Domingo only sang Werther for a short time (enough to make a studio recording under Chailly for DG); I don't think Fassbaender kept Charlotte in her repertoire for long either so it's great to have them both in the same performance in such excellent sound.Domingo may not have been a "natural" for the title role, but in the event his musicianship and sensitivity make him a more passionate Werther than we normally see or hear. His soft singing is well-supported, the top notes taken confidently (although he ducks the high B at the end of his second act aria, a note he sang in the studio recording). His obsession with his fantasy of Charlotte is more believable here than elsewhere. Fassbaender was in her absolute vocal prime at this time without any of the occasional unsteadiness that plagued her later on. She plays the role simply and honestly, controlling her emotions until the last scene (played complete here without the disfiguring cuts of other performances). Seibel is a delightful Sophie (she was always delightful) and Günther Nöcker is a dour Albert. Lopez Cobos leads a fluid performance that is paced very well. Except for some minor and fleeting tape glitches right at the beginning of Charlotte's "Va! laisse couleur mes larmes", the sound is superb.Any lover of Werther should have this set, either on Opera Depot or on the Orfeo label (the Opera Depot is much cheaper!).

I have seen several different productions of Werther and sometimes it all seems like much ado about nothing, pretty tunes and nice costumes but bland. This performance was a revelation. Both lead singers are on top form and generate incredible dramatic heat but without inappropriate verismo style creeping in. The recording quality is terrific. Of my many recordings of Werther this is now my favorite.

excellent