Unlike other Zauberflötes of the mono era, Ferenc Fricsay's 1953 recording includes the dialogue, albeit spoken by actors rather than the singers. The prize assumptions here are Fischer-Dieskau's youthful, engaging Papageno, Haefliger's intelligent Tamino, Rita Streich's effortless Queen of the Night, and Lisa Otto's touching Pamina. Fricsay's tight-knit pacing doesn't hurt either. On balance, this is the finest of this short-lived conductor's Mozart opera recordings. --Jed Distler