Big times are here for the Rake!  After for years the only recording
was Stravinsky's own, still very good, now You can select among Chailly,
Ozawa or Nagano. And now arrives Gardiner.  It is excellent!  Ian
Bostridge sings Rakewell so as he born to do it.  He is completely inside
of the role, and sings sensitive and beautifully as ever.  Bryn Terfel is
ideal as Shadow, once smooth, other time sinister.  The ladys are not so
characteristics, but Deborah York sings youthfull and likeable as Anne,
while Anne Sofie von Otter is good enough in Baba's role.  Gardiner makes
unaffected the music, richly colouring, bringing out the stylistic
allusions better as anybody.  The whole music making is sparkle.
Technically the recording is also on the top. I think so it is one of the
great opera recordings.  I would like to read the opinion of anybody.Best
regards.

Simonyi Janos, Budapest