From 1979 comes a distinguished recording of Beethovens only opera. Wrote the BBC Music Magazine: Kurt Masur turns in a predictably elegant Fidelio with sophisticated Leipzig forces Jeannine Altmeyers Leonore is certainly committed, her exchanges with Jerusalems stalwart Florestan are highly charged and the dialogue catches fire as never before Siegmund Nimsgerns villain keeps temperatures boiling. Gramophone praised Altmeyers thrilling tone and a close attention to what the score requires as well as the finely wrought but never overheated orchestral playing of the Gewandhaus and the superb singing of Leipzig and Berlin Radio choruses They are backed by perhaps the most successfully engineered recording yet for this work.