Mozart: Così Fan Tutte

In this recording, given a cast in which he has confidence, Karl Boehm lets the singers take a strong role in shaping this performance--a risky choice because Cosi depends on ensemble work more than virtually any other opera. It works beautifully, particularly in the case of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Christa Ludwig, who blend their voices and work off one another as though they really are sisters. Schwarzkopf's tendency to touches of archness and artificiality happens to be perfectly suited to the character of Fiordiligi. The men in the cast are a shade below the high standards set by Schwarzkopf and Ludwig, but they work together effectively. --Joe McLellan