VIDEO: A) 190 min., color -- A "dream" cast in a brilliant Salzburg performance, 1961. Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, a consummate Marschallin, is joined by Sena Jurinac (Octavian), Anneliese Rothenberger (Sophie), Otto Edelmann (Baron Ochs), Erich Kunz (Faninal). Herbert von Karajan conducts Vienna Philharmonic; film direction, Paul Czinner. KUL [Kultur] 1268 "Superb", New York Times. In German. [preceding blurb in the German Language Video Center catalog] Available as Order #VA 2 on two cassettes $59.95 in the German Language Video Center catalog. Probably, the finest Rosenkavalier anywhere on video--or audio! [G.R.]
B) Howells, Te Kanawa, Bonney; Solti [English subtitles only on laserdisc edition]; Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 1985; CVI 2017 [PIO 34086 -- laserdisc ed.]
AUDIO: A) EMI: Christa Ludwig, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Otto Edelmann, Teresa Stich-Randall, von Karajan conducting; not quite so lively as the video, but Schwarzkopf and Edelmann continue strong; Ludwig the finest Octavian of all; stereo [G.R.]
B) ???: Janet Baker, Helga Dernesch, Noel Mangin, Elizabeth Harwood, Gibson conducting; "live"; exciting, unusual evening sung in English; available only on limited-edition audio tapes from the most enterprising record collectors' clubs; extremely rare
C) DECCA/LONDON: Yvonne Minton, Regine Crespin, Manfred Jungwirth, Helen Donath, Solti conducting; superb stereo, opulent voices, the best of the literally complete recordings [G.R.]
D) EMI: Maria Olczewska, Lotte Lehmann, Richard Mayr, Elisabeth Schumann, Heger conducting; finest singing of all, but heavily abridged version in dated sound; 1933, mono
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