For stellar, gripping versions of La bohème on disc, this one stands toward the front of the pack.
Luciano Pavarotti's youthful impetuosity as ardent Rodolfo is completely convincing, and he sings with passionate but unforced creaminess.
Mirella Freni's Mimi is deeply felt and her voice sweet, pure, and soaringly lyrical.
Rolando Panerai is persuasively youthful as Marcello.
Elizabeth Harwood is more effective in Musetta's serious moments, but she has a very lovely floating top. The Chorus of the Deutschen Oper, Berlin, sings with a great sense of character, and the
Berlin Philharmonic plays as if this quintessentially Italianate music was in its blood.
Herbert von Karajan leads an extraordinarily nuanced and expressive reading of the score. Felicitous details of orchestration are clearly audible here, often to revelatory effect. This is an altogether exceptional version of the opera.