This performance has already been reviewed in detail by Richard I. and other reviewers below. It is as wonderful as they say it is. Vickers would make the role of Aeneas even more his own in subsequent performances through the next decade and a half, but he is at his freshest vocally here. He ducks the top C-flat in the duet with Didon, but nails the top C in his aria. Shuard and Thebom are superb in their roles as are Lauris Elms and David Kelly as Anna and Narbal. Dermot Troy sings Hylas' nostalgic, sad song with sweetness and simplicity. I could only make out a little of the translation, but it's good to hear this opera in English. The sound is very good; one hears the announcer speaking over the music a few times. This performance was also issued on the Testament label; not having heard it, I don't know whether or not they managed to excise the announcer or not (it's not that extensive).If you love this opera as I do, you need to hear this set.

This is a long review so (because of space restrictions) I have split it into three parts!: I have a soft spot for The Trojans as it's the first opera I saw when I went to live in London as a student. I didn't know Berlioz at all but just happened to "drop in" on Covent Garden in September 1969, managing to buy an Ampitheatre "Slips" seat, right round the side at the top...which meant that I could only see about two-thirds of the stage. No matter, the opera was conducted by Colin Davis and starred Anja Silja, Jon Vickers...and Janet Baker singing in English, deputising for Josephine Veasey. A bit confusing when "Je t'aime" is answered by "I love you too" (!) and in the days before surtitles...but WOW!! I'll say no more except that -thankfully- the broadcast, which might actually have been the performance I attended, is also available from Opera Depot...and that one's just as good as I remember.Kubelik's performance from 1957 set the high benchmark for Davis to follow when the latter took over from Solti as Music Director. This is indeed a marvellous performance and I agree with Andy's comments above. Amy Shuard's 'youthful' Cassandra gives us a more vulnerable, despairing take on the role to the usual doom-laden prophetess [or do we have to say 'prophet' these days...?]

Amy Shuard's 'youthful' Cassandra gives us a more vulnerable, despairing take on the role to the usual doom-laden prophetess [or do we have to say 'prophet' these days...?] Blanche Thebom's rolling of her 'R's is slightly bothersome in her first scene but that appears to aid her excellent English diction (was she -performing in London- sensitive to any possible criticism of an American accent?) - I got used to it pretty quickly. Her Dido is superbly-sung - warm, vital and dramatic. Vickers? Fabulous - and sounding so young and lyrical, without later mannerisms! Of course, his Aeneas was to develop brilliantly (c/f 1969 and 1972, both on O/D) but this performance, together with 1958 Don Carlo, displays the flowering of what was to come.Many of the supporting singers were still singing when I came to London and became a regular opera-goer, both at Covent Garden and the London Coliseum (English National Opera). I remember with fondness later performances by Forbes Robinson (King Priam and the best Claggart, both on O/D), David Kelly, Noreen Berry, Michael Langdon (a fearsome Grand Inquisitor!), Joseph Rouleau...and of course, the sadly-lamented Marie Collier (my favourite Tosca - also on O/D).

Both at the Royal Opera and English National Opera, there were rosters of long-term contract singers - you could see them play both large and small roles, with much satisfying understudying going on - I remember once at ENO the great Sachs/Wotan, Norman Bailey, substituting as Alfio in Cav when the advertised singer was ill! Memories, memories - do seek out many of Andy's wonderful transfers of old CG and ENO performances; there is real QUALITY opera to be found!N.B. Back to this performance: note that Covent Garden's own label transfer lists RHYDDERCH DAVIES as 2nd Soldier, confirmed by ROH archive...and I'm knocking off a star because Kubelik cuts some beautiful ballet music...just to be pedantic and because we're so spoiled with our Berlioz these days!I'm so sorry to have had to divide my review into three but I had such a lot to say and share with you!!

Wonderful performance,the ROH showed the world many times how great this piece was.

I was allways an admirer of Rafael Kubelik, so this is a new recording of him to cherish.I liked all singers, which is rarity for me and I enjoyed singing in English.