From Amazon.co.uk
This triple-CD set is part of the "Wiener Staatsoper Live" series of remastered historical live recordings--and recordings don't really get more historical than this one. This 1955 production of
Der Rosenkavalier marked the re-opening of the Vienna State Opera House after its destruction during the war, and also the departure of the allied forces from Austria. Thus it was designed to show the world exactly what Vienna was capable of--and pretty much achieves its aim. The main three female voices must come close to what Strauss imagined in his dreams, all individually exquisite and yet forming an almost unbearably gorgeous blend in the final trio. The minor roles too are impressive: you don't often get voices of Karl Terkal's calibre taking on the brief, challenging role of The Tenor. The recording is full of the realities of a live staging, which means that some details get lost and there is a confusing sense of distance and perspective. But it also means that the atmosphere is electric at times, and the orchestral playing crackles with spontaneity. --
Warwick Thompson