The Desormiere has been the standard to beat with the first (early 50's) Ansermet (LP Only as far as I can tell) and Ingelbrecht as the only close contenders. I enjoyed the Karajan but it really isn't in the same league.
A friend of mine, who is a serious French Opera fanatic and is familiar with all the recordings, strongly recommends the Lyon Opera cast conducted by Gardiner on DVD. However, I haven't borrowed it yet so I can't give you a first hand opinion.
A friend of mine, who is a serious French Opera fanatic and is familiar with all the recordings, strongly recommends the Lyon Opera cast conducted by Gardiner on DVD. However, I haven't borrowed it yet so I can't give you a first hand opinion.