GREAT SINGERS, GREAT ORCHESTRA, GREAT CONDUCTOR, GREAT PERFORMANCE! A MUST! STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!

As other enthusiasts have said, this is a marvellous performance; splendidly cast, played and conducted, with a fabulous "home-grown" Ochs from Michael Langdon. I saw the bass perform many roles at Covent Garden, including one of the most chilling Grand Inquisitors imaginable...this Ochs is miles away from that gentleman!!By the way, the Tenor is Kenneth MacDonald (not 'McDonald'). He was a very important member of the Covent Garden Company/Royal Opera for many years, whom I saw many times. He had an unusually high range; I remember him particularly as the Astrologer in The Golden Cockerel and Flute in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Sadly, he died at the age of only 47 in 1970. You have him in no less than 14 of your performances! For interest, I attach here his CG listings:https://www.rohcollections.org.uk/SearchResults.aspx?searchtype=performance&page=0&person=kenneth%20macdonald Another important member of the Company was ROBERT BOWMAN, who is missing from the cast list and sings the Landlord (who gets that very exposed high B-flat(?) when the Marschallin enters in Act 3; the role is therefore not just an "ordinary" comprimario!) Bowman seemed to appear in virtually everything and was probably the equivalent of Charles Anthony or Tony Stevenson at the Met!! Here are Bowman's CG listings:https://www.rohcollections.org.uk/SearchResults.aspx?person=robert%20bowman&searchtype=workprodperfA five-star Rosenkavalier in every way!

It is unusual to begin a review of Rosenkavalier discussing the merits of the Baron Ochs, but Michael Langdon really lives up to his reputation here. The top register is as rich and resonant as the bottom. The low C on his exit in Act One sounds as full as the rest of his voice. Langdon also makes a splendid character of Ochs: insufferable, self-involved - and yet very charming. He may not be quite as authentically Viennese as Manfred Jungwirth or Otto Edelmann, but otherwise he is every bit their equal. Jurinac is a lovely Marschallin, no doubt aided by her years singing the title role. Veasey demonstrates why she was so well-regarded at Covent Garden and elsewhere. She is also genuinely funny as Mariandl in the last act. Joan Carlyle certainly sings well as Sophie although there have been others who have floated her many high notes more sweetly. Margaret Kingsley stands out as an unusually good Leitmetzerin (she sang Brunnhilde later on: see Opera Depot's Seattle Ring in English). Yvonne Minton sings Annina very well; she would soon be Solti's Octavian in his marvelous studio recording with Regine Crespin. Kenneth McDonald sings the Italian Tenor's aria much better than some of his better known colleagues.Solti leads an almost uncut performance with great passion and style. The sound is very good. An added bonus is that someone recorded the last 25 minutes of Acts One and Three in excellent stereo sound, making those great moments sound even better.

What a history this production had! Sir David Webster, head of Covent Garden, needed a new Rosenkavalier production to replace the old staging. He wanted Luchino Visconti to design and direct which LV would do in a high art nouveau setting. With the Webster/Visconti duo in tact only one person was missing - Callas who was adored by both men. How it came about, how solid her engagement was it certainly warranted a press release to the London papers. I'm sure she was prodded by both them. While Callas sang many German operas, Nuri, Leonore, Brunnhilde, Kundry, Isolde, Konstanze, she never sang one of them in German Once she got the partiture she was out. So much dialogue with a Viennese inflection. It would take a lot of time. And who to replace Callas? That other soprano absolutely adored by London, Sena Jurinac in her role debut as the Marsciallin. She practically knew the part anyway. A real coup for Sir David, a truly brilliant intendant . The performance, excellent with the home team...The star, Sir George who leads a quicksilvered performance from beginning to end . never letting down the pace and still catching all the nuances.

Pour sa prise de rôle, Jurinac est d'emblée sublime avec son charme viennois (proche de Reining) qui accueille tout avec un sourire et la voix est en grande forme . Langdon somptueux conserve une dignité assez rare, est presque séduisant mais n'oublie pas de faire rire . Veasey toujours chanteuse impeccable et Mariandel très drôle au 3 . Solti (qui rouvre certaines coupures) est très vivant . Son global correct mais trop poussé sur les aigus, hors la fin du 1 et du 3 où on semble retomber sur la bande de la BBC .

This lively and sweeping performance shows the excellence of Covent Garden's native ensemble at that time. Only the excellent Jurinac is a "guest artist" around whom the cast coalesces with confidence and verve. It's a tribute to Solti's hard work at the ROH as well as a showcase for his vivid conducting.

Excellent virile performance by the fiery Solti. Fine singing by a stellar cast. Wonderful to hear the true bass of Mike Langdon-a masterly Ochs, coached by Alfred Jerger in Vienna in 1960.

Jurinac is the star of this otherwise native ROH ensemble but she doesn't stand out, as the overall vocal quality is very high. Her soprano is in rich late-career shape, bringing a wealth of Viennese and Rosenkavalier experience to the role. Classic. Solti live is more nuanced and lighter in texture than on the Decca recording. A really enjoyable live performance.

I saved up to travel to London to attend Jurinac's debut as MNrschallin after 20 years as "The Octavian of the Century". I should add that the great Luchino Visconti directed subtly in stunning art nouveau sets. In a telegram afterwards, Hofmannsthal's son acclaimed Jurinac's warmly humoured Marschallin as the closest ever to his father's intentions - a very Maria Theresia-like interpretation as opposed to Schwarzkopf's all-too Parisian version which never received acclaim in Vienna - lovely but wrong. It was a great evening. Sadly, Decca enforced Regine Crespin on Solti for the commercial recording so this is doubly welcome! Thankyou.

You can hear the joy at performing this role in Jurinac's voice