Three of operas greatest stars came together under the baton of Richard Bonynge for this sensational concert which took place in New York's Avery Fisher Hall in March 1981 and which first appeared as a 2-LP set later that year. The complete concert now appears on CD for the first time.

“All credit to Decca for capturing in vivid digital sound, well-balanced, and with the audience rarely intrusive (except of course in the vociferous applause), the performances given in gala concerts earlier this year [1981] … with Horne giving a dazzling display [in La donna del lago] … still superbly agile, and with gloriously tough chest tone … in the Masnadieri aria … [Sutherland’s] agility remains amazing, and commandingly at the end she prolongs her trill so long that the orchestra has to wait and the audience too seems to catch a breath before the launching of the ringing, absolutely true and steady top C.

The real point of the collection lies in the ensembles, most of them with all three singers … choice rarities include the Ernani trio (starting the concert) with Horne taking the baritone role, as Alboni evidently did at Covent Garden in 1847. It makes a splendid item, with Horne’s chest tones again magnificent … the Norma trio is interesting in that Pavarotti has yet to be persuaded to sing the role of Pollione … Sutherland is at her finest too. The Otello duet brings treasure with another role which as yet Pavarotti refuses to tackle in the opera house … the firmness and heroic power certainly have one thirsting for more … Sutherland first sang Desdemona at Covent Garden in 1957 … she has been singing the role again in Australia recently. I don’t wonder; because the voice, though mature for Desdemona … rides the phrases gloriously and “Amen risponda” is treated with sweet expansiveness. A flaw or two is inevitable in live performances … what matters is the vigour and realism of live communication and, with the help of digital sound, there is no lack of that.” - Gramophone