Opera What is the best opera recording?

FYI: Grandpad's link reference list is of vintage LPs, so most/many not available on CD.

Turandot is possibly Puccini's grandest opera. I've heard several. But the recording that brings Turandot to a powerful intensity is the 1959 recording with Erich Leinsdorf conducting the Rome Opera Orchestra and Chorus, along with Nilsson, Tebaldi, Tozzi, and the legendary Jussi Bjoerling in the part of Calaf. The entire line up is superb! This recording is very moving, moves the emotions. I don't have a very big opera collection, i'll post a few more later.

Everyone is correct in the difficulty of picking just one---HOWEVER I am amazed that no one mentioned La Boheme with Jussi Bjorling and Victoria de Los Angeles conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham----clearly the best ever La Boheme and arguably the greatest operatic recording of all time.

Buy it and enjoy forever!

Yashu: The Bjorling and the Pavarotti I mentioned are easily the two best sellers. The Parvarotti being newer has better sound which matters to some. No reason why an opera fan should not own both!!