This was a production of the Theater an der Wien on 26 May 1973, not the Wiener Staatsoper with the Vienna Philharmonic. https://www.wienersymphoniker.at/de/veranstaltung/varviso-grist-heichele-gedda-kerns-e-waechter-akademie-kammerchor-donizetti-lelisir-2

This performance was issued on Myto decades ago and soon went out of print so I'm very grateful to Opera Depot for reviving it at such a reasonable price. Gedda didn't perform Nemorino often, but when he did everyone left happy. He is in excellent shape here, singing with elegiac grace. His "Una furtiva lagrima" would melt a stone. He also interpolates a great top C at the end of the duet with Belcore. Grist shows again why she was so beloved in Vienna. Her Adina balances spite and charm perfectly. She avoids the traditional two octave drops in Adina's final aria, but gets into the high note sweepstakes with a lovely top D and E-flat in her cadenzas. Wächter is a surprisingly good Dulcamara, better in the Italian patter than I thought he would be and Kerns adds high notes and panache to his well-sung Belcore. I'd like to offer a special note of thanks to Varviso for NOT making all the traditional cuts that usually disfigure this opera, especially in the second act. There is still a cut in the quartet, but at least we get most of it. The chorus has a high old time.The broadcast sound is excellent too. All Donizetti lovers should hear this!

Der Hauptgrund für den Kauf der CD war die Mitwirkung von Reri Grist, eine Sängerin, die Ich sehr schätze, von der es allerdings zu wenige Aufnahmen gibt. Um so erfreulicher der quirlige und lebendige Mittschnitt aus Wien, den auch das Publikum hörbar sehr goutierte, wie man an den Reaktionen während der Aufnahme merkt. Auch Gedda ist hinreißend als Nemorino ebenso Wächter und Kerns. Eine durchweg empfehlenswert Aufnahme in super Sound.

I love the performance. I always appreciate Varviso's tempi and care of the singers. He makes sure the obligato perfectly accompanies and supplements the singer. The orchestra adopts the singer's tone and melodic line. I don't think Varviso was ever placed at the rank he deserved. Gedda is charming, Grist has a voice to go with the character, Waechter brings his wieniese approach into Dulcamara, while Kerns is a solid addition to the stars. Thank you.

In 1973 I liked this viennese production. Still a good performance, although some excellent even more glamorous performances followed in Vienna.