The performance took place either in late September or October 1975 at the Palais Garnier (Théâtre National del’Opéra), Paris. The cast was the best that could be gathered for this work at that time. Nobody disappoints, and Te Kanawa even exceeds one's expectations with her nuanced characterisation and at times quite subtle and meaningful word pointing (as in the recitative preceding "Mi tradi"), while Burrows is heard here at his very best as Ottavio, mellifluous yet ardent and virile (both his arias won huge ovations), surpassing their own selves in the Philips studio recording conducted by Colin Davis. Charles Mackerras let the singers apply appoggiaturas at the appropriate places as well as ornamentations. His traversal is marked by flexibility of tempos and rhythmic acuity, allowing enough room for the singers to breathe and make their expressive points. Raimondi, Te Kanawa and Moser would appear a few years later in the film directed by Joseph Losey, but here they are heard in fresher voice and more vivid, spontaneous vein. The sound is excellent for a live recording of this vintage, with the voices having a clear and forward presence. Overall, a great buy and a frontrunner among recorded Don Giovanni's.

A wonderful performance. Burrows May be the best Don Ottavio I have ever heard and Kiri was wonderful as Elvira. Everyone else was more than fine and the sound was excellent.

This is a fine Don Giovanni. The sound is good mono with voices clear and forward. Evans is a little dry as Leporello but every one else is spot on. The conducting is exciting and moves the way it should. This is a nice addition to the catalog. I think you will enjoy this performance.

Je souhaitais cet enregistrement parce que j'étais présent ce soir là.J'avais préféré la prestation antérieure de Solti mais ce fut néanmoins une excellente soirée

Mackerras brings this illustrious group of singers together for an exciting and beautiful performance of Mozart's masterpiece. At least three of these singers (Raimondi, Moser, and Te Kanawa) participated in Joseph Losey's film a couple of years later. They are all superb here. Moser demonstrates again and again why she was considered one of the greatest Anna's of her day. Her coloratura and breath control are phenomenal and her fury scorching. Te Kanawa shows she was far more than just a pretty voice and Raimondi is a sexy, intimidating Giovanni who gets off a good high A in the penultimate scene with the Commendatore (a young Robert Lloyd). Evans is matchless as Leporello and Burrows is a supremely good Ottavio. Berbie and Van Allen make a great Zerlina/Masetto team. Mackerras has his singers use appropriate appoggiaturas and even a sprinkling of ornamentation. The sound is excellent: clear and undistorted (picky point: the first bar of "In quali eccessi" is missing.) All lovers of Mozart or of these singers should have this.

What a marvellous broadcast this is, and in such great sound! Mackerras was a Mozart specialist, whom I saw conduct many times with English and Welsh National Operas, when -in the UK- he was Music Director of each company respectively. Virtually everything he touched responded to his musicality, whether Janacek, Handel, Verdi, Bizet or Wagner (et., etc., etc.) Thus, we are assured of a musical yet dramatically-driven approach to the score, on this occasion with few -but relevant- appoggiature to accentuate the score and vocal line. Te Kanawa doesn't quite 'steal the show', as she is surrounded by what was virtually the "best of the best" at the time. Edda Moser is fantastic, fearless, if a little "stagey" at times ['Or sai chi l'onore']. Andy doesn't mention Raimondi's amazing high note ('A flat?' - I don't read music) with which he ends his charismatic, lyrical, dangerous, totally committed performance. Stuart Burrows was one of the finest lyric/Mozart tenors around and I saw him many times at Covent Garden. Here, he gives one of his best performances in this role. Just for fun, there's a famous story from January 1982, where Burrows was airlifted by helicopter from his home in a snow-bound Wales, to ensure that he was able to perform this very role at Covent Garden![TO BE CONTINUED...]

Pause for breath...Salutations to Geraint Evans, who keeps just "this" side of buffo and is thus more believable than most of his type of Leporello. At 53, he is still in juicy voice and point his text like a true Italian! Jane Berbie is an excellent Zerlina of the more lyrical, less soubrettish kind, and is -of course- a Home Favourite in Paris. Her beau is Richard Van Allen, himself a splendid Leporello, who acquits himself positively in the lesser demands of Masetto (and presumably also covered Evans). Finally, the massive, sepulchral yet fluid, grand bass of Robert Lloyd fitted the role of the Commendatore superbly. Fifteen years later he was to perform Boris Godunov at the Bolshoi...I saw the live telecast, direct from Moscow!Isn't it interesting that no less than five of the eight principals, plus the conductor, were essentially UK-based...? Being English/British, I'm very proud of that.