A great performance... A must!

Just electrifying and perfect for everybody !!!

Without going into much detail, this is an exciting live performance of Aida. Gavazzeni moves the show at a good clip and keeps the action flowing. Arroyo is incredible as Aida and I loved James King. The sound is excellent, as others have commented. The rest of the cast is also very fine and the chorus sings with great spirit. This performance is definitely a must-have.

Exciting performance of Aida. This is a must have. Excellent singing and excellent sound.

Excellent broadcast sound, as the Teatro Colon's normally are, which finds the soloists in fine voice. James King may not be ideal as Radames but his musical intelligence wins out. Martina Arroyo left several broadcast documents of her well-known Aida, and each reminds us what a fluid verdiana she was in her heyday. Cossotto, a famous Amneris, is powerfully declamatory, as expected, and her husband is at her side, as Ramfis. Mastromei is a baritone not as well-known on this side of the Atlantic, but sings strongly. Highly recommended.

This is an exciting Aida, the likes of which cannot be matched today; we just don't have these types of singers anymore.Arroyo probably should have had a studio recording of this opera, but for whatever reason it didn't happen. She sings gloriously here; there's no challenge in Verdi's music that she doesn't meet head on. There are other sopranos who are more verbally incisive or imaginative (Callas, Gencer, etc), but few sing as beautifully. King will surprise those who associate him solely with Wagner or Strauss; his high notes are ringing, his phrasing heroic. He is not the poet that Bergonzi is, but makes a handsome captain. Cossotto is a passionate Amneris, here in splendid voice. She is dramatic, but never over-the-top: a classic performance.Mastromei remains a great Amonasro, Vinco more than adequate as Ramfis. Victor De Narke is an excellent King. The chorus and orchestra are superb. Gavazzeni leads a quick, exciting performance. The sound is very good broadcast stereo.Aida lovers are missing a lot if they don't have this - it's that good!

The performance is extremely satisfying; Arroyo is superb, Cossotto chews the scenery, King is heroic, if unsubtle, and Vinco makes a surprising good, if somewhat undramatic, Ramphis. The sound is good.

Martina Arroyo self-decprecatingly referred to herself as the other one, honey, when confused with Leontyne Price. This performance shows that she need not yield primacy as Aida to anyone. Her upper register is in gorgeous form, she spins gossamer webs of tone and this particular evening found Arroyo in more involved form than was sometime her wont. She has a virile Radames in James King. While the ductus of Verdi does not flow from his throat as inevitably as did Strauss and Wagner, he is in gleaming form here, as witnessed by the long-held B-flat that crowns Celeste Aida, and he is everywhere an involved presence. Fiorenza Cossotto had few rivals as Amneris and here demonstrates why. The baritone of Gianpiero Mastromei wasn't a tonally expansive instrument but he schemes with vigor. Although Ivo Vinco's Ramfis is just routine, Victor de Narke makes a distinguished King of Egypt. On the podium, Gianandrea Gavazzeni's inclination is to move things along swiftly and he has the Teatro Colon orchestra playing with refinement. All in all, an AIDA that outshines most of its peers.

It is wonderful to find any recording with Arroyo as Aida. She is at the top of her form here. The early 1970's found her at her peak. Vocally secure, indeed amazing at times, and very warm and moving in her interpretation. Cossotto is a magnificent Amneris and King a very fine Radames. It is rare that we get to hear King in something other than Strauss and Wagner so this recording is to be cherished. He is in great voice and committed as a singing actor. Very worthwhile checking out.

It shows, that King was also a great Verdi - singer