**** Excellent Album
Pierre Flinois – Classica magazine (France) – March 2022
“… the performance has real fire and impact. It is stylishly led by the Hungarian Carl Melles … The cast are absolutely top-drawer for the time and attack their novel challenges with relish, none more so that Gwyneth Jones …”
Mike Ashman – Gramophone magazine – August 2021
“… Minor blemishes don’t curb enjoyment of a generally exciting release of Beethoven’s first version of Fidelio…”
Mike Parr – MusicWeb-Interntional.com – 23 April 2021
“No other work caused Beethoven so many headaches as his opera Fidelio, of which Orfeo now presents the original version Leonore in a concert recording from 1970… the ORF-Orchestra from Vienna proves that in 1970 the technical playing quality of the orchestras was not as developed as it is today. Gladly the voices are all the better. Gwyneth Jones, remembered as one of the greatest Fidelio interpreters also shows her great acting and vocal talent in this performance. And a phenomenal stage presence! The American James King is a vocally outstanding and dramatically moving Florestan. Baritone Theo Adam sings an expressive Don Pizzarro, next to which Gerd Nienstedt’s Rocco falls a bit short. In the roles of Jaquino and Marzelline Werner Hollweg and Rotraud Hansmann are convincing. Carl Melles’ conducting is dramatic and exciting. It’s strange that this conductor never had his big breakthrough.” ****
Norbert Tischer – Pizzicato.com – 23 March 2021