I was amazed to discover that a recording existed of one of Janet Baker's/Jon Vickers' performances of this production. Two great stars of the stage together and in such good theatrical sound (I love the occasional thump and soft noises off. It really makes it sound like a live theatre performance, which of course it is.I'm very interested to see some of the other recordings that Opera Depot offer, so I shall be back to see what to add to my colection.

Although I generally cannot tolerate opera recordings in the wrong language, I’m making a major exception for this one because it is one of only two surviving performances in which the great Janet Baker sings Didon, albeit in English, paired by the greatest Énée of the 20th century, tenor Jon Vickers. For years I owned Vickers’ studio recording in French, which was pretty good, but pretty good is not great. Several of the tempi in that studio recording are just a bit too slow and both the chorus and orchestra sound as if they phoned their parts in. Also, although Josephine Veasey was a pretty good Didon, pretty good is not great. Other improvements in this performance are Richard van Allen as Panthée and Dennis Wicks as Hector’s Ghost. but you have to get this recording to hear the Vickers-Baker collaboration in pretty good stereo sound (there is also a 1969 performance, but the sound on that is not very good). The performance is slightly abridged, mostly the ephemeral ballet music, but the “Royal Hunt and Storm” is complete.

For me this is the best opera recording i have heard in years, simply because Janet bakers singing and dramatic conviction as Dido is simply breathtaking.The fact that its sung in english may be the reason she is this stunning

Predictably superb performance from Janet Baker as Dido, and a compelling, more-vulnerable-than-usual Cassandra from Veasey, beautifully sung throughout. Everyone else excellent; notable is that Heather Begg's Anna sounds much firmer here than on the Davis studio account of 1969. A few of the ballets are cut but otherwise this is pretty much complete.

Wonderful document of both Baker and Vickers and the superb musical atmosphere provided by Colin Davis.

Fantastic. Baker is magnificent

A superb performance. Baker and Vickers are outstanding.

Present at this performance so nostalgia to the fore.

As a Vickers fan, this is my favorite performance of his as Aeneas. I saw him at Met but this, in English with Baker as well as Veasey who I always liked, tops the others.