After the tonality-stretching dissonance of Salome and especially Elektra, Richard Strauss moved onto a different musical path with his next opera. The epic grandeur of Der Rosenkavalier stems not just from its immense length (over three hours) but from the all-too-human complexity of its characters--each of whom is smitten with someone else--and the endless stream of graceful melodies the composer conjures. The music's sheer gorgeousness has given this most heartbreaking of 20th century operas its pride of place in the repertory.

For this 1994 performance at the Vienna Opera House, conductor Carlos Kleiber leads a committed reading of the buoyant score that savors every note. The three leads are superb singer-actresses who get full marks for embodying Strauss's most richly romantic creations: Felicity Lott (the Marschallin), Anne Sophie von Otter (Octavian), and Barbara Bonney (Sophie) also offer a truly entrancing final trio, one of the great scenes in all opera.

DEUTCHE GRAMMOPHON 044007300893

2DVD NM NO VISIBLE MARKS