Karajan: The Opera Recordings

As can be seen from the reviews, people have different opinions about whether remastering is a good thing or not for these recordings. In any case, I did a byte-level comparison between what's contained in this collection and older CD's that I have. If the bytes are same, the recording-mastering is the same. Different bytes can be a remastering or a slight adjustment (gain, or volume difference). I don't have comparisons of all the operas - if I had older recordings of all of these, I wouldn't have bought the collection!The release date of the CD is in parenthesis, "OIBP" = Original Image Bit Processing, "ADRM" = Digital Remaster to Audiophile Standards (Decca). OIBP seems to have started around 1995.These recording are the same as older CD release:Carmen (1983 release)The Merry Widow (1992 release)Pagliacci (1996 OIBP release)Figaro (1988 ADRM release)Don Giovanni (1986 release)Tosca - Ricciarelli / DG (1984 release)Die Fledermaus (1987 release)Der Rosenkavalier - studio recording (1984 release) - mostly same (3 tracks were different)Parsifal (1984 release)These are different (see caveat above), with my speculation:La boheme (1987 ADRM release)Madama Butterfly (1987 release) - there was a later ADRM releaseTurandot (1982 release) - there was a later OIBP releaseGotterdammerung (1985 release) - I'm guessing all the Ring recordings in this collection are OIBPAll of the Salzburg live recordings were done in mono. The Rosenkavalier matches the recording included in the 50-year Salzburg Festival retrospective released in 2010. That's the only match of the Salzburg operas in my collection.

If you love HvK's symphonic conducting (who doesn't?) you should have no difficulty with these accounts. Tempos tend to be slightly fast, with an overall primary concern for BEAUTY! Recommended, of course.

The recordings are fantastic, thus I must spend the time to listen to it all

Of course the music was uniformly first-rate, given that it's Karajan. My only disappointment was that some of the recordings were of live performances, which invariably impacts on the sound quality. But to get this many operas at such a low price is wonderful. The complete Ring Cycle alone makes it worth buying.

Wonderful production of the Karajan conducted operas on DG, Decca and Philips!

this was great

Excellent!

Expanding Mr. Stenroos' comment regarding completeness of this box. There are three other opera productions by Karajan, which were released by DG - on video - that could have been included as "bonus" recordings, instead of Haydn's "The Creation". I'm referring to La Boheme from 1967 featuring Mirella Freni and Gianni Raimondi, Otello from 1973 featuring Jon Vickers and Freni, and Rheingold from 1978. The last mentioned represents one of Karajan's attempts in the area of stage direction. Although it was an unsuccessful attempt, it would have been interesting to have it included.There are many interesting recordings in this handsome box. Karajan had his own artistic ideas of operatic interpretations, with the emphasis more on the lyrical than on the dramatic aspects, where the orchestra is given a prominent role. The artists are first class. Others have written about the individual operas. However, it is a shame that the DG has not performed new digital remasterings of these recordings. Instead, they have used old digitizations which they've treated with a method called "Original Image Bit Processing". As I understand it, this is a type of digital washing machine. The result is that the 'digital edge' is still very prominent, or as one writer put it in a forum post: 'DG "why do my ears hurt" harshness'.

良かったです、

This 70-CD set presumably concludes DG's issue of what they consider to be Herbert von Karajan's recorded legacy on the yellow label. Every CD in the first three sets in this series was remastered using DG's Original Image Bit Processing (OIBP) techniques, and to great effect. One can't be so sure that's true for this set. Falstaff - which features the cover art from the initial Philips LP/CD release - utilizes the DG CD label look, as do all of the other DG-released recordings.The CD labels for all of the DG-labeled discs indicate they were mastered using the OIBP process. The Decca issues feature a Decca FFSS LP label look, but there's no indication anywhere in the set to lead one to believe they have been remastered, though one might assume as much based on the practice followed for all of the other CDs in this 4-set series.Let me start by addressing the supposed "completeness" of this set, and of this series. It is something of a bonus that DG have seen fit to include Karajan's opera recordings that he made on Decca, as they include a few of his finest efforts in La boheme and Madama Butterfly. His "Nozze di Figaro" is a top-flight mix of an interesting use of expressive parlando in much of the recitatives, great acting and some fabulous singing in the showcase arias and ensembles, coupled with a very sensitive orchestral accompaniment - and a studio recording, NOT a live performance as advertised elsewhere. His early Decca opera recordings of Aida, Otello (with the Act 3 ballet music) and Tosca are very welcome here, and add substantially to this set had it been limited to only operas released on DG. But here's the rub with this box and this series:1. It's nice that DG included Karajan's Decca opera recordings...so why didn't they also include his Decca orchestral recordings that were made with the Vienna Philharmonic in the 1960s? Seems to me that those very-fine-on-average recordings could have been included in the earlier sets, especially the recording of music from Giselle, which was basically a career one-off for Karajan. And what's with the cover art they used for the Decca recording of Tosca? This set was originally released stateside in RCA's Soria Series with much nicer artwork. Perhaps the cover portrait of Price that adorns the included CD set reflects the cover art Decca used when the rights to the recording reverted entirely to Decca. I don't know that, just making an educated guess.2. There are a number of live opera recordings that were released by DG on CD that are not included. I'm think of the Fidelio, Die frau ohne Schatten, Tannhauser, Murder in the Cathedral and Coronation of Poppea that were released on DG CDs in the late 1990s. Was there a licensing problem including them in this set? All of those performances were done at the Vienna Staatsoper, and I wonder if - perhaps - the licensing fee was just too high to include those sets in a box being sold at a super budget price.3. What about Karajan's very earliest recordings that were made just prior to and during WWII? These recordings have been released a couple of times on DG CDs. Why they weren't included in this series is a mystery.4. As nice as it is to have the excellent live performance of Haydn's "Creation" included - which gives us Fritz Wunderlich's full assumption of the tenor role, an assumption that was cut short by his untimely death during the recording of DG's studio version - what does it have to do with opera? I'm glad it's included, but there's no reason to have included it outside of someone being nice at DG, and not forcing us to buy this recording in its stand-alone CD issue.5. The lack of libretti for the operas is really unforgivable, as almost all of these recordings featured libretti in their earlier LP and CD issues. DG could have easily fit all of the libretti onto a single CD-R and included it in the box, a solution that worked just fine for EMI when they issued their Complete Karajan sets back in 2008. Truth be told, the opera box has even LESS info available than did the orchestral boxes in this series, as the LP-covers used in the orchestral works at least duplicated the liner notes that appeared on the back of the LP jackets (readable if you possess a good magnifying glass).So, there are issues here, even if they pale when set against the musical performances set down on these CDs and revealed through some accomplished remastering.I'd now like to offer a few reviews of specific recordings to give potential buyers a feeling for 1. the strength of the performances, and 2. the remastered sound on the CDs:The La Scala-based "Cav-Pag" is a classic, with really great performances from the lead singers. I used to find the Cav a bit on the low energy side, but now I hear it as a beautiful rendition of music that too often takes on the countrified persona of the chorus of villagers. I owned these recordings in their LP and early CD versions, and the sound on this OIBP version is really good - it enhances what were already recommended performances.Karajan's DG "Tosca" is an analogue recording from 1979. The sound is quite phenomenal, though the performance isn't the norm, featuring two romantic protagonists in José Carerras and Katia Ricciarelli who sing beautifully but whose voices are a bit on the light side. I have a hard time imagining this particular Cavaradossi being any kind of a revolutionary, just as I have a difficult time believing that this Tosca had it in her to commit murder, even as an act of total spontaneity. I will say that I enjoyed Ruggerro Raimondi's Scarpia - chalk it up to old age, as I rather disliked his performance when I first heard it on LPs.The digital recording of "Turandot" dates from 1981, and while it features a good interpretation and great playing and singing from the Vienna Phil and the Stattsopenchor, it is generally let down by the leads, none of whom can match the performances available elsewhere. Katie Ricciarelli's assumption of the title role was widely and justly criticized when the recording was released, and it hasn't been helped in this new issue. Sad, because this recording was set down only two years after the above-mentioned Tosca, and while the voice is still pretty to listen to in the middle range, the high range is now a mess. It's almost like she sings one way in the middle voice and then allows her larynx to ride high in her throat to reach the high notes. Nilsson she's not. Domingo's Calaf also suffers when compared to the great exponents of this role. His voice is under tremendous pressure most of the time, especially in the high range in which he sounds very uncomfortable, bulling his way through passages that others sing with power and finesse. No one will hold it against you when you find yourself pulling down recordings by Merli, Corelli, Pavarotti or Bjoerling as a corrective to the Domingo Calaf. Hendricks' Liu is too light by half, and that greatly limits her ability to express this role the way it is usually sung, where the artist singing Liu often walks away with the vocal honors for the evening. This is definitely an example of a recording where the "orchestra as protagonist" approach to opera has diminishing returns. Sound is very good, if ultimately lacking the clarity and color of the Mehta version on Decca.The above-mentioned "Le nozze di Figaro" comes up very well in whatever mastering has been included in this box. Getting reacquainted with this recording after not hearing it in probably 20+ years was a satisfying experience. I like José van Dam's Figaro more this time around while I am less enamored of Frederica von Stade's Cherubino and Ileana Cotrubas' Susanna. The cast is excellent all around, though Anna Tomowa-Sintow's Countess isn't the equal of other singers in this role.(I will add a few more reviews of specific operas as I make my way through the set).All things considered, this is a nice conclusion to the series.Highly recommended.

Todas las estrellas y algún cometa si se pudiera incluir.Considero una obligada referencia, las remasterizaciones están conseguidas, y el precio más que razonable (nos escandalizaríamos si viéramos algunas tiendas de discos de segunda mano lo que piden por grabaciones cd de las mismas operas y con calidad inferior).Las grabaciones con la Filarmónica de Viena son todas de un nivel a mi juicio ya inalcanzable para los días que corren. Algunas con la Filarmónica de Berlín son también mágicas, destacando como no, una etérea Viuda Alegre.Desde luego para todo el que quiera conectar con la ópera y a la vez con la personalidad del maestro Karajan, absolutamente recomendable.Gracias al sello y animar a seguir editando cofres de esta categoría.

Un formidable coffret dont je n'ai pas grand chose à dire puisqu'il parle de lui même avec une qualité d'écoute remarquable(je ne puis dire si remastering il y a hélas)Néanmoins, il me parait utile de donner le programme et la distribution avec Oh surprise des enregistrement DECCA et philips(les Noces de Figaro, Boris Godounov, La Bohème, Tosca-l'enregistrement DG est aussi présent-, Madame Butterfly, La Chauve souris, Aida, Falstaff) et 5 enregistrements sont des live à Salzbourg.Bizet:CarmenAgnes Baltsa (Carmen), José Carreras (Don José), José van Dam(Escamillo), Katia Ricciarelli (Micaëla), Christine Barbaux (Frasquita), Jane Berbié (Mercédès), Gino Quilico (Le Dancaïre), Heinz Zednik (Le Remendado), Mikael Melbye (Moralès), Alexander Malta (Zuniga)Paris Opera Chorus, Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraGluck:Orfeo ed EuridiceSalzburgGiulietta Simionato (Orfeo), Sena Jurinac (Euridice), Graziella Sciutti(Amor)Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener StaatsoperHaydn:The CreationLive recording from Salzburg, 1965Gundula Janowitz, Fritz Wunderlich, Kim Borg, Hermann PreyWiener Philharmoniker, Singverein der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde WienLehár:Die Lustige WitweElizabeth Harwood (Soprano), Teresa Stratas (Soprano), Donald Grobe (Tenor), Werner Hollweg (Tenor), Zoltan Kelemen (Tenor), René Kollo (Tenor), Werner Krenn (Tenor)Berliner Philharmoniker, Chor der Deutschen Oper BerlinLeoncavallo:I PagliacciCarlo Bergonzi (tenor), Joan Carlyle (soprano), Giuseppe Taddei(baritone), Ugo Benelli (tenor), Rolando Panerai (baritone), Giuseppe Morresi (bass) & Franco Ricciardi (tenor)Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla ScalaMascagni:Cavalleria RusticanaCarlo Bergonzi, Fiorenza Cossotto, Adriane Martino, Maria Gracia Allegri, Giangiacomo GuelfiCoro e Orchestra del Teatro alla ScalaMozart:Le nozze di Figaro, K492Recorded live in 1977Ileana Cotrubas (Susanna), José van Dam (Figaro), Tom Krause (Il Conte), Anna Tomowa-Sintow (La Contessa), Frederica von Stade(Cherubino), Jane Berbié (Marcellina), Jules Bastin (Bartolo), Heinz Zednik (Basilio), Kurt Equiluz (Curzio), Zoltán Kéléman (Antonio), Janet Perry (Barbarina)Wiener Staatsopernorchester und-ChorDon Giovanni, K527Samuel Ramey (Don Giovanni), Anna Tomowa-Sintow (Donna Anna), Agnes Baltsa (Donna Elvira), Kathleen Battle (Zerlina), Gosta Winbergh (Don Ottavio), Ferruccio Furlanetto (Leporello), Alexander Malta (Masetto) & Paata Burchuladze (Il Commendatore)Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin & Berliner PhilharmonikerDie Zauberflöte, K620Francisco Araiza (Tamino), Jose van Dam (Sarastro), Edith Mathis(Pamina), Gottfried Hornik (Papageno), Karin Ott (Königin der Nacht), Heinz Kruse (Monostatos), Janet Perry (Papagena), Volker Horn (Erste Geharnischter), Victor von Halem (Zweite Geharnischter), Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Agnes Baltsa, Hanna Schwarz (Drei Damen)Berliner PhilharmonikerMussorgsky:Boris GodunovRecorded: Sofiensaal, Vienna, 11/1970. Edited by Rimsky-KorsakovNicolai Ghiaurov (Boris), Olivera Miljakovic (Fyodor), Aleksei Maslennikov (Shuisky/Simpleton), Martti Talvela (Pimen), Ludovic Spiess (Grigory/False Dmitry), Anton Diakov (Varlaam), Nadejda Dobrianova (Xenia), Milen Paunov (Missail), Galina Vishnevskaya(Marina), Zoltan Kélémén (Rangoni), Margarita Lilowa (Hostess)Wiener Sängerknaben, Sofia Radio Chorus, Wiener Staatsopernchor& Wiener PhilharmonikerPuccini:La BohèmeMirella Freni (Mimi), Luciano Pavarotti (Rodolfo), Nicolai Ghiaurov(Colline), Elizabeth Harwood (Musetta), Rolando Panerai (Marcello), Gianni Maffeo (Schaunard), Michel Sénéchal (Alcindoro/Benoit), Gernot Pietsch (Parpignol), Hans-Dieter Appelt (Sergente dei doganieri), Hans-Dietrich Pohl (Un doganiere)Chorus of German Opera Berlin, Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraToscaStudio recording, 1962Leontyne Price (Tosca), Giuseppe di Stefano (Cavaradossi), Giuseppe Taddei (Scarpia), Fernando Corena (Il Sagristano), Carlo Cava (Angelotti), Piero De Palma (Spoletta), Leonardo Monreale (Sciarrone), Herbert Weiss (Un pastore), Alfredo Mariotti (Un carceriere)Wiener Staatsopernchor & Wiener PhilharmonikerToscaKatia Ricciarelli (Tosca), Jose Carreras (Cavaradossi), Ruggero Raimondi (Scarpia), Fernando Corena (Il Sagristano), Gottfried Hornik (Angelotti), Heinz Zednik (Spoletta), Victor von Halem (Sciarrone), Wolfgang Bünten (Un pastore), Victor von Halem (Un carceriere)Chor der Deutsche Oper Berlin & Berliner PhilharmonikerMadama ButterflyMirella Freni (Butterfly), Luciano Pavarotti (Pinkerton), Robert Kerns (Sharpless), Christa Ludwig (Suzuki), Michel Sénéchal (Goro), Giorgio Stendoro (Yamadori), Marius Rintzler (Bonzo)Wiener PhilharmonikerTurandotKatia Ricciarelli, Piero de Palma, Ruggero Raimondi, Plácido Domingo, Barbara Hendricks, Gottfried Hornik, Heinz Zednik, Francisco Araiza, Siegmund NimsgernWiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener SängerknabenStrauss, J, II:Die FledermausHilde Güden (Rosalinde), Eberhard Wächter (Eisenstein), Giuseppe Zampieri (Alfred), Rita Streich (Adele), Gerhard Stolze (Orlofsky), Peter Klein (Blind), Walter Berry (Falke), Erich Kunz (Frank), Josef Meinrad (Frosch), Elfriede Ott (Ida)Wiener Staatsopernchor & Wiener PhilharmonikerStrauss, R:Der Rosenkavalier1960 (Salzburg)Lisa della Casa (Die Marschallin), Sena Jurinac (Octavian), Hilde Gueden (Sophie), Otto Edelmann (Ochs), Erich Kunz (Faninal), Renato Ercolani (Valzacchi), Hilde Rössl-Majdan (Annina), Giuseppe Zampieri (Italian Singer), Judith Hellwig (Marianne)Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener StaatsopernchorDer RosenkavalierAnna Tomowa-Sintow (Marschallin), Agnes Baltsa (Octavian), Janet Perry (Sophie) & Kurt Moll (Ochs), Gottfried Hornik (Faninal)Wiener Philharmoniker & Wiener StaatsopernchorVerdi:Il TrovatoreSalzburgFranco Corelli (Manrico), Leontyne Price (Leonora), Ettore Bastianini(Il Conte di Luna), Giulietta Simionato (Azucena), Nicola Zaccaria(Ferrando), Laurence Dutoit (Ines), Siegfried Rudolf Frese (Ruiz)Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener StaatsopernchorUn ballo in mascheraPlácido Domingo, Josephine Barstow, Leo Nucci, Florence Quivar & Sumi JoKonzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor & Wiener PhilharmonikerDon CarloSalzburgFernandi, Jurinac, Simionato, Bastianini, Siepi & StefanoniChor der Wiener Staatsoper & Wiener PhilharmonikerAidaRenata Tebaldi (Aida), Carlo Bergonzi (Radamès), Giulietta Simionato (Amneris), Cornell MacNeil (Amonasro), Arnold Van Mill(Ramfis), Fernando Corena (Il Re di Egitto), Eugenia Ratti (Una Sacerdotessa), Piero De Palma (Un Messaggero)Wiener Philharmoniker & Singverein der Gesellschaft der MusikfreundeOtelloMario del Monaco (Otello), Aldo Protti (Iago), Renata Tebaldi(Desdemona), Nello Romanato (Cassio), Athos Cesarini (Rodrigo), Fernando Corena (Lodovico), Tom Krause (Montano), Ana Raquel Satra (Emilia)Wiener Staatsopernchor & Wiener PhilharmonikerFalstaffStudio recording, 1980Giuseppe Taddei (Falstaff), Ronaldo Panerai (Ford), Francisco Araiza(Fenton), Piero De Palma (Dr Caius), Heinz Zednik (Bardolfo), Federico Davià (Pistola), Raina Kabaivanska (Alice Ford), Janet Perry (Nannetta), Trudeliese Schmidt (Meg Page), Christa Ludwig(Mistress Quickly)Wiener Philharmoniker & Wiener StaatsopernchorWagner:ParsifalPeter Hofmann (Parsifal), Dunja Vejzovic (Kundry), Kurt Moll(Gurnemanz), José van Dam (Amfortas), Siegmund Nimsgern(Klingsor), Victor von Halem (Titurel), Hanna Schwarz (Alto Stimme)Berlin German Opera Chorus, Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraWagner: Der Ring des NibelungenDas RheingoldDietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Wotan), Zoltán Kelemen (Alberich), Josephine Veasey (Fricka), Gerhard Stolze (Loge), Erwin Wohlfahrt (Mime), Martti Talvela (Fasolt), Karl Ridderbusch (Fafner), Donald Grobe (Froh), Simone Mangelsdorff (Freia), Helen Donath (Woglinde), Edda Moser (Wellgunde), Anna Reynolds (Flosshilde)Die WalküreRégine Crespin (Brünnhilde), Thomas Stewart (Wotan), Gundula Janowitz (Sieglinde), Jon Vickers (Siegmund), Martti Talvela (Hunding), Josephine Veasey (Fricka), Danica Mastilovic (Helmwige), Carlotta Ordassy (Ortlinde), Liselotte Rebmann (Gerhilde), Ingrid Steger (Waltraute), Barbro Ericson (Siegrune), Helga Jenckel (Rossweisse), Cvetka Ahlin (Grimgerde), Lilo Brockhaus (Schwertleite)SiegfriedJess Thomas (Siegfried), Thomas Stewart (Der Wanderer), Gerhard Stolze (Mime), Helga Dernesch (Brünnhilde), Karl Ridderbusch (Fafner), Oralia Dominguez (Erda), Catherine Gayer (Waldvogel)GötterdämmerungHelga Dernesch (Brünnhilde), Helge Brilioth (Siegfried), Karl Ridderbusch (Hagen), Zoltán Kelemen (Alberich), Thomas Stewart (Gunther), Gundula Janowitz (Gutrune), Christa Ludwig (Waltraute), Liselotte Rebmann (Woglinde), Edda Moser (Wellgunde), Anna Reynolds (Flosshilde), Lili Chookasian (First Norn), Christa Ludwig (Second Norn), Catarina Ligendza (Third Norn)

As an experienced reviewer of box sets, I will give some examples of some of the CDs in this opera set. On the back of Pavarotti's LP sized box set, it states all "recordings newly remastered at 96kHz. 24 Bit- 2013". Pavarotti's set has Von Karajan's La Boheme and Madame Butterfly, the same recordings are in this Van Karajan opera box set. So I compared them, there is no difference to the sound. You have to look carefully but the Decca CDs on their dark blue labels, have printed Compact digital audio. All the DGG CDs on their yellow labels, have original image bit-processing, even the live ones. "DDD on some of the CD's means digital tape recorder used during session recording, mixing&/or editing and mastering (transcription). ADD. Analogue tape recorder used during session recording, digital tape recorder used during subsequent mixing &/ or editing during mastering (transcription)", (from EMI) Heard on live and stereo recordings. Also I tested Membran's Digital Audio, Von Karajan's 1938-1960 box set's Don Carlos, which is the same as this box's Don Carlos and they sound the same. I think I have solved the mystery, the sound was given a boost a number of years ago and seems to have done justice to this opera box set. Basically, one can sum up this set, that it is as good as the other three box sets. I know I own them.The box is Cobalt blue and is square, not long as is usual. One side has details of what this 70 CD set includes, 26 operas between 1958 and 1989, in Mono, Stereo and digital. The lid covers the entire box, which is grey. Inside are four smaller open blue boxes, with the numbers on the outside, for example 1-20 etc. You can take out each box and it makes it easier to play the CDs. I have put the small boxes in a square within the large grey box. This is a first. The CD numbers are on the spine like some RCA boxes sleeves with the composer and opera. I would turn the sleeves around and have the spine facing upwards in the box, so you can obtain the sleeves easily.Naturally, the sleeves are the originals, doubled up sleeve wise, sometimes with four compartments. You can easily retrieve the CDs from the sleeve, which has the track numbers and arias inside. The numbers are quite big on the label on the CDs. By the way, apart from DGG recordings there are those from Decca and Phillips. Decca has a dark blue label on the CD's, DGG yellow. The composer's of the operas are in Alpbetical order. You have a booklet in three languages with a essay "The opera conductor Karajan" by Jurgen Kesting. Von Karajan-a chronology. Text in English and German. Photo's in Black and white plus colour of singers and Von Karajan. Track listings and Cast, plus Index. 221 pages. This booklet sits on the CDs in the box, on top are the Facsimiles of session reports from five recordings. Merry Widow, Tosca 2nd Version, Gotterdammerung, Ballo in Maschera plus Carmen. There is a black cardboard band around them. NO libretto's or CD ROM. This is a well thought out high production box set, not only for long time collectors, but those new to Operas and want to begin to collect.Von Karajan taught himself to conduct by listening to records by other conductors, unheard of in his day. At the age of 27 at Aachen Theatre, he was to become the youngest general manager of an opera house in all of Germany. Goering and Gobbels to keep Furtwangler under control promoted Von Karajan as das wunderkind. So for the rest of Furtwangler's life he disliked K. But the irony is, that Von Karajan stated that he learnt all he knew from Furtwangler and Toscanini, that was why he considered himself connected to Niksich, who inspired Furtwangler, Reiner, Ansermet and Monteux. Just as Bernstein did, for his teacher was Reiner.I shall place the Opera, singers and orchestra first, then comments, and other versions of the opera you might like to hear. I shall not review all the operas as Amazon has kindly provided details, but merely give you an idea of what is in the box set.BIZET: CARMEN.(DIGITAL)1983. Baltsa, Carreras, Riccarelli, Van Dam. Berlin Philharmonic. Von Karajan combines affection with tension and polish. He uses the Oeser edition with its extra passages and spoken dialogue, which creates a more intimate approach to the drama. Carreas is lyrical and honey toned, more the anti hero. Katia Ricciarelli's big voice is scaled down. Van Dam is virile, but Baltsa is tough and commanding. She is larger then life but is believable. I do own Bizet's Carmen recorded in 1911, featuring Marguerite Merentie conducted by Francois Ruhlmann available on Marston. Interesting. Do not expect DDD quality, after it is 1911.GLUCK: ORFEO ED EURIDICE.(LIVE) SALZBURG.1959. Simionato, Jurinac, Sciutti. Vienna Philharmonic.The mezzo Simionato's rendition of the famous arias are beautiful and she fits well with Jurinac. I like Von Karajan live.LEHAR: THE MERRY WIDOW.STEREO.1972 Harwood, Kollo, Kelemen, Stratas, not sparkling enough. The best of all, Schwarzkopf, Wechter, Gedda. Conducted by Matacic. The following is a brillant Bonus with this opera, VON SUPPE OVERTURES:1969. Morning, noon and night in Vienna. Light cavalry. Pique Dame. The beautiful Galatea. The Jolly Robbers. Poet and Peasant. Berlin Philharmonic.LEONCAVALLO: I PAGLIACCI. STEREO.1965. Bergonzi, Joan Carlyle, Taddei,Panerai. La Scala, Milan Orch. Von Karajan makes you hear the music first and foremost, and that helps you understand the drama. Passions are no longer to the fore, that is why he chose the cast that he did. Bergonzi is a very sensitive tenor, Carlyle rather cool, Taddei is strong voiced. However, if you want Italian opera at its fire breathing best, Callas brings that out with her cast. But having another approach to this opera is rather a good idea. MASCAGNI: CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA. 1965. La Scala, Milan Orch. Karajan takes the composers markings literally so the melodies come out with freshness. Cossotto and Bergonzi take a pure, firm line. I have not heard this opera played like this before.MOZART: DON GIOVANNI. DIGITAL.1985. Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Ramey, Tomowa-Sintow. Baltsa, Battle, Winbergh. Von Karajan achieved an spontaneous result by deciding only at the last minute on each day which passages he would record. This is a performance of extremes, between slow and extremely fast speeds. Ramey is a noble Giovanni, Furlanetto's voice is quite beautiful as Leporello. Tomowa-Sintow is very animated as Donna Anna and the tone is beautiful. Donna Elivra sung by Balsa has venom and bite with a touch of sensitivity. DIE ZAUBERFLOTE: DIGITAL.1980. Berlin Philharmonic orchestra. Mathis, Ott, Araiza, Van Dam. Karajan is inspired to give one of his freshest, most rhythmic Mozart performances for DGG. He is spontaneous-sounding where vigor is prefered. Mathis has some beautiful moments, Van Dam is at his best. Do not forget the EMI 1939 Beecham recording which is a classic with Roswaenge, Lemnitz, Berger and Husch at their best.MUSSORGSKY: BORIS GODUNOV. STEREO (arr Rimsky-Korsakov) 1970. Ghiaurov, Vishnevskaya, Spiess, Talvela. Vienna State opera. With Ghiaurov in the title role Karajan came very close to conveying the rugged greatness of Mussorgsky's masterpiece. This recording is rated very highly.PUCCINI: LA BOHEME. STEREO. 1972. Freni, Pavarotti, Harwood, Panerai & Ghiaurov. Berlin Philharmonic orchestra. There is an electric intensity like in a live performance. Pavarotti is at his inspired best, Freni, who grew up with Pavarotti, her voice is beautiful and fits the part of Mimi and Harwood makes Musetta stand out. It is considered one of the best La Boheme's along with Beecham's, which features Victoria de los Angeles and Jussi Bjorling.TOSCA:(1st version) STEREO. 1962. Price, Taddei, di Stefano. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. It is a very fine version. I remember it in the LP days when it was in a red box with a large booklet. Price is at her peak with her distinctive dusky voice and Di Stefano sings sensitively. Taddei is very good as Scarpia. There is Callas, Di Stefano and Gobbi, La Scala, Milan, Cond de Sabata one of the greatest recordings of this opera. TOSCA: (2nd Version) STEREO.1979. Berlin Phlharmonic orchestra. Riccarelli, Carreras and Raimondi. In this version, Scarpia is the central character, and for this reason Von Karajan chose a bass Raimondi, and shows us why, this is no villian, but there is nobility in him. Ricciarelli singing is beautiful, Carreras gives a distinguished performance.PUCCINI: MADAME BUTTERFLY:STEREO.1974. Freni, Pavorotti, Ludwig, Kerns. Vienna Philharmonic. Von Karajan brings out all the beauty and intensity of Puccini's score, sweet and dramatic. Freni grows from the young girl to the tragedy that enfolds. Pavarotti is imaginative in his part as Pinkerton and creates an understanding of this complex character. Ludwig is an excellent Suzuki. Von Karajan makes you hear this opera anew. Although this is a good Butterfly, I have liked Victoria de los Angeles's first recording of this opera which was recorded in 1954. Her tone is more beautiful then the 1960 recording made with Bjorling. In the 1954 version she is accompanied with Di Stefano who is very ardent as Pinkerton and Gobbi.TURANDOT: DIGITAL.1981. Ricciarelli,Domingo, Hendricks, Raimondi. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Hendricks has a sexy voice so you wonder how Calaf would have overlooked her. She is far from a chaste Slave. Ricciarelli is not a icy princess and is very vulnerable. No Nilsson is she. Domingo is well, Domingo, with his stunning voice. I own Turandot recorded in 1938 conducted by Ghione, with Gina Cigna taught by Emma Calve, with Francesco Merli and Magda Olivero, one of the great Spinto singers, who sung Tosca at the age of 65 at the Met.JOHANN STRAUSS: DIE FLEDERMAUS.STEREO.1960. Kmentt, Gueden, Koth, Berry, Wachter, Resnik, Kunz. Vienna Philharmonic. This opera has all the sparkle it requires. The singers are good. Also, included is the star studded cast for the gala.Act 2. Tebaldi, Corena, Nilsson (I could have danced all night) Mario del Monaco, Berganza, Sutherland, Bjorling (Dein ist mein ganzes Herz). Leontyne Price. Summertime. Simionato and Bastianini ( anything you can do, I can do better. Yes I can...No you can't) Ljuba Welitsch. Wien, Wein, nur du allein.RICHARD STRAUSS: DER ROSENKAVALIER.(1st version) LIVE.1960.SALZBURG.MONO. Della Casa, Jurinac, Gueden, Edelmann and Kunz. Vienna Philhamonic. This is one of the great Der Rosenkavaliers, which Della Casa made her own, so with Jurinac and Gueden you have a dream cast. But the 1956 version with Schwarzkopf is still is one of the great recordings conducted by Von Karajan. DER ROSENKAVALIER:(2nd Version) DIGITAL.1982. Tomowa-Sintow, Moll, Baltsa, Perry. Vienna Phil. A very different and beautiful look at this well known opera. The singers are suited to their parts. The DVD of this opera. Gwyneth Jones, Jungwirth, Fassbaebder, Lucia Popp. Bayerisches Staatsorchester Conducted by Carlos Kleiber. This DVD is considered a classic and is traditional.VERDI: IL TROVATORE: LIVE. MONO. 1962.SALZBURG. Corelli, Price, Simonato, Bastianini. Vienna Philharmonic. Well worth listening to. Price and Corelli at their peak, more like an ensemble of old. In this opera, Caruso stated you require four of the best singers, and in the early 1960's these singers were amongst the best. UN BALLO IN MASCHERA. DIGITAL.1989. Barstow, Domingo, Nucci, Sumi Jo. Vienna Philharmonic. Quick tempi. Barstow has a voice that is instantly recognised. Domingo is his usual passionate self. This was Von Karajan's last recording before he died. Made in January February 1989. So he did not conduct the stage production which was taken over by Solti at the last moment. I have the DVD of this Solti production.DON CARLOS: LIVE. MONO. 1958.SALZBURG. Siepi, Fernandi, Bastianini, Zaccaria, Jurinac, Simionato. Recorded in 1958. Fernardi is an underrated tenor. These are singers who understand each other for they have sung together many times. Live is a very good way to hear Von Karajan. Another great version of this opera is in the box set, Great Performances at Covent Garden 1955-1997. Remastered 2006-2010. Released 2014 Vickers, Gobbi, Brouwenstijn, Christoff and Barbieri. Cond Giulini. Rated a classic.AIDA: STEREO.1959. Tebaldi, Simionato, Bergonzi and Macneil. Vienna Philharmonic. Penguin guide 1977 states "This is one of those almost ideal gramophone performances: the more you hear it the more satisfying it becomes, largely because it lays stress all the time on the musical values, if necessary at the expense of the dramatic ones". This is the first staged Stereo recording by John Culshaw. Bergonzi emerges as a prince amongst tenors for his attention to detail. Tebaldi's interpretation of the part of Aida is well loved. Her creamy tone rides over most of the difficulties. Van Karajan's concept of the music is swifter then you may think.Recorded in 1928, Aida, Orch La Scala, Milan, was conducted by Carlo Sabajno. Pertile, Toscanini's favourite tenor, Dusolina Giannini, an American born of Italian parents, Irene Minghini-Cattaneo and Giovanni Ingeilleri. This Aida was considered very highly in 1930, for it was the sort of opera you could hear at a gala performance, because of its great cast. Phonographe.OTELLO: STEREO.1961. Tebaldi, Del Monaco. Vienna Philharmonic. Del Monaco is gloriously heroic and this is one of his finest collaborations with Tebaldi. John Culshaw created a sonic stage with this recording. One of the best recordings of this opera is conducted by Serafin with Vickers, Gobbi and Rysanek. There is a Naxos recording that is rated very highly, recorded in 1938. Martinelli, Rethberg and Tibbett. Met Orchestra cond Panizza.WAGNER: RING CYCLE.STEREO.1966-1969. Veasey, Fischer-Dieskau, Stolze, Kelemen, Dernesch, Jess Thomas, Stewart, Regine Crespin, Janowitz, Jon Vickers, Talvela, Brilioth, Ludwig and Ridderbusch. Berlin Philharmonic orchestra. Von Karajan brings a clarity to this music, but provides energy when required. More an emotional and melodic view, rather then a Solti view of Wagner. This is why he has chosen singers with an emotional edge like Dernesch, Crespin, Vickers, Janowitz and Stewart. One only has to hear the sheer beauty of Winterstrume wichen dem wonnemond sung by Vickers, singing with Janowitz, one of the best Sieglinde's on record since Lotte Lehmann, to understand this conductor's concept of this Ring. Here Van Karajan builds up the tension slowly until the end when it reaches a quick climax. However, there are changes in this Ring cycle. Crespin in the Walkure for Dernesch, in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung as Brunnhilde. Jess Thomas in Siegfried changed for Brilioth in Gotterdammerung.A few suggestions: The Classic 1962 Die Walkure conducted by Leinsdorf, with Ward, Nilsson, Brouwenstijn and London. In the big black box Von Karajan 1938-1960 117 CDs, released by Membran are the following, Wagner Die Walkure Von Karajan Cond La Scala, Milan 1958, Live. With Suthaus, Frick, Hotter, Rysanek, Nilsson, Madeira. Siegfried, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra 1951. With Bernd Aldenhoff, a true Heldentenor, Kuen, Sigurd Bjorling, Lipp, Astrid Varnay. Marvellous.So what do I make of Von Karajan's Ring cycle? He certainly creates a Ring that brings to the forefront the beauty of the music, and another point of view, but I dispute the view that it is like chamber music in some parts. So lets see how he compares with the Rings I own. Solti, Bohm, Janowski, Boulez, Furtwangler's Rome cycle, the two cycles of the 1955 Ring cycle at Bayreuth conducted by Keilberth, one with Varnay, the other with Modl and Furtwangler's La Scala Ring with Flagstad and Lorenz. And I like all of them, but if I was to pick one it would be the 1955 second cycle with Modl and the second, the Rome Furtwangler cycle. Also, the old testament of the Ring cycle, recorded 1926-1932 Vol 1 and 2 released by Gala. conducted by Coates and Blech, with Leider, Melchior, Easton, Schorr, Austral, Widdop. So in my opinion, Van Karajan would fit alongside the more modern Solti and Bohm, but each are different in their approach. Karajan's version would be a balance to the other two. I came to this Ring cycle via this box set, after many years of listening to different Ring cycles and seeing Solti conducting it at Covent Garden and hearing Boulez's Ring live at Bayreuth. I am glad I did, for when I was much younger, I would not have appreciated this cycle. This is merely an opinion, but this is one of the great modern Ring cycles around with great sound.Another suggestion, Membran's 10 CD set Great singers sing Wagner. 1920's to 1930's and a few from 1940 and early 1950's. Very cheap and should be in every Wagner fan's collection.PARSIVAL.DIGITAL. 1980. Berlin Philharmonic Orch. Hofmann, Van Dam, Moll, Vejzovic, Nimsgern. Penguin 1993 guide considers it a beautiful set and has given the recording a rosette for excellence. Although it has been doubted that a studio recording could ever match in spiritual intensity earlier ones made on the stage at Bayreuth, Karajan proves otherwise, his meditation the more intense because digital sound allows total silences. However, I do not think it reaches the heights of the 1962 Phillips live recording with Jess Thomas and Hans Hotter, conducted by Hans Knappertsbusch at Bayreuth. But this view is a matter of opinion, for music is a subjective art form.BONUS: HAYDN: MONO. 1965. SALZBURG. Die Schopfung. Salzburg. Janowitz, Wunderlich, Prey, Vienna Philharmonic.Enjoy this great box set.VOTES: 14 out of 19. USA and Brit Amazon have not replaced my votes after the change. Brit Amazon refuses to do anything about it.