Wilhelm Furtwangler's only live opera house recording of the complete Ring is indispensable for serious Wagnerians. (A 1953 broadcast concert series from Rome had an inferior orchestra and lesser singers.) This 1950 La Scala Ring with the house band and chorus and a stellar cast of mostly German Wagnerians sports crude recorded sound, but the Music & Arts transfer is far superior to its previous incarnations. Furtwangler's conducting is incandescent. His command of structure is awesome; you sense the long, overarching lines of each of the operas even as you revel in telling details.

The Animals Of the first run of British bands who rose to fame in the wake of the Beatles breaking through in America, none were tougher and more forbidding than the Animals. They were also one of the first English acts to break internationally while aligning themselves with the blues.

Known by connoisseurs as the legendary 'Blue Album', this historic gem released in 1961 was Leontyne Price's debut orchestral recording for RCA. It offers some of her most shining moments from the composers whom she calls 'her best friends, operatically speaking.' Leontyne Price performing arias from Il Trovatore, Madama Butterfly, La Rondine, Tosca and Turandot.
The album captured her at the beginning of her career when her voice was so fresh, creamy and powerful. This wonderful recital presents the majestic artistry and magnificent voice of one of the 20th century's most beloved sopranos.