Comedy is hard, especially onstage. One would never know this to be true from this effervescent performance of The Bartered Bride from the Vienna Staatsoper, captured in excellent sound. Gundula Janowitz could hardly be called coquettish, but she excels in the more soulful moments given to Marenka (called Marie in the German translation). As her Mr. Right, Waldemar Kmentt has a bright, attractive presence, and Murray Dickie is a delight as her stuttering Mr. Wrong. As usual with this opera, it's the bass who steals the show, with Otto Edelmann providing an enjoyably schtick-free performance of the greedy marriage broker. The supporting cast is strong, with Erich Kunz' Ringmaster a particularly sleazy delight.