This DVD brings together the vintage audio recording made by Supraphon in 1961 with an evocative film directed for televison. The rival DVD offers an unrelenting ‘concept’ production of this fairy-tale opera, so those wanting a more traditional approach will be delighted with this realistic visual re-creation using actors chosen for their looks.

Rusalka, sung charmingly with fresh, bright tone by Milada Subrtová, is played by pretty, young Katerina Machácková, and the Prince (Ivo Zídek at his peak in 1961) has film-star good looks in the person of Miroslav Nohynek. The implacable Marie Málková plays the Foreign Princess, formidably sung by Alena Míková. In contrast, the old Water Sprite is sung and played by Eduard Haken, long-famed in the role.

The opening scene between the supernatural Rusalka and the Water Sprite uses superimposed images so they appear transparent and the ‘fuzzy’ pictures continue until, thankfully, the Prince arrives. Then in clear focus we see the green-complexioned Rusalka transformed into a human.

Though the film camerawork tends to be fussy, the result is certainly evocative, helped by natural scenery and a genuine palace in Act 2. One drawback, which increases towards the end, is the poor lip-syncing. The 1961 recording, clear and full on voices, makes the orchestra seem rather thin, though you can appreciate the warmth of Zdenek Chalabala’s reading. He made the recording only weeks before his death.

No doubt in obedience to the demands of television Zoul snipped out some 30 minutes of the original recording to cut the opera down to two hours: for some that might be a fatal flaw. Yet he does manage to include scenes between the Turnspit and the Hunter which some performances omit and the result certainly hangs together.