Opera

Bargain, Bland Siegfried

Robert Levine

Here, practically out of the blue (actually from live performances at the Tiroler Festspiele in Austria in July, 1999) comes a bargain-priced recording of Wagner’s

Historical Menotti performances – Pearl C

Robert Levine

This two-CD set contains very rare, very early performances of some of Menotti’s most interesting works. The sound varies from pretty good (The Medium, The

1953 Salome – Varnay – Orfeo

Robert Levine

Here is yet another surprise recording, in the best mono sound available, from the vaults of German Radio. In it we get the youngish Astrid

Boskovsky’s Controversial Fledermaus

Robert Levine

This 1971 recording has always stirred controversy: Some feel its Viennese-ness is overdone, especially by Fischer-Dieskau as Falke, but others, like myself, just love its

Elektra – Varnay – 1953 – Koch Schwann

Robert Levine

This is a powerhouse Elektra, recorded in 1953 for West German Radio under apparently ideal circumstances, in what must be the finest mono sound available.

Manon Lescaut – Guleghina/Muti/DG C

Robert Levine

This new Manon Lescaut can stand high with the old Callas/di Stefano and it’s in glorious sound to boot. Taped live at La Scala during

Weill Burgschaft

David Hurwitz

It’s amazing that we’ve had to wait this long for a recording of Kurt Weill’s operatic masterpiece Die Bürgschaft (The Covenant). Anyone who enjoys The

Kna RRG Parsifal Act 3/M&A C

Jed Distler

This German Radio broadcast of Act 3 from Wagner’s Parsifal has had at least three previous CD incarnations, sounding best on Preiser (90261). Maggie Payne

Trovatore hilites – Naxos C

Robert Levine

This generous CD of excerpts from Verdi’s Il trovatore is very good indeed. It contains more than half of the opera, comprising both of Leonora’s

THE ONLY OPERETTA ALBUM YOU’LL EVER NEED

Robert Levine

What to do with this? Granted, the selections practically live up to the album’s title, especially if you don’t particularly like operetta and only want