Prima Voce: Lauritz Melchior
The voice of Danish tenor Lauritz Melchior was unique.  Absolutely evenly produced from ringing top to baritonal bottom, he seemed tireless, and no amount of heavy singing of Wagner's most  challenging roles appeared to have any adverse effect on him--he sang until well into his 60s. The selection here is all you'll need to  have.  Melchior is stunningly partnered byFrieda Leider--perhaps  the warmest of all Wagnerian sopranos--in theTristanlove duet, and  his attention to legato and beauty of tone is amazing in this music. Lotte  Lehmann joins Melchior in part of Act I ofDie Walküre,  where his Siegmund is both loving and heroic, and there's probably never been a recording of the Prologue Duet fromGötterdämmerungquite as exciting as this one, with Kirsten Flagstad as his Brünnhilde. Elsewhere, Melchior'sOtelloexcerpts (in German) are steely and exciting, while a French  and Italian aria or two could have used their original languages. Walther's music  fromDie Meistersingershows Melchior in a more lyrical mode. They don't make them like this anymore.--Robert Levine