In 1979, Carlos Kleiber would reassemble this cast in Vienna and create a now legendary video. This earlier performance finds the trio of leading ladies in slightly fresher voice, lending the entire evening a youthful energy that wasn't as present in the later film. Gwyneth Jones is mesmerizing as the Marschallin, conveying all the nuances of the text with care. Her musical partnership with Kleiber results in moments of breathtaking spontaneity and intimacy. Brigitte Fassbaender, Kleiber's Octavian of choice for decades, brings a conversational quality to the text while never sacrificing the lushness of her voice. Lucia Popp weaves magic into Sophie's soaring lines, delivering a performance of radiant charm. The only complaint one might make about Karl Ridderbusch's Ochs is that his voice is almost too elegant for such a boorish character—but it's a small quibble in an otherwise glorious evening.