This recording, made in 1954, and now coming up for the third time (as it were), has something of a 'classic' status in Germany—it is issued here in the Dokumente series—and of course it has its admirers here too; but I cannot imagine many buyers preferring it to several of the others now available, particularly as it is of course in mono. One attraction is certainly the Papageno of the younger Fischer-Dieskau, fresh and intelligent singing, if a little on the stiff side, the voice much slenderer than it was soon to become. But there is also a gently eloquent, slightly understated Tamino in Haefliger, a pointed and dramatic Queen of Night in Streich and a capable if unexciting Pamina in Stader (the booklet describes her as girlish but I would not really endorse that; it's a matter of what one is used to and in the 1950s she probably seemed so). Greindl's Sarastro is reasonably impressive; so certainly is Borg's Speaker.
Ferenc Fricsay's direction, in particular, has won praise, and his lucid textures, his coolly flowing tempos and his command of structure are all strong points here. The ensemble work is excellent and the orchestral playing is polished. Spoken dialogue, considerably edited from Schikaneder's original, is included, with a different cast (this was the first recording to offer it). The recording has the perspective characteristic of DG at this period. In all, an estimable set, one that readers might well enjoy, but not for many, I think, a top choice among those to be had.'