Description:

I must admit, what initially drew me to this recording was Joan Sutherland’s performance as the Queen of the Night. This was a role she avoided during her career, likely because the high F sat just beyond her already extraordinary vocal range. Although both arias are transposed down a half step, she delivers the role with the tonal purity of a great Norma, the agility of a great Lucia, and the ferocity of a great Turandot.

That said, as thrilling as it is to hear a magnificent Queen of the Night, two arias do not make an opera, and this performance stands firmly on its own merits beyond star cameos. Otto Klemperer, often associated with slow and broad tempi, surprises here with a lively and spirited interpretation.

Richard Lewis brings ardor, grace, and heroism to Tamino, while Geraint Evans delivers a charming Papageno, managing to elicit laughs even from a non-German-speaking audience without the aid of subtitles. Joan Carlyle is a sweet-voiced and tender Pamina. Though David Kelly’s Sarastro may not be as booming as some, his mellifluous and attractive tone lends the role a youthful quality that is surprisingly refreshing. And speaking of cameos, Hans Hotter makes a brief but memorable appearance as Der Sprecher.

This is an outstanding performance. The sound quality is good overall, though despite efforts to remove clicks in the final ten minutes of Act I, some imperfections remain.

OD 10601-2