Turandot

This live performance of Turandot, recorded in Milan in 1964, is thrilling, with all the lead singers at their estimable best. A problem lies in the fact that halfway through the second act, the recorded pitch slips up, so that the rest of the opera is performed a half-tone sharp. Listeners may be so caught up in the drama and virtuoso singing that they will not notice, but it can get in the way. --Robert Levine