R. Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier / Fleming, Damrau

Renée Fleming (Marschallin), Franz Hawlata (Baron Ochs), Sophie Koch (Octavian), Diana Damrau (Sophie), Jonas Kaufmann (The Italian Tenor), Franz Grundheber (Faninal), Jane Henschel (Annina), Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke (Valzacchi), Irmgard Vilsmaier (Marianne) Munchner Philharmoniker, Christian Thielemann

Decca’s first CD release of Der Rosenkavalier since the legendary Solti recording of the late 1960s was recorded during the Baden-Baden Festival performances in January 2009. This latest Rosenkavalier features what conductor Christian Thielemann called a “galactic cast”. Renée Fleming is luminous as the Marschallin − in what is surely the central role of her repertoire. She is joined by Sophie Koch as Octavian, Diana Damrau as Sofie, Franz Hawlata as Ochs, and the “luxury casting” of Jonas Kaufmann as the Italian Tenor. Previously released on Decca DVD and Blu-ray, the recording has been completely re-mastered for this release. Of Renée Fleming in Rosenkavalier, the International Herald Tribune wrote: “Her soprano is not only beautifully in place for the music, but is employed with a rare flexibility and sensitivity for the text”.

Price: $35.98