Donald Satz wrote:

>The problem is that I accumulated a stack of unheard recordings while
>I concentrated on Schepkin's WTC; I haven't even unwrapped King Roger yet.

I have it and have listened to it several times by now, always impressed
with its lightly exotic beauty.  It strikes me as having more emotional
depth than I would have expected from what is, after all, a kind of ethical
allegory.

While I have nothing to compare it to, it does seem to me that the
performance is close to ideal.  The principals are strong and well matched
and Rattle's direction brings a strength and sense of rightness to the
musical and dramatic arc of the piece.

Apparently the libretto makes such extravagant staging demands that most
of us will never see the opera produced.  Pity.  But this recording gives
us the opportunity of knowing the music, at least.

Richard, who invites you to visit his music, outdoors and other WWW sites
at: http://infoweb.magi.com/~richard/