CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

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Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier -- Vienna/Kleiber [1994] (NTSC)

starring: Felicity Lott, Kurt Moll, Anne Sofie von Otter, Gottfried Hornik, Barbara Bonney
directed by: Horant H. Hohlfeld

Release Date March 12, 2001
I got this with great anticipation after reading all the fantastic reviews it has got. Unfortunately, the sound is recessed which means that one must play it fairly loud in order to get a sumptuous Straussian sound. I have a high-end system with electrostatic hybrid speakers, so I am fairly sensitive to sound.The sound needs to be opulent for Strauss. In fact, I have the Karajan DVD which has better sound. Morover, the picture perspective is from a seat fairly back.
Otherwise, the singing and acting are excellent.Kurt Moll is even better in the Karajan Version.

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

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Johann Strauss - Die Fledermaus - Karl Bohm/Wiener Philharmoniker [2008]

starring: Gundula Janowitz, Eberhard Wächter, Waldemar Kmentt, Renate Holm, Erich Kunz
directed by: Otto Schenk

Release Date November 05, 2007
I got this with great anticipation after reading all the fantastic reviews it has got. Unfortunately, the sound is recessed which means that one must play it fairly loud in order to get a sumptuous Straussian sound. I have a high-end system with electrostatic hybrid speakers, so I am fairly sensitive to sound.The sound needs to be opulent for Strauss. In fact, I have the Karajan DVD which has better sound. Morover, the picture perspective is from a seat fairly back.
Otherwise, the singing and acting are excellent.Kurt Moll is even better in the Karajan Version.

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

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Puccini - Turandot (Maazel, Wiener Staatsoper Choir) [1983]

starring: Eva Marton, Waldemar Kmentt, John-Paul Bogart, Josep Carreras, Katia Ricciarelli
directed by: Rodney Greenberg

Release Date March 03, 2008
This production from the 80's is very typical of the type of production around at that time. It does look somewhat dated now but vocally it is quite thrilling. Carreras sounds pushed but exciting, Ricciarelli is caught just before her decline and shows she was always more suited to this role than the title role she recorded. Marton takes the honours in this production and vocally I think she fares better here than at the Met with Domingo. This is far preferable to some of the shockingly sung recent additions on DVD, but noted at last the return on DVD of the Dimitrova version from Verona. Buy both if possible if you can only have one buy Dimitrova she was unsurpassed in the role at this time.

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

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Die Fledermaus [2003]

starring: Waldemar Kmentt, Artur Stefanowicz, Ute Gfrerer, Peter Edelmann, Silvana Dussmann

Release Date April 29, 2008
This production from the 80's is very typical of the type of production around at that time. It does look somewhat dated now but vocally it is quite thrilling. Carreras sounds pushed but exciting, Ricciarelli is caught just before her decline and shows she was always more suited to this role than the title role she recorded. Marton takes the honours in this production and vocally I think she fares better here than at the Met with Domingo. This is far preferable to some of the shockingly sung recent additions on DVD, but noted at last the return on DVD of the Dimitrova version from Verona. Buy both if possible if you can only have one buy Dimitrova she was unsurpassed in the role at this time.

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

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Strauss - Die Fledermaus (Bibl, Burgenland So, Dussmann) [2003]

starring: Waldemar Kmentt, Artur Stefanowicz, Ute Gfrerer, Peter Edelmann, Silvana Dussmann

Release Date July 04, 2005
This production from the 80's is very typical of the type of production around at that time. It does look somewhat dated now but vocally it is quite thrilling. Carreras sounds pushed but exciting, Ricciarelli is caught just before her decline and shows she was always more suited to this role than the title role she recorded. Marton takes the honours in this production and vocally I think she fares better here than at the Met with Domingo. This is far preferable to some of the shockingly sung recent additions on DVD, but noted at last the return on DVD of the Dimitrova version from Verona. Buy both if possible if you can only have one buy Dimitrova she was unsurpassed in the role at this time.