MADAME BOVARY

Flaubert's 1857 masterpiece, about the adulterous wife of a dim-witted village doctor, hardly needs abridgment, except to keep the recording within the bounds of an affordable four-cassette set. There is hardly a wasted word. One cannot cut the text without losing something vital. However, having excised the book, Naxos has given what remains a fine rendering, prettily read by British actress Imogen Stubbs, tastefully bridged by piano music, and boasting excellent sound quality. Y.R. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 00]