Amelia was one of the few Italian roles that Rysanek kept in her repertoire after letting most of them go. This performance finds her a little more vocally secure than she was a couple of years later (though that performance, also available on Opera Depot, is worth hearing). She was a force of nature and always gave 110%. If some of her passagework is a little hit or miss it simply doesn't matter in the face of her great intensity. Her colleagues are on her level. Spiess' tenor sounds more of a piece and steadier before it began to get wobbly a few years later. Taddei is marvelous. A pity that his "Eri tu" and a bit of the ensuing scene fall prey to suddenly less good sound. Cvejic is a good Ulrica though the role lies too low for her. Miljakovic is a good, unremarkable Oscar. Guadagno leads his forces well, following his singers, but never being a doormat. The sound, probably taken from an in-house tape, is very listenable, except for the 8 minute section in Act Three already noted (which isn't that bad).All Rysanek and Taddei fans should hear this!

I liked this Ballo. Rysanek is (for me at least) a bit better than in her recording with Merighi (on Opera Depot also). Taddei, Cvejić and Miljaković are all great in their roles. Spiess is in my opinion not that great as Merighi. but in general a nice addtition to my collection.

Unfortunately for two of the great stage animals of the 20th century, Leonie Rysanek and Giuseppe Taddei, their repertories did not greatly overlap. That is to be all the more regretted for the superb chemistry they have in this Vienna "Ballo." Rysanek is caught in peak form and her arias are justly well applauded. Like Rysanek, Taddei could be quite variable but he was in prime form this evening, his juicy voice sitting squarely on the pitch and inflected with perfect intent. Add the liquid, Italianate Riccardo of Ludovico Spiess and the always-pleasing Oscar of Olivera Miljakovic and you have a splendid night at the opera. Biserka Cvejic is rather too light for Ulrica but the supporting cast is solid down the line. The in-house recording picks out details in the vocal ensembles that even some commercial recordings miss. Four Verdi arias sung by Rysanek are generously appended, with some brief file corruption in "Vieni, t'affreta" being the only cause for reservation. On the whole, greatly enjoyable.