This poorly recorded version is important mainly for Kleiber Senior’s taut, invigorating interpretation, which carries through the variable score with enormous panache. The supporting singers, especially Svanholm and Weber, are good, but Bampton hasn’t the silvery, sensuous tone the title-role calls for. Preiser has a better historic Daphne already available, from Vienna in 1944 conducted by Bohm (11/95), with Maria Reining in the title-role and Karl Friedrich a superb Apollo, also in better sound. The two relatively modern sets – Bohm with Gueden (DG, 11/94) and the truly complete EMI recording under Haitink with Popp and excellent support (1/89) – are also preferable to this version.'