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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.
Ok
“Poor Virginia was struggling. Maybe it was the first time she sang the role of Alzira. Everyone else good and even her many times as well. Not always struggling. A very nice opera that should be performed much more often.”
Bel Canto Fan
“One of the best 'Barber' recordings I have heard. The leads are all Italian and it shows. Very fluent at, I think, a faster tempo than usual. The whole cast is very good, with Cossotto really shining and Alva at his best, The sound is excellent. A good choice for anyone.”
Riveting Performance, Excellent Sound!
“Thomas Stewart's Dutchman was recorded for DG under Karl Bohm with Gwyneth Jones' Senta about five or six years after this performance. That is a fine recording, but if you love Stewart and/or this opera, you must hear this. The American bass-baritone is in his best voice and his characterization is filled with many shades of anger, regret, and despair. Silja, singing the Ballad up a tone, has a few intonation issues here and there yet they don't keep her from delivering an incredibly intense, haunting performance. She is even better than she was a a few years earlier when Philips recorded her performance with Franz Crass as the Dutchman. Greindl is a deliciously sleazy Daland with his evil chuckle. Olvis, in his only Bayreuth season, is very fine as Erik, bringing a sense of smothering doom with him. It's clear why Senta wants to be rid of him. Chookasian, in her only Bayreuth season, actually makes something of Mary with her rich contralto. Winkler makes a sturdy Steersman with strong top B-flats. The chorus is magnificent both vocally and dramatically. Suitner is just as propulsive as Sawallisch and perhaps even more intense.The sound is from a very good mono broadcast tape. Even if you have other Bayreuth Dutchmen, make room for this one!”
Mitreißende Aufführung
“Sicher, der Sound der 1970er Aufnahme ist besser als bei dieser aus dem Folgejahr, die Stimme der Lindholm kräftiger als die der Ligendza. Und doch packt mich die 1971er Aufführung mehr, vor allem die Paarung Cox-Ligendza steigert sich am Ende zu einem fulminanten Finale.”
James Mertins
“This and the other live Wagner recordings with David Ward show what a superb singer he was. for me he was the best Wotan I have ever seen. Like Hotter he was tall but unlike Hotter the voice was steady even until his retirement, no other Wotan or Dutchman has came close to this in the last 40years, (maybe Norman Bailey who showed the same understanding)Ward was a wonderfully warm man and a great character. Britain has been lucky in it’s Wagner singers, although i still believe that Mr. Terfel’s Wagner singing too be hectoring and not very good, but that is only me.”
Great cast
“The Bernstein recording of 'Falstaff' was the third opera I ever purchased on LP back in 1967 - it is how I got to know the opera and I have always loved this cast. This live recording surprised me since I found the sound quality perfectly acceptable, and, as Andy and David Reynolds say, the performance is more lively and exciting than the commercially released recording. I can't really fault any of the cast except for Sciutti's occasional flatness on sustained notes. It is my favourite Fischer-Dieskau Italian role, Resnik is my favourite Quickly in any performance I have yet seen or heard, and Panerai is also superb. Although the commercially released recording has been re-mastered now I would still go for this live recording in preference.”
Kurt Hofmann Dr
“attended that performance as student and am pleased to be able to listen to it again.Never witnessed a omparable Salome performance afterwards.Rysanek in top conditiion,Varnay superb and on top Dieskau and Solze!!!The audience went absolutely mad!!!”
A must-hear, must-own, must-listen-many-many-times-and-study-every-syllable performance
“Gustav Neidlinger was typecast for the "howling-and-spitting" villain-roles very early in his career. Everyone thinks of Alberich and Klingsor when his name is mentioned. But he was in fact a versatile, smart singing actor equally capable of singing buffo parts and playing benevolent nice-guys. His Hans Sachs retains his characteristic massive vocal power, dark tone, and, his spontaneity, his uninhibited singing straight from the gut. His nasty side works well when he's "marking" Beckmesser, but he's also astonishingly tender when he talks with Eva in Act 2, and his monologues and avuncular interactions with David. The only flaws in this performance are his occasional tendency to rush a phrase, reaching the end of the line a little sooner than the orchestra; also, he runs out of gas a little bit during the singing lesson with Walther in Act 3.Tenor Walter Geisler is a big surprise, sweet, smart, and powerful. Everything else Andy said is right, about Eliz Grummer and Gerhard Stolze, but Andy neglected to mention that Josef Greindl has one of his best nights as Pogner, a role he first sang at Bayreuth in 1943 and apparently never got tired of. Andre Cluytens' conducting is very smart and sensitive.”
Great cast , poor sound
“I bought this mainly for Chiara as Elsa and the underrated Bernini as Ortrud; if you can listen through the poor sound it’s a great performance by all the cast and interesting to hear Wagner’s arguably most Italianate Opera in Italian . The sound seems As if it’s been run through a programme such as Goldwave to removebthe hiss butends up sounding very tinny. The recent free download of Parsifal from ( Stuttgart Opera in Paris) is another matter and sounds glorious for its age.”
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!”
Dag Kyndel
“This cannot be bettered. And what a bonus! (see above). The Chrysotemis first asked to participate in Solti’s famous recording on Decca was Berit Lindholm; however she said no, thinking she had not experience enough. She also declined the offer to be Karajan’s Brünnhilde in DG:s Siegfried and Götterdämmerung – upholding she hadn’t sung the role enough many times!”
Mackerras keeps it moving
“It's a good thing for posterity that Beethoven did not throw up his hands at the failure of "Leonore" and leave it at that. The best way to appreciate how he improved "Leonore" into "Fidelio" is to listen to this English-language performance from the Beethoven bicentennial year. Compared to its radically revised successor, "Fidelio" is garrulous, musically overloaded (including a second revenge aria for Pizarro) and fatuous in tone. The cast's exemplary English diction makes the latter point clear. Mackerras' singers, led by Pauline Tinsley, are splendid across the board, with Norman Bailey making a capital villain. A young Robert Lloyd doubles as Second Prisoner and Don Fernando, effectively liberating himself in the final scene. Well played, Sir Charles.”
Rock
“Great: sound, cast, opera. Deutekom could even handle dramatic roles likeAttila. Carreras had a voice of stunning beauty. Like so many tenors hedamaged it by singing heavy roles ala Pavarotti. Fioravanti was a fine baritonewho never became very famous. He sang Enrico on a filmed Lucia w/ Anna Moffo.”
John Stanton
“I like this recording very much. Hopf is a terrifying Canio, the music sitting well with his baritonal tenor, his white sounding upper notes, shattering in their intensity. Unfortunately he is also somewhat threatening at his enterance, his invitation to the play rather like:"Get here , or else" His elderly sounding clown gives an inbuilt motive for Nedda's infidelity. Melitta Muszely's beautiful pure voice delivers a Nedda, provocatively calculating, her aria not particularly shot through with sexual anticipation. Her meeting with Silvio ( a loving and tender performance from Hermann Prey )is instilled with a welcome sense of urgency and danger. Marcel Cordes is a "singing Tonio" avoiding the histrionics so often adopted by baritones in this music, particularly in the final scene. His attractive nicely focused voice gives us a vengeful Tonio and a well sung prologue. Murray Dickie is a warm masculine sounding Beppe. All this and very good sound as well.”
Vicent Sos Bravo
“Sawallisch with a powerful and incisive orchestral conducting makes us forget that this is a concert performance. Adam plays a powerful and noble Wottan. Kniplova is one of the most satisfying Brünhildes after Nilsson, Lindholm and Kuchta. Cox is the best Siegfried after Windgassen. The unknown Katz sings a sufficient and refined Siegmund and Nienstedt probably does the best performances of his career.”
Varnay as Kundry
“This document of Astrid Varnay‘s Kundry is a must! I never heard a better 2nd Act! Varnay is perfect in every thinkable way; her portrayal of Kundry is unique and not to miss! Jess Thomas is in brilliant form as Parsifal. Hans Hotter a authority as Gurnemanz. Neidlinger beyond critics as Klingsor. Theo Adam slightly disappointed me as rough throated Amfortas. The Flowermaiden are a collection of first class opera soloists as they were only possible at Bayreuth in former times.I love this recording!”
One of best Rings ever
“I cannot comment about the sound quality exactly because I own the Orfeo release, though it sounds like OD’s is very good, either close or identical to Orfeo. However, the performance is very strong, the conducting second only to Furtwangler, and the cast is one of most uniformly, consistently excellent of any I have heard. While there are plenty of individual performances that are better than any of these, you will be hard-pressed to find one like this with no weak links. Varnay is the standout, and Hopf is much greater than I thought he would be, given the comments I have read elsewhere. Few singers postwar have the stamina to pull off both Siegfrieds live convincingly, and Hopf is one of them, only following Windgassen and Suthaus, in my opinion. This is a must-purchase.”
Much Ado About Nothing - Excellent Performance, Cranky Audience!
“A lot of nonsense has been written about this performance; most of it isn't true or was greatly exaggerated. This was, in fact, an excellent performance, a few rough moments (and they are only moments) notwithstanding. Souliotis was all of 24, greatly hyped by her record company Decca, and singing the most challenging role in the bel canto repertoire. She sings the "Casta diva" scena extremely well and joins her colleague Nancy Tatum for exciting accounts of the big duets. In fact, Act One goes off without a hitch: Souliotis crowns the finale with a high D and the audience went happily off to intermission. I think the sore point is the end of "Mira, O Norma", sung a tone higher in the original key of F (probably because Tatum was a soprano). On the final penultimate C she is joined by Tatum who ends up holding the note just a bit longer. Some oafs in the audience take this as their cue to start booing. On the next track we hear a female audience member say "I guess she decided not to continue because she got booed!" Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and Souliotis came back out to finish the show and sang very well indeed.Tatum sings all of Adalgisa's high notes, Cecchele is a strong Pollione (he sings the top C in his aria), and Roni is a superb Oroveso. Cillario leads with distinction. The sound is excellent though a few snippets are missing probably because the tape had to be turned over.It's not Souliotis' fault some in the audience behaved badly that night.”
Don't miss this!
“Even if you have several performances of Die Walkure in your collection you will want to hear this one. The cast is close to ideal with tenor Kolbjorn Hoiseth the real surprise as Siegmund. His is a more lyric voice than usually heard in this role but the youthful timbre and vigor of the performance are truly special. Ase Nordmo Lovberg, usually a rather dull interpreter, is here fresh voiced and more involved dramatically while Arne Tyren as Hunding has the darkest most sinister instrument you are likely toever hear in this role, he scared me. As for the rest, they are all in superb form under Michael Gielen's assured conducting, and with all in excellent sound, this performance does Stockholm proud.”
Matey
“This is easily one of the best documents to listen to if you want to begin to grasp how large Dame Joan Sutherland's voice must have been in the opera house. Although there are a few drop outs (the overture is altogether missing, the first duet is mostly but not fully there, and the opera ends very abruptly due to the last few minutes not being there) and a few talkative audience members, this is absolutely perfect. The blend of Horne and Sutherland is supreme, and to hear them both sing this in their prime is truly amazing. The tenor also has quite a flexible voice and handles some of that coloratura very well!Ultimately, a very big recommendation on my part!”
Never better!
“This is truly an exceptional performance of Il Trovatore. All principals are firing on all cylinders singing signature roles of their respective careers. I have been listening to this opera for over 50 years yet this recently acquired addition to my library has rekindled all the excitement for this piece that one has upon first discovering it. If you are a "Trovatore" fan you must hear Bergonzi, Price, Cossotto and Cappuccilli at their best by savoring the fire in this performance. Bravi tutti!”
Great performance of Salome
“This was an excellent performance of Salome.I was blown away by the beauty and expressivity of Leonie Rysanek as Salome.I have been impressed by her singing in the past, including hearing her one time in person, at Seattle Opera in the Summer of 1987, when she sang Sieglinde in Die Walkure, in that year's Wagner Ring presentation. The audience responded rapturously to her singing, giving her quite an ovation at the end of the performance. Her voice had a rapturous quality that evening, as I recall.But this Salome is quite a find, I don't think I'd ever heard a Salome sung with such expressivity and plenty of vocal power as well.The sound is quite good in this performance by the way; definitely recommend this live recording of Salome. Jon Vickers also very good in the role of Herod, I should mention.”
Love this Gurrelieder recording!
“I absolutely love this piece, and as a chorister I've been able to perform it on two different occasions, onstage with singers like Jessye Norman and Hans Hotter, so I know this piece. I'm a Gundula Janowitz fan, so it was wonderful to hear her soar through this part. Christa Ludwig was perfect in her one scene, hardly brief, nailing every bit of it including all the optional high notes. The surprise for me was the tenor, Arturo Sergi (stage name...), who could actually sing Waldemar's part. Sing it! Most tenors strangle at some point but Sergi sang every inch of it really, really well.Bravo! The sound is quite good for the time, and overall it's simply a great performance of a stupendous work.”
Top Notch Meistersinger
“This Meistersinger is exceptionally well cast. Theo Adam is in superb voice as Hans Sachs, surpassing his performance on Karajan's commercial recording. Then there's Gundula Janowitz's youthful and gorgeously sung Eva. The rest of the cast is on an equally high level with the possible exception of Ernst Kozub, whose voice sounds a little frayed around the edges. Sawallisch provides unfailingly sensitive support from the podium. The stereo sound is excellent.”
Exciting performances of Inge Borkh and Martha Mödl
“"Ich seh´s an deinen Augen, an deinem Zittern..." - For me, one of the most exciting parts of this record. I had the honour to see Miss Mödl in her last role: Mother Bazouge in "Gervaise Macquart" (G.Klebe) in Düsseldorf!”
Allan Clark
“It is indeed a wonderful performance. I had to dial down the bass to get a satisfactory equalizer where I could hear Cerquetti clearly, but then what a marvelous presence she is. It is one of the great tragedies of opera that she was not on the stage longer and did not make more studio recordings. This was a superb voice—gigantic really—and she used it with great feeling and intelligence. It just overpowers you. Bergonzi is excellent and Madeira is a welcome surprise as Azucena. I downloaded the mp3 and at this price, I can’t imagine a better bargain.I hope that somewhere in someone’s closet there are more Cerquetti recordings that we have not yet heard. It’s a voice that transports you into another realm.”
Meistersinger Bayreuth 69
“Wonderful to be able to hear this again after so long, it was as good as I recall and sound quality very good considering. For me the important thing is being able to re hear these performances again and again....”
A keeper!!
“A wonderfully exciting telling of Mussorgsky’s epic tale (in, I believe, Rimsky’s orchestration) from everyone involved! Satanowski leans into the music with rhythmic incisiveness but no loss of lyricism. From comprimarios up, everyone sings gorgeously, and the casting is particularly sensitive to the colors of differing bass voices. Ghiaurov is marvelous (if one tick below his absolute dramatic best), and special kudos to the full-blooded vocalism of Fassbaender, Atlantov, Kovats, and Mazurok. A keeper!!”
Brian Morgan
“How wonderful that Opera Depot has released this historic recording, in such beautiful packaging! It is indeed historic since it captures Magda Olivero's first performance, in a 1957 Concert Version for RAI, of Floria Tosca, which was certainly one of her greatest roles, in a opera in which she continued to appear until 1979, during a Metropolitan Opera tour.Here, she is exquisitely musical and dramatically overwhelming, and in fact sings the role come scritto, to astonishing effect. For this reviewer (who saw her on that Met tour), she is the greatest of recorded Toscas.Mme Olivero is not, however, the only reason for this recording: Emidio Tieri conducts with authority, Eugenio Fernandi (who studied with Aureliano Pertile, and is known to collectors as the Calaf in Tullio Serafin's EMI recording of "Turandot," from three months earlier, with Maria Callas and Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf) sings a lyrical Mario Cavaradossi, and Scipio Colombo is one of the greatest of Baron Scarpias. The inimitable Piero Di Palma is the classic Spoletta.Scipio Colombo is not a familiar name today, and this was his only appearance opposite La Olivero, but he sings a tremendous villain. Best-known as a champion of new music, he was in the premieres of "Il prigioniero" and "Dialogues des Carmélites." He had recorded "Tosca" for Westminster, in 1951, but is here even more theatrical. Like the soprano, he sings the role, without resorting to shouting and speaking the notated pitches beloved by many a famous Scarpia. Colombo also appeared as Ford in the 1956 film of "Falstaff" also for RAI.To say the least, highly recommended.”
David Fetz
“This is with out doubt the most intense recording of Macbeth I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. There is not a weak voice in the cast. The chorus of witches are spine tingling. Milnes is outstanding in the title role.. Christ Ludwig sings Lady Macbeth with a sweetness that is scary. Having Karl Ridderbusch as Banco makes the big Duet between he and Macbeth in the first act Stunning. Bohm leads an outstanding Vienna orchestra through it all. Don't miss this one if you like big, bold opera SINGING!”
How did I miss this one for so long?
“This is a terrific performance. All the singing is excellent as is Pretre's conducting. The cuts do not disfigure the performance. It's wonderful to hear Gedda, Horne, and Verrett in these roles with which they are not regularly associated. It would be nice to know the rest of the cast as Narbal, Panthee, and Hylas are not credited and are quite good. I'm glad I finally caught up with this recording.”
A discovery worth the small price
“I sampled this as a mp3 download and must say it's worth every cent. I'm great admirer of Pizzetti's style and although this opera doesn't have the inspiration Assassinio or Deborah has, it's very interesting, has some fine ideas and is expertly written for the voices. It's a rather short opera (around 70 minutes, reworked incidental music) with some fine arias. The performance is very good, all Italian singers, and the orchestra has a warm bloom. The recording is mono, but opens nicely and - although you can hear it's done around 50 years ago - it's surely not cramped and just a little bit congested and flattened in the climaxes (of which there're few).”
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.”
Alfredo
“Wow. . . So Callas’ beloved tenor (and mine) could deal with Wagner! The sound, unfortunately, is what can be expected from a 1964 live recording; the orchestra overwhelms the singers. However, a really rare operatic document–a must have.”
Patty McCabe
“This an outstanding Tosca in excellent sound. I have 5 Toscas featuring Tebaldi-2 on dvd from Stuttgart and Tokyo– and 3 on cd -2 live plus the Decca with del Monaco and London. But her performance here is awesome.She was in the best vocal condition of her life and I think she knew it. She sounded as if she could do what she liked with the music. She did not disappoint in Vissi Darte. I think this is her best.di Stefano gives a great overall performance, but at this stage there is clear evidence of damage to his upper register. Anything above A natural is dull and a struggle. However his Elucevan is marvellous and he successfully effects an excellent diminuendo on “Disciogliea dai veli”. What a pity that he did not take care of his gorgeous lyric instrument instead of subjecting it to roles too heavy for it.Bastianini is Bastianini. No other baritone sounded like him. What a voice. Maybe he does not get inside the role like-say- Gobbi or Taddei but he is vocally superior. I could listen to him forever.The minor roles are excellent and Gavazzeni is in complete control.I shall be flaunting this in front of my operatic friends–5 Stars !!.”
Interpreting Salome
“I am so thrilled with this recording of Salome and my Elektra Monologue. My favorite roles with the Dyer’s Wife all Strauss. I do hope we can offer my complete Salome. Salome begins very softly and sweet as the young (still innocent, I believe) girl she is, spoiled yes but not yet corrupted. This interpretation reflects Strauss‘ composition. A lot of piano and pianissimo singing – usually, I must say, rampantly and recklessly sung forte by most Salome sopranos. No, no. Softly. She works herself into a frenzy with Jochanaan. For the record, I sang the premiere in Wiesbaden the fall of 1978 and was already 5 months pregnant. Thank you Andrew Whitflield and Opera Depot for giveing us this recording!”
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.”
"Bel Canto" Wagner: More than a curio performance - truly beautiful singing!
“Taddei’s dark baritone casts an ideal sense of mystery over every phrase, colored variously with yearning, hope or despair. Gulin’s soprano is supple and carries easily to a gleaming top. Pagliuca is excellent, a real “babbino” Daland. Ferraro is an amazing “italo-helden” Erik. The orchestra may not be the last word in rhythmic acuity, but Albert's conducting provides long romantic lines.Link provided for German/Italian score (interesting to note director’s staging pages included):http://imslp.org/wiki/Der_fliegende_Holl%C3%A4nder,_WWV_63_(Wagner,_Richard)”
Celine Papizewska
“This is a fantastic recording of two great Wagnerians. I literally fell in love with the Tristan of this recording. Oh! In ACT III, I wanted to cradle his suffering self in my arms! And Moedl is a force of nature on this. No, this is not a recording of vocal purity, but of untrammeled passion. Me? I like the passion.”
Correct cast
“David R made the astute observation, that Don Fernnado doesn't really sound like Nimsgern. Correct. Nimsgern undoubtedly sings Pizarro. A google search shows that Luigi Roni sang Fernando. Walter Berry is not featured at all in this recording.”
satisfied
“They recordings were fine. I always prefer as much audiece reactio as possible. I do need to ask you about Ring from Soutj America 1962 and 1967. If pitches have been corrected. My copies are copletely off pitch and need to be replaced.”
Young Pavarotti
“I liked Pavarotti's young and fresh voice, powerful Manuguerra as Miller, excellent Cruz- Romo as title heroine. Arie is as usual in nice form. As Andy honestly pointed out, there is some music missing, but nevertheless recording worth having. I am an admirer of Peter Maag's conducting and he doesn't disapoint here.”
Forever Fidelio
“What an overwhelming joy this performance is. The Italian narrators really moving it along. You don't have to speak it to know what they're saying and to know what they're singing, Gui, as usual, in command moving it along briskly The cast is to a singer superb. The beautifully sounding Italian gives the opera even more heart. Taddei as Pizarro gives "Ha welch ein augenblick" the greatest performance of the aria i've ever heard. Christoff with more heart than i've heard from him The sound is very good. Buy this!”
Loved it!
“I’d never heard this opera before, and I was very pleasantly surprised. I don’t look to bel canto for raw emotion, but I got it here (did Caballe just SNARL?). Carreras’ voice is gorgeous.”
I must confess, I bought
“I must confess, I bought it for a friend who loves the Britten War Requiem and I haven't passed it on to him yet for his opinion.I must also confess, I'm not a great fan of this work but I thought this was the best version I have yet heard and the quality was excellent.”
Having recently discovered Danton's Tod,
“Having recently discovered Danton's Tod, I wanted to check out other von Einem works. I bought this and really enjoyed it. The performance is very persuasive and the cast is quite marvelous. I find so many 20th century operas to be rather unsingable, thus unlistenable. von Einem really allows the singers to use their voices in a very vocal way. All of these singers are strong singing actors so that their performances really register as living characters. Ideally a libretto would be helpful but without that I still enjoyed this experience and recommend the recording both for the work and the singers.”
Date?
“It says Cardiff, but is this not the performance in London at the ROH with the Welsh National Opera on 1 October 1986, broadcast by the BBC and available on other sites (e.g. Opera Passion) which often double Opera Depot's recordings?”
Droz
“I have been severe on my review of the whole Karajan's Ring, but Rheingold is really great. Great singers: Stolze, Wohlfahrt, Kelemen and DFD. Orchester very fluent ans discursive. Completely different from the 3 other Ring's days. This is theater and living performance, at the limits of histrionism: why not?”
