The Mefistofele . . . picks up . . . the well organised and emotionally powerful through-line that Bernstein brought to his Italian performances at La Scala in the 1950s . . .

The reissue on DG Originals of the 'Dance of the Seven Veils' and Final Scene from "Salome" is particularly welcome, especially when the Salome is Montserrat Caballé caught in radiant voice in this 1977 recording with the Orchestre National de France. The same partnership also gives beautiful accounts of five Strauss orchestra songs -- 'Cäcilie', 'Wiegenlied', 'Ich liebe dich', 'Morgen' and 'Zueignung'. Equally impressive is the heaven-storming account of the Prologue from Boito's "Mefistofele" which brings the disc to a close, with Nicolai Ghiaurov, the Vienna State Opera Chorus and the Vienna Philharmonic -- rousing stuff.