This superb recording of Das Rheingold attests to the supreme talents at the disposal of Covent Garden in the 1960s as the (mostly) homegrown singers manage to hold their own next to the indisputable star of the evening, Hans Hotter. Even though Hotter was undeniably past his prime, his voice is still in pretty good working order, and his innate understanding of the head god gives the character an organic realism that all to often gets lost amidst the horned helmets and magical trinkets. Josephine Veasey is a sweet-voiced Fricka who is equally credible when she is seducing Wotan to get her way as when she is badgering him. Elizabeth Vaughan brings a lush presence to Freia. There are also fine performances from Kurt Böhme and Forbes Robinson as Fasolt and Fafner, Donald McIntyre as Donner and Otakar Kraus as a surprisingly sympathetic Alberich.