This is a whopper of a performance of Don Giovanni and I'm so glad Andy has made it available again at an affordable price and in such excellent sound. The cast is almost self-recommending and all those names really deliver.Grummer sings a well-nigh flawless Anna. Listen to the way she effortlessly conjures up the top B-flat at "Abbostanza" in the recitative before "Non mi dir": a magical moment. Della Casa's Elvira is deservedly famous and Streich sings Zerlina like a dream. Simoneau's Ottavio is perfect: no one sings it better. Any tenor preparing the role should listen his renditions of the arias as a guide. Siepi and Corena were famous for their portrayals of these roles, especially together. They're both in fine form here. And with Berry and Frick in the other two roles, we're experience a great night at the opera (Frick interpolates a low D as his final note in the penultimate scene). Mitropoulos is a very exciting conductor though very much in the late romantic way of leading the score. Appoggiaturas are used, if inconsistently, but if you're looking for speedy tempos ala Ostman or Norrington, you'd better look elsewhere.The sound is rich, clear, and warm. A classic evening in Salzburg!

Vivacious conducting, sublime, stylish Don Ottavio (Leopold Simoneau). He proves once again that he was one of greatest lyric tenors. His phrasing and coloraturas are excellent. Elisabeth Grümmer is powerful Donna Anna, Lisa della Casa noble Donna Elvira. What do you want more? A great Don Giovanni. Well you have it. Cesare Siepi is every inch Don Giovanni from beginning to the end. Fernando Corena is witty Leporello. Commendatore (Gottlob Frick), Zerlina (Rita Streich) and Masetto (Walter Berry) are great in their respective roles. Don Giovanni for ages. My advice: Grab it.