BEETHOVEN: FIDELIO MASUR, ALT

MOZART: HAFFNER SERENADE, ETC

...a consistently enjoyable, honest performance, recorded in deep, spacious sound... Stratas's Marie (I'm using the German forms of the names) is firmly voiced and, as always, she acts intelligently... Kollo is strained on top and deficient in legato, but amiable and believably wily...

-- Ralph V. Lucano, FANFARE [5/1989]

Serge Baudo, a very find and under-appreciated conductor of the French repertoire, led a studio recording from 1978 with Claude Dormoy, Michèle Command and Gabriel Bacquier... [It] was highly praised at the time of its release and should be re-released. It is the only commercial recording of the wonderful Bacquier as Golaud, and Michèle Command was a beguiling as Mélisande.

-- Jeffrey Sarver, MusicWeb International

[In Suor Angelica] Popp and Patané himself are the main attractions. She...is touching throughout and moving by the end.

-- Gramophone [9/1997]

"When in November 1988 I reviewed both the Maazel box and the separate Eurodisc issues of Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicchi, I went into some detail over the relative merits. Broadly Patanè at generally faster, more flowing speeds sounds consistently more idiomatic, more concerned over suggesting stage action, and I imagine these performances owe a lot to stage productions with some or all of the same performers. The recording too has greater atmosphere, with singers not so closely recorded...it gains enormously in conviction from the persuasiveness of Patané and the atmospheric warmth of both the performance and the recorded sound. Nimsgern as Michele in Il tabarro give[s a] memorable performance."

-- Gramophone [4/1990] Reviewing Il Trittico

"'Il Tabarro'...is a passionate account of a tale of jealousy and murder on a river barge. Siegmund Nimsgern is brooding and ominous in the role of Michele, the wronged husband...the soprano Ilona Tokody captures Giorgetta's anguish believably and movingly. Giorgio Lamberti's...bright tenor rings out with passion and energy. Among the supporting singers, mezzo-soprano Vera Baniewicz stands out as a ripe and characterful Frugola. Patane provides brisk and propulsive leadership, and the Bavarian players rise to his urging with some rousing climaxes."

-- George Jellinek, New York Times 3/1989

If Mosè is Rossini uncharacteristically serious, Don Pasquale is Donizetti almost as uncharacteristically comic. But the opera is a charmer, and while this performance is frisky and well sung, it is almost defiantly unidiomatic with its German, Mexican and Russian principals.

-- John Rockwell, The New York Times [5/16/1982]

CATALANI: LA WALLY STEINBERG,

The reissue of this now elderly performance of Der Freischdtz is of interest chiefly for some classic performances. The most impressive of these is Gottlob Frick's Kaspar. Flashing with a sinister allure in ''Hier im ird'schen Jammertal'', he changes character as soon as the hapless Max has gone and steps forward with a terrifying account of ''Schweig! Schweig!'', curling his phrasing around the music with evil relish and deploying his most Schwarzalberich tones; he is at once edgy and determined as he sets about persuading Samiel to allow him to substitute Max for himself as victim. Rudolf Schock sings lyrically and tenderly as Max, though he is cast a little too much as the primo tenore rather than as a part of Weber's fantastic orchestral expression by being set, like most of the singers, rather too far forward. Claire Watson is an affecting Agathe, with a gentle directness of emotion in ''Leise, leise'' that is very touching. She has at her side a lively Aennchen in Lotte Schadle, even if the soubrette bounciness has to worked for a little. There are plenty of stage effects, including an extraordinary rattle of approaching feathers followed by a loud thump as the shot eagle crashes to the ground: this is always a tricky moment for anyone with any sense of humour at all. There is, of course, a wealth of accompanying din (including a grunting boar) in the Wolf's Glen, which comes off with its usual gruesome effect.

Matacic is sometimes rather too expansive with the score, but he gives a firm and distinctive performance. I would not now commend the set above the Carlos Kleiber (for DG), but it is god to have a chance of hearing it again. There is a synopsis in four languages, and the German text with a rather free English translation, including much of the original dialogue.'

John Warrack, Gramophone [3/1989] Reviewing Eurodisc 352 894

MOZART: ABDUCTION FROM THE SER

BACH: BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS, O

VON SUPPÉ: OVERTURES GUSTAV K

DVORÁK: PIANO CONCERTO, CARNIV

MOZART: SYMPHONIES NOS 38, 39,

VIVALDI: IL PASTOR FIDO SCHEL