It´s always kind of a lottery with live-recordings ... but there is nothíng to complain with this one. Jones is great, Vickers okay, like always, Downes a reliable Verdi-ist. Get it!

A great performance! A must!

This is an exciting performance from Covent Garden. Vickers is a passionate Radames and Jones an exciting Aida. Downes does a fine job moving the opera at a fine pace. Sound is good for a live 1968 performance. Well done.

Though Gwyneth Jones will probably be better remembered for her Wagner/Strauss heroines, it shouldn't be forgotten that she was a splendid Verdian for much of her career as well. This Aida proves that assertion in spades. Her huge voice is under great control and there's little she can't do with it. Nothing fades her in this difficult music: high, low, loud, soft - Jones has a handle on it all. The voice never veers into the squally sound that afflicted it later on and the sopranos musical imagination is just as keen.Vickers sings extremely well and with great sensitivity. He makes a few minor musical errors along the way, but nothing terrible. He justifies his reputation as a skilled and dedicated artist. French mezzo Lyne Dourian proves to be a first-rate Amneris. Other singers have brought more "slancio" to the role, but Dourian holds her own against the competition. The other singers are up to the high standard of Covent Garden at this time; I have no complaints about any of them. Downes is himself a distinguished Verdi conductor and leads his forces with style and dr

and drama. The sound is excellent; all Verdians should hear and enjoy this!

Gwyneth Jones is in fine voce as a sumptuous Aida and John Vickers is at his best as well. This recording is amazing!

Though not all singers are well-known stars the performance is excellent

This is a most satisfying performance and well recorded. Jones takes a while to get going but by Ritorna Vincitor she’s in fine voice and a winning interpretation. Grace Bumbry sang Amneris in most of the performances at this time, however, though a little underpowered Lynne Dourian is a fine Amneris completely devoid of ugly chest tones and histrionics. Jon Vicker is simply outstanding. Just listen to the final note of Celeste Aida – a sound to die for: neither the pp Verdi asks for or the ff most tenors belt out but something in between and just ravishing. To cap everything there is the superb conducting of Edward Downes – one of the greatest Verdians ever yet almost totally ignored by the record companies. He restores the grandeur and majesty to Aida.

Vickers at this period was singing nearly everything LOUD or LOUDER ,his Verdi for me has always been problematic, not the sound as such but the style which is questionable. He was a great artist in certain roles and his best was Parsifal. Maybe that overpowering ego just got in the way. Jones was a great Verdi singer, her Leonora in Trovatore with Bergonzi at the ROH and again at La Scala with Bergonzi again was wonderful.A superb Desdemona and Amelia were in her armour. Sir Edward Downes was a stunning Verdi conductor and a great man to talk with. all told this was a great night at the ROH, would that we had singers like them today.