"Mogens Woldike's conducting would itself justify a recommendation of this set, since he paced and pointed the music about as well as anyone I've heard, but the glory of the performance comes from the singers. Vienna State Opera stars like Stich-Randall and Dermota offer a combination of gorgeous voices and technical virtuosity that is ideal in this repertory. They inflect every phrase they sing with wonderful character but never lose the overall shape of the music. Where does anyone sing like this these days? The only drawback is the choice of Paul Schoeffler as Adam; he sounds more like Anny Felbermayer's grandfather than her playmate in paradise, but he is still decent. The orchestra is good, the old-Viennese style chorus excellent (lots of vibrato) and the clear, well-balanced mono sound quite respectable, if slightly dim by later standards."