This performance of Lohengrin is especially valuable for capturing René Kollo at the outset of his career, when his voice possessed equal measures of sweetness and power, making him an ideal Lohengrin. Kollo presents an ethereal, otherworldly knight, offering some of the most exquisitely beautiful singing one could hope to hear from a Heldentenor.

I had always thought of Hannelore Bode as something of a second-tier singer, but her Elsa completely won me over. She displays a rock-solid technique and complete command of Wagner's demanding vocal writing. Ludmila Dvořáková radiates seductive menace as Ortrud, never allowing the dramatic demands of the role to detract from the inherent beauty of her tone. Donald McIntyre is heard here as Telramund with his voice still fresh, before the tone acquired the woollier quality that would characterize his later years. Franz Crass brings the same nobility and elegance to King Heinrich that distinguished his celebrated Sarastro. I would also be remiss not to acknowledge the superb Herald of Ingvar Wixell.