Returning to the catalogue after a long absence, this performance of Mozart's great opera seria masterpiece features a superb cast of leading Mozartians with the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Ivan Kertész. Teresa Berganza, Lucia Popp and Brigitte Fassbaender, in particular, give outstanding portrayals of their respective roles.  

'Kertész attacks Mozart's last opera with fine dramatic directness...very vivid recording...generally excellent singing' The Penguin Guide To Opera

Sir Georg Solti's much loved first recording of one of Mozart's most popular operas, with a superb vocal cast led by Pilar Lorengar and Teresa Berganza. Also featured are some of the finest male singers of the day in Ryland Davies, Tom Krause and Gabriel Bacquier.   

Solti has always been a great conductor of Mozart operas and this set, made during his time as musical director at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, has been justly praised.  

This is Sir Georg Solti's first recording of Mozart's morality drama. It features one of the finest casts possible to assemble at the time. Dame Margaret Price and Lucia Popp were both outstanding singers, particularly associated with Mozart and they are joined by the fiery and youthful Sylvia Sass who was at the peak of her brief career when this recording was made.

The patrician tenor Stuart Burrows and estimable Bernd Weikl and Gabriel Bacquier and Kurt Moll complete this fine cast.

The legendary Luciano Pavarotti in one of his greatest stage roles - in the title role of Mozart's Idomeneo - returns to the catalogue this month. In what The Gramophone described as a 'deeply committed performance', the star tenor makes a rare appearance in a Mozart opera. He lends to this music all of the famed beauty of his voice and brings genuine feeling to the plight of the opera's title role.

This release, spaciously conducted by Sir John Pritchard features, in addition to Pavarotti, a superb cast including Agnes Baltsa, Lucia Popp, Leo Nucci and Edita Gruberova.

'Pavarotti has the natural magnetism of the superstar...On balance this is the not only the most heroic and the most beautiful, but also the best controlled performance of this demanding role that we have on record.' The Penguin Guide to Opera

Herbert von Karajan's Decca recording of Mozart's most popular opera was made after long familiarity with the work, both in the theatre and on record.

Karajan is responsible for some of the greatest Mozart opera recordings of all time and this fine performance is proof of his understanding of the composer's genius.  An outstanding cast led by Ileana Cotrubas, Frederica von Stade and José van Dam, this reissue sees this recording available at mid-price for the first time.  

'The performance is a joy to the ear.' The Penguin Guide to Opera

Mozart's charming theatrical entertainment Der Schauspieldirektor was first performed in the Orangerie at the Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna in February 1786 - a private performance hosted by Emperor Joseph II. Whilst it is not one of his

best-known operas, it features some wonderful music, fully worthy of the best of his works.

This recording from the 1980s has been unavailable for some time, but makes a very welcome return to addition to the catalogue. It features a star-studded cast of Mozartians led by sopranos Kiri Te Kanawa & Edita Gruberova and tenor Uwe Heilmann with the Vienna Philharmonic under Sir John Pritchard. It is hard to imagine this charming work being more beautifully or persuasively performed.

This single disc also includes Mozart concert arias from Te Kanwa, Gruberova and bass Manfred Jungwirth.

'Sir John Pritchard is a great Mozartian...having two such well contrasted star sopranos adds point to the contest and the performances are a delight' The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs