Despite some fine, recent competition (including the English-language Chandos release) this 1982 recording is still the Jenufa to own. Charles Mackerras, long a Janácek champion, understands the composer's rhythms and uses them as they should be used--to underline the drama in this remarkably theatrical and beautiful work. Elizabeth Söderstrom's Jenufa remains the essence of this poor girl, the noble victim who finds both redemption and love, and while Eva Randova may not match Leonie Rysanek's intensity as the guilty, misled, catastrophe-causing Kostelnicka, she certainly can terrify and has no trouble with the big second-act climaxes. Peter Dvorsky and Wieslav Ochman shine as the half-brothers, and the rest of the cast performs idiomatically and as a great team. This performance is single-minded in a way that no other has achieved; once you begin listening, your instinct is to play the whole opera through. Superb, medium-priced, and in fine sound. [5/15/2007]

--Robert Levine