I picked up a recording of the Verdi REQUIEM at the Library at Lincoln Center; I’d never even heard of this particular performance which was recorded “live” in Munich in 1981. Riccardo Muti conducts, and the soloists are Jessye Norman, Agnes Baltsa, Jose Carreras, and Evgeny Nesterenko. It immediately became my favorite recording of the work. I checked in with my friend Dima, who knows lots more about what’s been recorded than I do, but he was unfamiliar with it also.
What I love most about the performance is that, in addition to Muti bringing epic grandeur to the music, the performance is rich in nuanced passages and a beautiful blending of the solo voices.
Above: Maestro Muti
Listen here.
Oberon's Glade 