Nikotina is one of the great ballets of the 20th century, and the fact that it remains almost totally unknown is bewildering. The score is a delicious comedy that tells the tale of a snuff-addicted monk who dreams of a naughty female incarnation of his nicotine addiction. Novak"s music is warmly Romantic, tuneful, and at times sharply humorous, and it"s all put together with the seamless construction of a master symphonist. Really, if you admire works such as Ravel"s Daphnis and Chloe or Stravinsky"s The Firebird, then you"ll love this masterpiece. The tunes are every bit as good, the orchestration just as brilliant, and this recording explores the music"s every delightful nuance. --David Hurwitz