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

After his acclaimed Munich debut with Bruckner's Fifth Symphony, Christian Thielemann, one of today's leading conductors, releases his first Mozart album, just in time for Mozart's 250th birthday celebrations. Thielemann is known for being a leading interpreter of German Romantic repertoire, and both his fans and critics alike are eager for his first Mozart recording. On this live recording, Thielemann leads his new orchestra, the Munich Philharmonic, the Bavarian Radio Chorus, and some outstanding young vocalists in Mozart's famous and final work. The exceptional cast of soloists includes Sibylla Rubens (soprano), Lioba Braun (alto), Steve Davislim (tenor), and Georg Zeppenfeld (bass).