pity we don’t see performed more…all the cast is fantanstic! stolze…how histrionic it was…all he sang…Nerone,Mime…a great actor…thanks”
An ELEKTRA in which vengeance wields beauty, courtesy of Brenda Roberts
“By any standard, performing Richard Strauss’s ELEKTRA is a formidable challenge for singers, conductors, and musicians; a challenge that defeats many artists.Not only did singing the daunting title rôle in ELEKTRA not defeat American dramatic soprano Brenda Roberts, but she actually sounds in this Hamburg performance, here available in fine sound, as though singing this music required no more effort than reciting lines from Hofmannsthal’s libretto. The dramatic immediacy of her performance of Elektra's opening monologue never distorts the firm core of her tone, which is secure to the top C. Frustration and anger explode in her scenes with Chrysothemis and Klytämnestra, sung with intelligence and musicality by Arlene Saunders and Martha Mödl. Greeting Tom Krause’s Orest, tenderness floods Roberts’s voice and demeanor. Roberts lends Elektra emotional intensity, youthfulness, and sensuality, whilst singing with astonishing assurance.If you do not know Horst Stein’s work, his leadership of this ELEKTRA may compel you to question the depth of your familiarity with the best Strauss conducting of the 20th Century. With a singer of Roberts’s capabilities in the name part, many conductors might be tempted to push a performance of ELEKTRA too hard, but Stein supports the singers with eloquence.ELEKTRA is a violent score, but there is much beauty waiting to be discovered by those who seek it. In this performance, Roberts and her colleagues make that beauty uncommonly accessible.”
Rapturous, funny, moving
“This rapturous, funny, moving performance is sparked by marvelous performances in the leading roles and the maestro's unexpectedly protean realization of the score. Ludwig at her absolute peak outdoes her own reference performance on the legendary Karajan set, other than some overacting as Mariandl in Act III. I always wondered whether Rysanek's instrument was too heavy for the Marschallin. She does some glorious singing and is absolutely inside the part, and when she lets the power out in anger at Ochs in Act III, the effect is unique and tremendous. I never before encountered the Sophie, but her singing is absolutely assured and lovely, and her characterization is apt. Jungwirth is marvelous. But ultimately, Krips is the hero, showing the listener the many facets of this marvelous work.”
complete cast
“This cast dates from September 29th 1963:Macbeth: William DooleyLady Macbeth: Gladys KuchtaMacduff: James KingBanco: Peter LaggerMalcolm: Loren DriscollDama: Marina TürkeMedico: Fritz HoppeDomestico: Franz PohlmannSicario: Leopold ClamApparizioni: Helmut Reppenhagen, Christa Willenberg, Erika BenadeChor und Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin, Chorus Master: Walter Hagen-GrollConductor: Mario Rossi”
Lucrezia at last!
“Finally after all these years. I found a Sills Lucrezia in GREAT sound!Sills was in great voice for 1976 and Henry Price is so unrecorded,it was a pleasure to hear him again. I am so happy I found Opera Depot! Now if we can find an audible IL Trittico with Sills I would die a happy woman. No singer ever has moved me so. If you cannot find the Trittico I especially would love to own an audible Sour Angelica from Sills. All the ones I have are in horrible sound. Yet I still weep when I hear it. To have it in great sound would be sublime.Oh ...by the by. Some Marilla Devia would be wonderful if you could find some please. GRAZI guys!”
A wide range from Rossini to Wagner
“Eberhard Wächter was for many years the number one baritone at the Vienna State Opera. But there are only a few studio recordings with him, first and foremost “Figaro” and “Don Giovanni” under Giulini, both excellent reference recordings from 1961.It is therefore very worthy to show him in a broader spectrum at a time when he was at the peak of his vocal potency (1960-1977). He had both Italianità and comic talent, as he demonstrated in the Largo al factotum and the great performance of Dottore Dulcamara, and the gravitas that qualified him excellently for Wagner's medieval operas (Tannhäuser, Tristan, Parsifal). For this, Wächter deserves top marks. The low quality of the live recordings of Faust, Falstaff, Tosca and Butterfly is regrettable, but they are certainly of value as contemporary documents.”
mario rodriguez junco
“Ramón Vinay was one of the best voices of the opera. When opera depot, provided more of Ramon, it's sure I'm going buy them.Para mi Ramon vinay puede ser de las mejores voces de la opera. Cuando opera depot ofrezca mas grabaciones, comprare ellas.”
Vickers in his prime in one of his best roles
“I bought this CD because of Vickers though I have the commercial record (1963) and the late Covent Garden (with Verrett) and Metropolitan (with Horne) performances with him. This performance from Amsterdam in 1964 masterfully conducted by Jean Fournet shows Vickers really in his prime. Andy has right: it is really a must-have for the Vickers fans. He sings marvellously without the later mannerism. His strong personality, his vocal splendour and his unique intelligence makes him an ideal Samson. Ernest Blanc is also glorious in the role of the High Priest of Dagon. Oralia Dominguez has a special, exotic voice which qualifies her for the role of Dalila. She is not the same level like Vickers but a perfect Dalila. Peter van der Bilt gives a very good job as the Old Hebrew. Excellent performance. Highly recommended!”
Great performance!
“This work is a bit hard to perform mostly because it requires an outstanding quartet of soloists. This performance definitely delivers that! Verrett and Pavarotti deliver stand out performances and Zylis-Gara and Zaccaria are close behind. The choral sound is a little distant but still quite good. Highly Recommended!”
Souliotis--A thrilling, Unique Artist, even in Twilight of her Career
“I had no idea that Souliotis even sang beyond 1972, and assumed that--if she had--she would have sounded like a vocal ruin. I was wrong on both counts. . . .this recital from 1976 indicates that she was not only singing this late in the day, but that she sounded terrific. Her singing still had some of the defects that it had during her brief but meteoric heyday, but the intelligence and thrust of her singing is still there, as is her command of full-throated high notes, lovely pianissimi, and a sound that is still very much unique and utterly captivating. BRAVA!”
One of the finest casts assembled, live. in good sound.
“The cast is sensational, all in their prime in 1968, especially Bergonzi and Arroyo. Unusually good sonics for a lifve recording. Bertoletti a fine conductor. This competitive with more highly marketed commercial recordings.”
A roller-coaster soprano
“Part of the adventure of listening to Elena Souliotis is that she sounds like she might go flying off the rails at any time. In this Carnegie Hall performance it finally happens - not in a big way - but enough to offend some NYC cognoscenti. The rest is history. Excellent sound.”
Bjorling in fine form
“There are two complete live performances of Björling’s Duke of Mantova; 1945 at the Met and this one from Stockholm in 1957. In 1945 he was in fantastic voice with incredibly brilliant and ringing top B’s. That one has yet to be equalled by anyone. 12 years later he is almost just as ravishing. Only the conclusion of La donna è mobile is somewhat below his usual standards. He makes up for that in the rest of the performance which is throughout marked with superb vocalism. Bjorling is the draw on every recording he makes his presence. His voice was one of a kind. Effortless from top to bottom. Dramatic when requiered. Faultless? No, he could be more cynical as the Duke. If any Italian could beat him at anything, it would be that. Vocally, Bjorling stands alone. At the top.”
Stunning sopranos in a very authentic reading
“I was at the first night of this run of performances and the experience is still vivid in my memory. Dalibor was a work I did not know, but I was thrilled by every aspect of the music, the staging and the singing. Anne Evans and Anne Connolly duetting at the end of the first scene is one of the most thrilling pieces of singing I have heard live; Anne Evans, well on her way to Brunnhilde at this point in her career, sweeps all before her in a deeply committed and gloriously sung performance; Anne Conolly was surely destined to follow in her steps, but her career does not seem to have developed further. Add in Neil Howlett (who died recently) and his persuasive, lovely baritone, a tireless John Mitchinson (maybe lacking a bit of poetry) and a conductor steeped in this music and you have a dream team! English diction is very good, and Mackerras's conducting ensures an authentic feel to the whole performance. Sound is good, and delighted to have this, many years after my tapes gave out after repeated playing. Don't miss this!”
An opera too rarely performed
“Ever since I heard this opera as a young boy in a performance with Virgillio Lazzari, Dorothy Kirsten and Charles Kullman, I have had an especial fondness for it. A couple of generations ago it attracted great basses such as Pinza and Lazzari as well as sopranos such as Lucrezia Bori, Grace Moore and Dorothy Kirsten. A generation ago I was lucky enough to see it in Sarasota. Its absence from the repertory is to be regretted, since it is an effective stage work with some beautiful music and an over-the-top poetic libretto.. The performers in this recording do justice to the work, with Virginia Zeani a fine Fiora. Her husband, Nicola Rossi--Lemeni in the role of the blind King Archimbaldo may not efface memories of Pinza or Lazzari but has the dramatic savvy to give a vivid performance. Tenor Ennio Buoso and baritone Giulio Fioravanti both give moving performances as Fiora's lover and her husband. The sound is more than satisfactory. You might want to seek out historic performances with Pinza and Moore or Lazzari and Kirsten, but the commercial studio recording with Anna Moffo is to be avoided.”
Guenter Schwiefert
“A remarkable experience, especially for Christoff-fans, his only Gurnemanz in German. What a wonderful voice! Very well the rest of the singers and a rare chance to hear Gustav Neidlinger in a "not-bad-guy" role.”
Joseph
“I am very thankful for the release of this recording. Pauline Tinsley was a superb soprano with an exceptionally varied repertory (ranging from Mozart’s Elettra, recorded for Sir Colin Davis, to twentieth-century roles) who was unfortunately far too little recorded. In this performance of Santuzza, she displays all of her finest qualities: an unfailing dramatic instinct, a voice of color and appropriate range, and an ability to adapt her performance to the other members of her cast. All told, Tinsley sings a superb Santuzza, startling in her vehemence and very moving in her sorrow. Mastromei leaves little to be desired as Alfio. Domingo’s Turiddu is perhaps not quite as impressive as it should have been (this performance was in the period during which Domingo’s famed Otello was still a relatively new addition to his repertory) but is effective as drama and vocalism. Other principals are acceptable. The choral and orchestral sounds are occasionally somewhat muddy, but the sound is generally very good. Tinsley’s Santuzza is a classic performance that, unlike many classic performances, enjoys a good setting. Many thanks to Opera Depot for making this performance available.”
An Extraordinary performance
“There’s so much to enjoy in this recording. First of all, it’s one of the most gripping, dramatic performances that you could wish for. How glorious it must have been to have sat in the Festspielhaus that evening. The orchestral playing is thrilling throughout and Erich Leinsdorf (a hugely underrated Wagnerian) has a complete grasp of the opera’s shape and structure. Then there’s Gwyneth Jones, who sings both Venus and Elizabeth - an amazing feat few if any others have attempted. At this point in her career she was brilliantly able to characterise the two opposing female characters, finding an astonishing pure tone for Elizabeth in Act II, after an Act I Venus that is sultry, wild and passionate. The dramatic aspect of this performance is utterly absorbing and having one woman sing both roles somehow gives a humanity to Tannhauser’s own struggles over which path he should choose. There’s a wonderful Wolfram to enjoy too from a young Bernd Weikl and a sonorous Landgrave form Hans Sotin, one of my favourite Wagner singers. As for the Tannhauser, I was intrigued to hear Hugh Beresford, whose voice was unknown to me. I had read that his performance was booed by the audience, but this recording cuts out the audience reaction, so the extent of any displeasure is impossible to judge. Beresford (who only died two years ago in his mid 90s) had a long career as a baritone, before moving up to a Heldentenor. He sings with great clarity and intensity on this recording and never holds back, although the vocal strain of the role begins to show quite a bit in Act III. But that is not unusual and there’s something compelling about his performance throughout. He does not play safe. The lasting glories of this recording however are Jones’s stupendous characterisations of Venus and Elizabeth and Leinsdorf’s magnificent interpretation of an opera many now regard as problematic. This is the most viscerally exciting Tannhauser I have heard.”
Fantastic Fidelio
“Absolutely brilliant. It is only a fragment but a valuable fragment at that. Currently one is unable to get hold of a Toscanini Fidelio anywhere. I am a collector of historical live recordings of opera and have been collecting performances from the 1935-37 Salzburg festival for a long time when Bruno Walter and Arturo Toscanini were at the helm. Toscanini had refused to conduct at Bayreuth anymore following Hitler's rise to power and had moved to Salzburg. These performances are legendary and some eminent conductors such as Georg Solti learned their craft under the great conductor. I already have performances of Die Zaberflotte, Falstaff and Die Meistersinger and they are all fab. This completes the set. Other than Toscanini, the performance is notable for the wonderful performance of Lotte Lehmann who sang the role of Leonore. I have 78s and CDs of her commercial recordings but nothing can replace a live recording. If you are happy to listen to recordings in decent sound for the time, this is well worth a listen. Wouldn't it be great if one day somebody could find a complete performance of this opera”
A Memoerable Frau, but January 77, not October
“This performance is not from the run of performances in October 1977 that were used in the DGG CD issue, all of which featured James King, as per the Staatsoper online archive, which also shows that the only Frau performances sung by Mattu Kastu were 16, 20 and 27 January 1977. Nevertheless it is a fabulous performance, very likely 27 January, the unforgettable perfomance I attended.”
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.”
IMPORTANT SECTION MISSING!
“Be warned that Track 3 of Disc 2 (I'm talking about the download) is missing. This is the entire finale of Act Two.I have tried re-downloading the files twice more but the result is the same. This is a shame, because the last scene of Act 2 (a crucial moment, you will agree, leading up to Samson's cry of 'Traison!') is gone...straight after Dalila's aria, we jump straight into Act 3! There is no sign of Dalila's 'evil laughter' mentioned by David Reynolds in his review.The fact that the track listings display tracks 2 and 4 (but not 3) suggests that this is a simple glitch, not missing music (which would have been noted in the listing). HOWEVER, I HAVE EMAILED ANDY FOUR TIMES ABOUT THIS BUT HAVE FAILED TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE...”
Rainer
“This recording is very special due to the participation of Ernst Kozub (Not even mentioned above!!), who died much too early in 1972. He was probably the only real Heldentenor around in the 60s and 70s apart from Hans Hopf and a worthy successor to August Seider and Ludwig Suthaus.”
Brian Morgan
“As the biographer of Norman Treigle, I can assure you that the recording under review was, until now, the rarest of extant performances of the great singing-actor. The annuals of the New York City Opera do not claim this 1960 production to have been broadcast, so its provenance is unknown to this reviewer, yet the sound-quality is excellent.Conducted by Leopold Stokowski and directed by Christopher West (in his company debut), this was the \""professional\"" American premiere of Luigi Dallapiccola's dodecaphonic opera, set during the Spanish Inquisition. Treigle had one of his greatest roles in this work, and his co-stars, Richard Cassilly and Anne McKnight, were also utterly extraordinary.At the time, Harriett Johnson wrote that the production bespoke \""an atmosphere of terror....\"" In fact, the New York press corps universally proclaimed it a great success.The Mobile Press had reported that \""Il prigioniero\"" was to have been \""scheduled for recordings with Stokowski shortly.\"" This was not to be, so we are greatly in the debt of Opera Depot for publishing such a moving account of a profoundly disturbing masterpiece.”
A fantastic Tristan
“I am amazed by how wonderful is this performance. I think it is one of Nilsson's best ever Isoldes. But the revelation is Helge Brilioth as Tristan. He is a singer I much admire, and the best acted Siegfried I have ever seen. But he surpasses himself in this Tristan. And the quality of the recording is superb. NImsgern is also a wonderful Kurvenal. In fact the only performance which is not superb - but still perfectly adequate - is Beverly Wolff as Brangaene who doesn't quite match the heights of a Ludwig or Minton. But this is definitely now one of my favourite recordings of the opera. Mehta is quite fast, but passionate and exciting.”
Albert Herring, Wien 1976 (in Deutscher Sprache)
“Eine reizvolle Einspielung in deutscher Sprache. Für alle, die der englischen Sprache nicht mächtig sind. Die Künstler sind alle hervorragend. Die Tonqualität ist gut. A delightful recording in German. For those who are not proficient in English. The performers are all excellent. The sound quality is good.”
Mackerras's first recording of Katya Kabanova
“.I had Mackerras's performance of 1977 with Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and soprano Elisabeth Soderstrom.I am glad to have this previous performance of 1973 with Sadler's West orchestra and Lorna Haywood..”
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.”
Bellini : I Capuleti ed I Montecchi
“I have already a mono tape recording of the 1966 Amsterdamperformance with Margherita Rinaldi as Giulietta. Unfortunatly,the recording is rather bad and I was very pleased with your offer because your recording is so much better technically and so is also the performance with young Pavarotti in ottima forma.is”
Daniel
“As stunning and satisfying a Tosca as I have ever heard in many decades of recordings. Metternich so dominates that the 3d Act seems somehow anti-climactic. His rich, menacing voice seems to sweep over everything and reaches into every crook and cranny of the proceedings. Rysanek, as advertised, shimmers and astonishes with well-armed youthful abandon--even if some of her exchanges with Scarpia ring a tad [involuntaryily] shreiky. I don't agree that the Wagnerian heft serves Hans Hopf in general against the lyrical passages, but his \""Vittoria!!\"" is itself almost worth the price of the ticket. Terrific up-front broadcast sound, but don't expect the same high quality from the later \""Bonus Tracks.\""”
