Montserrat Caballe and Luciano Pavarotti are in top form; Sherrill Milnes has a few small intonation problems (a prelude to the more serious difficulties of his later years) for which allowances can be made considering the emotional impact of his performance. The presence of three stars of this caliber, working together effectively under the inspired direction of Peter Maag, gives this recording a level of quality that is found more often in middle or late Verdi recordings than in those from his early period. This is not a perfect recording, but it is still quite special. --Joe McLellan