This is the most satisfying Aida recording ever!
(EMI CMS7 69300-2)

There are quite a few recordings of Verdi's masterpiece, but this one surely is in a class of its own.

First and foremost, it's only "competition", so to speak, is Riccardo Muti's set also on EMI, released just a few years before this one. A seasoned opera fan may want both sets. While the Muti set is a big show piece, great for the large opera house, Herbert von Karajan emphasizes the subtlety and dramatic depth of the score.

I must object to the popular (among critics) view that Karajan's use of "lyric" voices somehow takes away from the "grandeur" of the opera. Both principals have expressive very powerful voices, capable equally of thunderous attacks and soft but passionate pianissimos.

Mirella Freni's highly emotional yet ever so feminine interpretation of the heroine is remarkable. In "Ritorna Vincitor!" particularly, she displays a full range of Aida's contrasting feelings with splendid poignancy. Carreras's romantic and heroic Radames is no less impressive. His velvety tone and fire-striking high notes fit the part as though it were written for him. An accomplished master of Verdian line (and a winner of the Verdi Voices competition) Carreras never succumbs to cheap effects (listen, for instance, to the strong but not a bit forced "un trono vicino al sol") and maintains a very real interpretation of Radames's struggle between love and honor. I particularly enjoyed the duet "Pur ti riveggo, mia dolce Aida" followed by Radames' surrender scene. This is the only time I heard it when I actually believed it! The whole cast, including the supporting characters is first class.

Cappuccilli's impressive reading of Amonastro compares favorably to that of Milnes, Lisitsian, or Bastianini. His prior recording under Muti's conducting was good too, yet this one has a crisper, clearer quality and his duet with Aida is very powerful. I did wish for Nicolai Ghiaurov to sing Ramfis, though, for he can display that "divine authority" and convinced self-righteousness. Agnes Baltsa's treatment of Amneris makes the Pharaoh's daughter irresistible and at times you wonder why she is not the object of Radames' affection. A word of praise goes out to Maestro Karajan, who conducts with a style that appears perfectly suited for this "larger-than-life" opera and gives it a highly symphonic feel, particularly with the "crying" strings. The orchestra and singers are in ideal balance, the singers are nicely brought forward, yet not "too forward" like RCA or Decca often do. You get a full understanding and detail of the orchestra. The tempos are never sluggish, yet the tension is evident when a situation demands it.

In summary, this recording really has it all, and it is a must for anyone captivated by the power of opera.