Although Luciano Pavarotti only took on a few roles during his career, his performances rewrote history and set a benchmark for vocalists that would follow him. This 2-disc set is a live recording of Pavarotti in his role as Riccardo in Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera. The Vienna State Opera Orchestra accompanies the vocalists in a raw, emotional performance under Claudio Abbado.

What many celebrate as the reference studio recording of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro was recorded in 1959 with the same orchestra, chorus, conductor and famed soprano in the role of the Countess Almaviva. This live recording, captured a mere two years later London in 1961, with almost an entirely different cast excepting the great German soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf in the aforementioned role makes for a superb complimentary recording to it's near contemporary, it's fine cast including, among others, Heather Harper and Elisabeth Söderstrom at the start what became prominent careers.