Opera CDs and MP3s of live performances

Exciting Performance of Carmen in Excellent Sound!

“If you only know Troyanos' Carmen from the well-groomed and somewhat staid Solti studio recording, you're in for a great treat. Troyanos is just fine in the Solti set (especially in the spoken dialogue), but here onstage she is much more spontaneous and lively. Her distinctive voice is a joy to hear as is her total involvement with the role. Carmen was a role Troyanos avoided later on so it's a pleasure to hear her in it early on in her career.Ilosfalvy is probably best known to Western audiences as the Devereux in Beverly Sills' studio recording of Donizetti's opera. He was a fine singer and makes a believably psychotic Jose. The audience adores him. Donath is a terrific Micaela, her Act Three aria sung with real distinction. Andy finds Braun underpowered, but I thought he sounded sexy with a manly, strong baritone. The supporting cast is first-rate. Bohm leads a solid, well-rehearsed performance in the then new Oeser edition. The chorus sings the extra music very well. The Guiraud recitatives are used instead of the dialogue.The sound is very good. A phrase or two disappears now and then (one in the Seguidilla), but if you're not listening closely you'll miss it. Any Carmen lovers should get this; yes, it's in German, but we've all heard it in French umpteen times!”

Anja Silja, Salomé, Marie, Lulu and some others for ever

“Thanks to Andy for celebrating Anja Silja’s birthday. The catalog he offers is very interesting and is roughly representative of the artist's repertoire, at least between around 1960 and 1975. Anja Silja is a star in the opera world. She was said to be the German Callas. I do not believe so. Callas was a great tragedian who revived 19th century Italian romantic operas. But Anja Silja was above all the first modern singer and for a long time the only one. She is a great actress and has phenomenal vocal capacities, from the soprano colorature to the soprano dramatic. I think that since a decade, some singers who have some similar qualities: A Grigorian, C Schäfer, M Petersen and B Hannigan. But Anja Silja actually includes them all by her very wide repertoire. She has been accompanied my life when listening to the opera : Bayreuth’s broadcasts since 1961. Then Salomé, Walküre, Marie (Wozzeck), Emilia Marty (Aix and Lyon), Geschwitz, Kostelnika, die Ame (Die Frau), sister Marie, Erwartung, Schönberg’s lieder, Pierrot Lunaire (Aix and Lyon). I had the chance to have some exchanges with her. What a personality, a very clear understanding of her roles. One can add to Andy’s catalogue, the video of Wieland Wagner's Lulu, Fidelio and various sequences on YOUTUBE, recordings of Tristan in Naple and Salomé in Vienna and the remarkable recordings with Christoph von Dohnanyi of Wozzeck, Lulu and Erwartung. What an outstanding artist! Anja Silja… Salomé, Marie, Lulu forever. Ewig, ewig, ewig….”

A deep and dark Macbeth

“Taddei's great performance with serious intubating tones,very deep and credible. Amy Shuard very penetrating, versatile, with many harmonics exceptionally in "La luce langue". Previtali, with the exception of some irregularities in the first act, led well with the support and highlighting of the moments of tension. Almost good sound considering it was live.Thank a lot again Operadepot!”

Frau ohne Schatten

“Thank you for the posted excerpts and the remark of my “finesse”. I always searched for the truth in music. So often Strauss and Wagner are sung forte no matter what the composer wrote. I tried to sing my Elektra, Frau, Bruennhilde, etc. with the intended dynamic markings, even if it was difficult and, of course, dangerous! Elusive is how to sing Mahler's “Fahrende Gesellen” with phrases beginning in pp and decrescending to pppp! What IS pppp? Have always wanted to figure that out!. Thank you, Opera Depot for publishing this recording! Our GMD Layer was great. Sang Elektra, Frau, Ortrud with him for years. He took me to Dresden with Elektra as “his singer”.”

A WARM, CLEAR, VIVID AND UPLIFTING PERFORMANCE AND RECORDING

“This is an outstanding performance of Die Frau ohne Scatten, thanks mainly to Norman Bailey’s warm, noble and moving Barak (on a par with his great portrayals of Hans Sachs, Wotan and Jupiter), Pauline Tinsley’s characteristically ardent, intense and charismatic performance as Barak’s wife, and Anne Evans’s warm, feminine, poised and precise Empress. Patricia Payne and Geoffrey Moses are also strong as the Nurse and the Spirit Messenger. Although Matti Katsu is no match for the likes of Jess Thomas, James King, Ben Heppner, Plácido Domingo, or (in the 1989 revival of this great production) Jeffrey Lawton, he manages not to let the side down. Indeed, he sounds considerably better here than in some of his other Strauss recordings. Richard Armstrong’s conducting is as assured and well judged as ever – sadly, far too little of his outstanding work for the WNO and Scottish Opera has remained available. The recording is warm, spacious and clear, allowing the performance to come across very vividly and intelligibly. Highly recommended to all Straussians and Wagnerites. Robert Bideleux”

Congratulations

“I attended the opening night in Florence 1969 and have waited till now for a recording of any sort. The performance was from start to finish amazing, unique; not least for the stunning staging by the great Giorgio Strehler with his designer, Ezio Frigerio, which, of course, we cannot see, but it infused the musical performance and inspired Sena Jurinac and the others to give their all. For me it was an ultimative performance, alongside the 1961 one with Sena at Covent Garden, also soon available, under Klemperer; I had attended that as a young teenie and the evening sold me to opera forever) so, although I have heard many a performance since, I have never returned to an opera house for one live. Silly, perhaps, but I still live with the experience sdn opera, as we all know, is a very personal passion und gut so. Congratulations and thanks to Andy and his team at Opera Depot for keeping up the search for so long, until they finally tracked it down! You are all just great!”

Wonderful Gluck

“I love this recording. I was expecting something rather old-fashioned and perhaps rather heavy, but in fact Kleiber conducts with great pace and energy, and the dances go at an incredible lick! For a performance given over 80 years ago it sounds remarkably up-to-date to me. Konetzni is great in the title role, passionate and moving with some glorious top notes. The rest of the cast does a good job too, and I think the quality of the recording is good for 1937.”

David Fetz

“I have to agree with Beethovens cecisions as to what to cut to form Fidelio out of Leonore. The only thing that i would have left might be the extended version of Oh Welch Lust In Leonore. It would slow the Action a bit but I love that rich male chorus sound. That Coment out of the way.BUY THIS RECORDING WITHOUT DELAY! The singing in this performance is GODLIKE. This version has some of the most beautiful and DIFFICULT that Beethoven ever Wrote. You are listening along to stratispheric singing for the Soprano and Tenor thinking “When is he going to give them a rest?” and then they REPEAT IT ALL AGAIN! Dame Gweneth and James King are stellar never leting down for a moment the level of singing and the rest of the cast is equally as stellar. Theo Adam holds his own with the best and Gerd Nienstedt is excellent as well.This is the WAGNERIAN OPERA that Wagner always wanted to write but couldn’t. If you are a fan of GREAT SINGING buy this. It is a true JOY to the ears.”

A Stunning (!) perfomance!

“All us that have been really impressed with the overwhelming beauty and intensity of Gwyneth Jones in the DGG realease of the Boulez Parsifal Bayreuth 1970, did perhaps think that nothing could surpass that. But I agree totally with the earlier reviewers. This might be the most magnificent by Jones ever captured in a recording! The voice flows effortless from the must subtle pianissimos to the breathtaking outbursts in the end of act two. Simply stunning! This is a "must have" for Gwyneth Jones fans. The rest of the cast is as good as in the DGG set. Crass sings beautifully and with much love. King's stiffness makes him sound more like Siegmund than the vulnerable Parsifal, but he is reliable and firm. Stein makes the piece flow naturally, and the soloists, especially Jones, are able to express Wagners intentions without any hindrances from exaggerations of tempi and volume.”

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.”

The date of this performance...

“According to the Royal Opera Archives, this was surely the broadcast of the UK premiere 2 December 1963 [not 13 December 1966 as stated]. The cast is identical to that provided by Andy.As far as I can ascertain, the opera in this production was only presented in 1963 and again in December 1964, with largely -but not completely- the same cast. It does not seem to have been revived in 1966.Small points, made out of respect to the singers: I should point out that the Police Inspector is the Canadian baritone Robert SAVOIE (not Sovie...add a 't' and that name would indeed have been topical!) Also that the 2nd Workman is DANIEL McCoshen (not David). Despite being the inferior, revised version -forced upon Shostakovich by Stalin's government- this is a marvelous, musically and dramatically vital performance of an important opera, in excellent sound, with every singer giving their all!”

The announcement

“As requested by Richard Inverne, my transcription of the announcement as best I could make it out:Eine kürzliche Indisposition von Berit Lindholm machte es erforderlich, dass die Brünnhilde heute Abend umbesetzt werden musste.(„Bravo“ aus dem Publikum; Gelächter)Ich darf Ihnen kurz sagen, der Mensch hat zwei Stimmbänder. Sie sind für eine Sängerin von besonderer Bedeutung. Diese Stimmbänder gehen heute Abend nicht.Frau Schröder-Feinen, die ja 1971 hier die Senta sang, und im vergangenen Jahr die Ortrud und die dritte Norn, hat in entgegenkommender Weise und in kollegialster Weise die Brünnhilde für heute Abend übernommen.Ich konnte es nicht bereits im Zettel in Ihrem Programmheft bekannt geben, da Frau Schröder-Feinen erst heute Nachmittag kurz nach vier Uhr hier eintreffen konnte.English translation:A recent indisposition of Berit Lindholm made it necessary to recast Brünnhilde tonight.(“Bravo” from the audience; laughter).Let me tell you briefly, human beings have two vocal cords. They are of special importance for a singer. These vocal cords are not working tonight.Mrs. Schröder-Feinen, who sang Senta here in 1971, and last year Ortrud and the third Norn, has taken over Brünnhilde for tonight in a most accommodating and collegial way.I could not announce it already on the note in your program booklet, because Ms. Schröder-Feinen could not arrive here until shortly after four o'clock this afternoon.Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator”

Femmes folles

“16 Avril 1975 J'y étais Soirée en présence de Giscard et Walter Scheel marquée par une panne électrique au beau milieu (la radio a dû faire un montage) . Les 3 dames sont en forme exceptionnelle, Nilsson plus fouillée que dans les années 60, Rysanek et Varnay ont marqué leurs rôles à jamais . Böhm toujours chez lui dans cette oeuvre estimait avoir ici sa meilleure distribution .”

A fantastic ice princess

“Despite the preeminence of Birgit Nilsson, Turandots were in good supply in the Sixties. Here is Liane Synek, staking impressive credentials in the role that include a voice of unflagging refulgence and intelligence of comparable power. Many tenors would be obliterated by this force of nature but Eugene Tobin holds his ground as a stalwart Calaf. Liselotte Hammes' affecting Liu rounds out the trio of principals (hard to believe that her repertory also included Sophie in "Der Rosenkavalier"). Conductor Peter Lacovich guides the proceedings with flair.”

Sensitive Tosca

“Under the many Toscas I heard live Pilar Lorengar was the most sensitive one.She has sung this role many toimes at Deutsche Oper Berlin, and often her partners were F.Tagliavini and Wixell, under the direction of Maazel. So the record is a wonderful evidence for harmony and quality of the performances at DOB.”

Rare work deserving an audience

“Knew nothing about this opera. Bought it to expand my horizon and was not disappointed. Music is lush and singers give good performances. Recommend to anyone wishing to encounter new work.”

Andy Seplow

“Great lineup of soloist with the rare opportunity of hearing the great Pilar Lorengar in a piece I'd never heard her sing. The rest of the quartet are well known from other performances and none are standouts because they're all great! And, Maazel is at the helm of a very exciting performance.”

Roland

“I knew Delme Bryn-Jones at the end of his life after he stopped drinking. A wonderful man. He sadly didn’t get back to major public performance but did help a lot of people recover from drink problems, like his own. There are sadly very few recordings of him working. I am very pleased to have found this one to add to my very small collection.”

GLORIANA! A TOUR DE FORCE!

“I intentionally sat to listen to this performance without benefit of vocal score or libretto. Mario Bernardi’s conducting is so expert as to make Britten’s Elizabethan Court the central character, encompassing court dances, a full masque, chamber intimacy and symphonic pageantry. Sylvia Fisher is at her summit histrionically and vocally as QEI. David Hillman’s Essex couldn’t sound more the romantic hero, all grace, charm, virility and vanity. Milla Andrew’s crystalline soprano soars as Penelope. Gerwyn Morgan (Mountjoy), Shirley Chapman (Frances), Derek Hammond-Stroud (Cecil) and Don Garrard (Raleigh) are all superb. Choral work is stunning. Sound is pristine; voices are only occasionally distant. Diction ranges from excellent to “AH-peratic”.”

Unique OTELLO

“Here is an English language performance of an opera that is about 95% understandable. Almost everyone has great diction and one can feel like they are hearing OTHELLO sung. Mackerras conducts well and the sound is broadcast quality. There supporting cast is solid. Glossop is excellent as Iago. Hearing him sing it in english is such a pleasure. He knows how to keep the tone clear and ringing while every word is given it's full value. Richard Cassilly sounds fresher and stronger than in his many Met broadcasts. Not everything is perfectly in tune but for the most part this is some of the best singing I ever heard him do. His performance is deeply felt. Teresa Stratas is not completely consistent in her vocal production but when she is in her best vocal production spots the voice is gorgeous. She, is always, a wonderful singing actress and I found myself completely involved in her character. Sometimes she sounds a bit girlish but then she hits part of her voice where the quality becomes that of a very sensuous woman. Interesting performance. I still prefer Otello in Italian but if you are a fan of any of these singers you will want this performace.”

Super!

“Loved this performance which fairly zips along. Wunderlich is, well, wunderlich and the rest of the cast keep up. Some listeners have been critical of the band, but they seem fine to me!”

Theodore Shulman

“I have faced a dilemma for many years: I love Jess Thomas and Gerhard Stolze, but I hate Herbert von Karajan. His slow passages always ooze like mud and his fast sections sound like cheap operetta with too much tinsel. For many years the only available recording of SIEGFRIED with Thomas and Stolze has been Karajan's. However, this Bayreuth 1969 performance features Thomas and Stolze, with Lorin Maazel conducting rather than Karajan. Thus, Karajan-haters like me can finally enjoy these two wonderful singers. Stolze is a genius actor who understood the role of Mime better than anyone else on record. Thomas is not loud, but his pitch and enunciation are gorgeous and lieder-lyric and his insight into the character is second to none. (He was a professor of psychology before he was a singer.)The secondary singers are all excellent; even Thomas Stewart sounds more interesting and intelligent in this performance than he usually manages to be. Long-time veterans Josef Greindl and Gustav Neidlinger, who have been Bayreuth mainstay performers since the early 1950s, have aged extremely well and show no sign of weakening or getting bored with their roles. Lorin Maazel's conducting is a pleasure--disciplined but expansive. I especially enjoyed the section in Act 2 where the two nibelungs quarrel over the treasure. Maazel takes this section more quickly than any other performance I have ever heard, placing fearsome demands on the singers' tongue-twisting abilities. Both of them--Stolze and Neidlinger--meet this demand with no problem. All in all, a fantastic performance which no one should miss.”

Great Performance

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

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.”

best Butterfly ever

“Acoustical quality of the recording not great, but this was the most heart-rending performance of the title role I have ever heard. I am usually jaded by Un bel di, but Olivero's version made me cry. The way she took the ending of the third act keeps haunting me. Her silvery voice is not voluptuous like Tebaldi, for example. but she lives the role from the inside.Rest of the cast also good and Rescigno supplies his usual excellent idiomatic conducting.”

Martin Ramor

“It's recording of premiere performance of Godunov (21st February 1976). Ghiaurov is very moving as title hero, Fassbaender is real Marina, driven by her will for power. You really enjoy her singing. Atlantov is nice False Dimitry. Czerwenka, Kovats, Mazurok and Kmentt are all very convincing in their roles. It is nice to hear some old acquaintances as Zednik as good Simpleton and Šramek and Tichy in their smaller roles. Conducting of Robert Satanowski iz great also. My advice: Grab it!”

YOU ARE THE BEST!

“Thank you again for your 1. Excellent quality- you clean up the sound and provide a time listing as to tracks of arias. Your competitors do not.2. Speed of Delivery- I always receive my orders within a matter of days. Your competitors typically take months. THANK YOU!”

Edmund

“Welting was a fabulous Rosina at Covent Garden double cast surprisingly with a mezzo Rosina Jane Berbie the critics asusual here moaned a bit about the inauthenticity of having a high soprano in the part but the house went wild.this was in the early 70,s she was wonderful.”

A Classic

“This is the performance to own if you are only owning one (but why would you?). Stewart is the equal of any Sachs I've heard, live or recorded. Kubelik leads a warm, humane performance and the sound is excellent.”

Kevin Dunn

“This is an astonishing recording. Every element of the performance is first-rate, and the result is a radiant "Parsifal" in which the balance between musical and dramatic expression is achieved to near perfection.”

Die Meistersinger - Beecham 1951

“Wonderful Beechanm Performance in good sound for its time. Shame Act 3 was never recorded but what we have is outstanding. Grummer is a great Eva. Also exc value for money as always”

Cose d'altri tempi.

“Nessuno oggi canta così. Questo può bastare. Che l'edizione di Bonynge sia tagliata o altro non toglie nulla al fascino dell'esecuzione. Vivaddio non ci sono strumenti cosiddetti "originali" che sono una sciagura, sembrando sempre orchestre di chitarre. Sutherland meravigliosa, irreale, stratosferica e coloratissima, una vera regina. Tourangeau anche lei nella parte e lo stesso dicasi per la Lucia Popp, meno tedesca del solito. Bonynge grande accompagnatore, in queste opere bisogna saperlo fare e lui e' maestro anche nel clavicembalo di solito, e ottimo concertatore. A quei tempi Handel si faceva così e storcere il naso e' assolutamente ridicolo. E' meglio ascoltare la Sutherland con Bonynge o la Jarusski con gli odierni?”

Delightful Performance in Excellent Sound!

“Here we have a rarity (at least in North America), remarkably well-performed in excellent stereo sound. Castelnuovo-Tedesco is not a composer that I'm familiar with though I have heard of him. This adaption of Wilde's classic comedy is charming and funny and should be revived more often. I am not completely fluent in Italian, but I had little difficulty following the plot as it's mostly a slightly trimmed version using Wilde's text translated into Italian. I simply got my copy of the original play and followed along, listening to the singers' very clear diction. The composer does not write any of the vocal lines so high that intelligibility is compromised. His use of various quotes from other works makes this opera a bit of a pasticcio, but a humorous one. I enjoyed the less than two hours playing time very much.All of the singers are great, all were well-known in Italy. Edda Vincenzi sang Clotilde in Callas' second studio recording of Norms, Laura Zannini is probably best known for playing one Cenerentola's daffy sisters for Abbado. Alvinio Misciano sang Almaviva in Decca's recording of Barber of Seville with Simionato and Bastianini and Florindo Andreolli specialized in comprimario roles in Chicago for years. Angelo Campori provides strong leadership. The sound is very clear and without any glitches Highly recommended, not only to people who like rare operas, but to those who enjoy a good laugh!”

Varnay gives a fearless star turn

“I bought this set for Astrid Varnay and she does not disappoint in this role. She is utterly fearless with her attack on the difficult arias and is wonderfully dramatic. Her co-stars are easy on the ear and I would like to give an honourable mention to Penno as Macduff, easily the most sympathetic character on stage. There is a patch in Act 2 which sounds like it might come from a different source and the sound is not as good here, but it's far from being a disaster. I played this recording to a group of friends who had never heard Macbeth before and they very much enjoyed it. An ideal starter recording might have been a comfortable sounding studio recording, but that would have robbed them of Varnay. Playing safe is not always the best way! This recording has now become their yard stick to measure all others by and hopefully I've created some more Varnay fans.”

Adam Frei

“Really wonderful to get to experience such a wonderful cast of singers bringing this bracing and dramatic work to life. Vickers in particular is searing, grabs and holds you from the very start. At times, hair raising, at others, caressing and gentle.”

Gold!

“You have to hear the amazing voices of Gencer and Aragall to believe it!! WHY these two were not world famous in the same class as Caballe, Callas, Pavarotti or Domingo is beyond me. They had it all. I particularly like cd 2 but it’s all gold.”

Joseph Brand

“The withdrawal of Vickers from Tannhauser had nothing to do with this 1973 production. It was a revised revival in 1977 specially mounted for him (and which he was to repeat at the Met in the 77/78 season) which was the occasion for the controversial cancellation (he also cancelled the Met). Vickers had never sung Tannhauser before and in 1977 it may have been beyond his then vocal powers (though I doubt it) but heWAS a deeply religious man and he found the plot offended his religious beliefs. This might seem odd to many but live and let live. Nothing can take away his position as the supreme tenor of his age: the tenor equivalent of Callas – and I saw them together at Covent Garden in Medea!Nevertheless the 1973 production which I saw twice – once with Cassily and once with Kassel was a very fine one. I think it had been dogged by trouble in the production department which caused a lot of negative comment at the time. The great Josef Svoboda’s design for act two was dominated by an immense and beautiful stained glass window which stretched the width of the backstage. When Tannhauser revealed his secret and was condemned by the company all the colour drained out of the window – a tremendous visual psychological insight which I’ve never forgotten.”

Superb. Performances caught on the wing.

“I have 23 complete 'Ring' cycles in my recording collection and numerous singletons from the 4 operas involved. THIS Horst Stein cycle from Bayreuth in 1970 has leapt handily to the top of the pile.The sound is excellent, everything I like about my favorite broadcasts from Bayreuth. Vivid, clear and natural, splendid balance between singers and orchestra. Orchestral details are there but not over-highlighted as so many over-engineered commercial releases. The great advantages of this set... 1. Horst Stein's conducting. He was one of the great conductors at Bayreuth, or anywhere else for that matter. Equal to Krauss, Karajan, Furtwängler, Knappertsbusch and Carlos Kleiber.Stein has the best cast of all the recorded cycles I've heard from there. Only Hans Hotter surpasses all Wotans. Here, Thomas Stewart lacks the basso undertones notes of his illustrious predecessor's voice. Otherwise his Wotan is a great performance, one of the solid highlights of this cycle.Their are other magnificent singers at work here. Roughly in order of impact... Berit Lindholm. This under-rated, under-utilized and under-recorded artist almost steals the show, which is saying something in this cast.She is astonishing. The power, steadiness and steely edge when needed is there but never tiresome on the ear as Nilsson could be. Her voice is truly beautiful and feminine, soft and subtle at key moments when Nilsson was relentlessly hard at times. I love Nilsson, but I like Lindholm more.Gustav Neidlinger, 25 years after his debut at Bayreuth, turns in a fine Alberich, as good as he was with Krauss in 1953. Karl Ridderbusch is splendid as Fasolt, Hunding and Hagen. Highlights: Act 1 of Walküre. Helge Brilioth and Gwyneth Jones are fabulous twins. Act 2 is also stunning. Lindholm's ''Todesverkündigung" is awesome and chilling. Joneses primal scream when Hunding kills Siegmund is one for the annals in all Wagner performance.Act 2 of Siegfried is another highlight. Jean Cox is one of the best heroes. His voice is strong, youthful, flexible and heroic. The Mime/Alberich squabbling in front of Fafner's cave is hilarious and menacing at the same time. Stein's leadership is particularly succinct and subtle in this opera. Cox is as fresh at the end of the Love Duet as he was in Act 1, and Lindholm doesn't hold back anything. Her high Cs are spectacular.Act 2 of Götterdämmerung is amazing. Norman Bailey's Gunther is, for once, strong, virile and equal to Hagen. It has to be remembered that Hagen is younger than Gunther and Gutrune and, yes he's a menace but he's also immature and insecure, hence all his bluster. Bailey's King stands up to Hagen and doesn't back down. Great singing from all the Gibiching's. Janis Martin's Gutrune and Fricka 1 are towers of strength and vocal beauty. The Vengeance Trio is riveting.Lindholm's Immolation is 2nd to none.The rest of the cast are excellent. All the tenors, in particular, are super. Esser's Loge, Paskuda's Mime (particularly) and Kollo's Froh are all wonderfully characterized and sung.If you don't have this cycle the fact that you are considering it at Opera Depot is strong enough reason to buy it. I was delighted by this purchase. It's half-price now(grrrr I paid full price two weeks ago) but it is still a valued addition to my library.”

Patrick McCabe

“Great performance ? -yes. I do not know whether it was because of her position on stage, but sometimes Dame Joan seemed to ebb and flow a little in volume. It's a small quibble.We in Ireland have always admired Charles Craig, and he does not disappoint here. Just one thing; Is it not a B natural in" Meco all' altar" ?. When I listen to Bonisolli on the live Munich with our great Irish soprano Suzanne Murphy' and Alicia Nafe, his top note in " Meco " is high C on my piano. Charles is a half tone below.I have read with interest Richard's comments re Vanne si mi lascia. I respect his opinion, but I cannot agree. It sounds fine to me and I do not think she screams. Surely Bonynge had a say. Incidentally on the live performance from Tokyo of 30/8/71 with Suliotis and Cecchele, she sings an A natural to the D of Suliotis and it also sounds fine.Anyway, this recording rates a prominent place on any Collector's shelf.”

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”

A broad spectrum from England to Russia

“The double album covers two decades of Jon Vickers' operatic career (1957-1976) and offers a broad cross-section: Beethoven, Berlioz, Verdi, Britten, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Leoncavallo, Wagner. Although he has always sung very powerfully, his voice seems to have changed little: His Siegmund of 1961 sounds just as fresh as his Tristan of 1976. A rarity is the eruptive aria of Hermann, on the verge of madness, from Tchaikovsky's "Queen of Spades," sung in English.However, the technical quality is not good in several pieces. But in any case it is enough to give a realistic picture of his vocal power.”

Superior to Davis's studio set

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

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.”

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.”

Wonderful

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

Richard Bernas

“This was brilliantly cast with Horne and Verett really well contrasted as Cassandra and Dido. They are both exceptional. Gedda's ease in a difficult role almost conventionalises it; he turns the conflicted hero so thrillingly sung by Vickers and Heppner into a 19th century French Tenor. But it's a legitimate take on the role, and sets it within the tradition. The under-rated Massard is also first rate. I am used to Colin Davis' approach to Berlioz and Pretre is a bit slacker rhythmically, generally less dramatic and severe in his view. Berlioz' roots in Gluck are pretty much ignored. But he doesn't prevent the singers from doing a great job and the orchestra plays well enough.”

AN "ELEKTRA" OF NOTE

“An "Elektra" of note is this wonderful live opera recording that features and casts great singers under the inspired baton of Horst Stein in the best years of Hamburger Staatsoper ('70s). Highly recommended! A must!”

A fine Gurrelieder

“Great sound quality and a great performance too. Martina Arroyo gives her sumptuous tone to the role of Tove, Janet Baker demonstrates why she was one of the greatest and Alexander Young sings an elegant Waldemar, which can’t always be said of singers of this role. Also, Julius Patzak does a beautifully atmospheric final scene. Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommend.”