The two hundred and fifty-third classical recording: #761 Richard Strauss - Arabella
It's not unexpected to have an opera love story with a love triangle and some identity confusion, but what makes this stand out compared to many others is the setting. While the 1860s would still have been about seventy years in the past, setting it with the landed gentry of the era still makes it feel more contemporary than the courtly settings from before. It's grounding it a bit, probably appealing more to the larger audiences that would have come to these. It feels like the music reflects this - it's less stately, more energetic, with a lot more for performers to play around with. It's a real victory of a piece, worth the time investment and one that makes me want to dive into more operas.