If your ideal Rigoletto leans toward traditional Italian style, this recording may not fully satisfy. But if you're drawn to sheer vocal brilliance, there's plenty here to admire.

Helge Rosvaenge takes on the Duke, and the results are astonishing. The sheer size and masculine weight of his voice make his ease in the role's demanding tessitura almost doubly surprising. His Act II duet features a thrillingly secure C-sharp, a testament to both his technical command and fearlessness.

Heinrich Schlusnus, as Rigoletto, brings a sense of assuredness to his performance. He avoids the rough-edged approach that many baritones favor in this role, instead offering a smoother, more refined sound. The result is a Rigoletto with an unexpected vulnerability — a choice that lends the character unusual poignancy.

Erna Berger's Gilda is technically impressive, but her voice — bright, fluttery, and almost too bird-like — may not be to every taste. There's also reason to wonder how well she would project over the storm scene's orchestral fury in a live setting without the help of microphones. Still, for those who appreciate dazzling vocal pyrotechnics, her Gilda delivers.

The supporting cast adds further weight, with Margarete Klose as a richly-voiced Magdalena and Josef Greindl bringing authority to Sparafucile. Robert Heger's conducting is both carefully detailed and surprisingly idiomatic, offering more Italianate flair than one might expect from a German team.

All told, this is a Rigoletto that values vocal personality over stylistic orthodoxy — and for many listeners, that will be more than enough.