Excellent record. Though I have never heard about the conductor he keeps the performance superbly under control. Orchestra and choir are very good. And all soloist sing very well especially Lipp and Kmentt. The two hots of this opera (Ah, so fromm and Letzte Rose) are really heights of this performance. The sound is very good but the nasty cuts by almost all trucks on CD1 are a little bit disturbing. Nevertheless highly recommended.

Martha is one of those operas that used to be immensely popular and has fallen by the wayside. It's still seen in German-speaking countries (there is a recent recording of it on the Austrian Oehms label). It needs singers with great vocal ability and charm - the former quality not hard to find, the latter more elusive.This recording has as fine a quartet as I've ever heard in this piece. Lipp (who just passed away at 93) rides the ensemble with her bell-like top notes superbly. Her voice is lovely and she knows the style intimately. Plumacher blends with her beautifully and offers a spirited, but not over-the-top, account of Nancy's solos. Both ladies have good trills - an important part of their music. Kmentt sings a robust, passionate Lionel and Bohme enjoys himself immensely as his sidekick Plunkett. All four are effortlessly charming: they don't try to be, they just are. The chorus and orchestra are excellent. There are a lot of crowd noises and sound effects - an excellent production done with care by people who obviously love the work. Gierster makes very few cuts, certainly far fewer than the old (and fine) performance with Erna Berger abd Peter Anders. The sound is great. My only complaint is that the tracks on disc 1 are abruptly cut off, sometimes before a chord is finished. This doesn't affect disc 2. But that's a minor quibble - if you love Martha, you should have this recording!

Eine ausgezeichnete Aufnahme der Martha mit einer herrlichen Besetzung: Kurt Böhme ein hervorragender Plumkett, ein kongeniler Partner, der großartige Waldemar Kmentt und die unübertroffene Martha von Wilma Lipp.

It's ok recording, but nothing special. Singers are good, however nobody excells. The same goes for conducting and orchestra.

This is a beautiful performance of an opera that is not well represented on disc. I bought the disc version of this opera from this cite and I am very pleased. The sound is very good mono and all the performances are wonderful. Don’t hesitate. Get this set.