First, it is clear that there is only one recording of this whole opera. It is complete, too. (I haven't followed a score, but it is on three CDs, so not much is cut if anything.)The opera Les Diamants de la Couronne by D.F.E. Auber has lots of dialogue, and for that I'm glad a libretto is included. I wish a translation was provided, but at least the whole text is there in French. Warning, however! Some of the dialogue goes by quite quickly and colloquially.The singing is quite good. Christophe Einhorn acquits himself well in the role of Don Henrique. He has a pleasant lyric tenor, and his approach to higher tessitura is clean and clear, with no pushing for effect. Ghyslaine Raphanel, as Catarina, pushes for more sound at the beginning, but she quite successfully warms up after that, and she also sings her role well. Her singing of the Bolero in act two gives new meaning to the word "coloratura". Armand Arapian, Rebolledo, is not as prominent here as in the recording of Le Cheval de Bronze, also by Auber. But he and the rest of the cast deliver the dialogue and music with lots of character.The story is a bit silly, with twists that only Eugene Scribe could concoct. That is probably the main reason few people know the opera. But the totality of Auber's work is quite tasty. The conducting of Edmon Colomer is spirited, although the overture (compared to Leibowitz's recording of it) is not as clear. Still, this is a live and lively performance, and well worth the investment.