In February 1953, 17 months after the world premiere in Venice, The Rake’s Progress received its first American production, conducted by Fritz Reiner. Less than a month later, this studio recording was made, with the smaller orchestra that Stravinsky envisaged. The cast remained the same, and we can be confident that the performance retains a good deal of Reiner-inspired professionalism. Stravinsky was never a conductor on that level but this version is a viable alternative to his more familiar second recording, made in London in 1964.

Mark Obert-Thorn has done an excellent job of restoration, providing a forward but well balanced sound. The cast is strong, though with more conventionally operatic qualities than would be favoured today. As Tom, Eugene Conley suggests ease in Verdi and Puccini rather than in Monteverdi, Mozart or Britten. The kind of florid passages that give Philip Langridge or Ian Bostridge no trouble are clearly strange territory for him. But he brings much more than mere fecklessness to the character and makes a strong contribution to those episodes in Act 2 where the dramatic temperature rather falls away.

It takes Baba the Turk and Sellem the Auctioneer to bring the opera back to life, and both performances here are admirable in avoiding excessive caricature. As Nick Shadow, Mack Harrell is almost too benign; his great outburst of rage in Act 3 is less forceful than most. Hilda Gueden, also on unfamiliar territory, manages the lullaby with touching simplicity.

The Rake was Stravinsky’s farewell, as the possibilities of the 12-note method beckoned. But, this recording confirms, to dismiss the opera as a tired avowal of the need for fundamental change is grossly unjust.