Mario del Monaco sings arias from Manon Lescaut, L'African by Merybeyer, and from Andrea Chenier by Giordano. the first two recorded in 1948 and the last in 1951, singing with a subtlety and freshness that some critics think went away in in later years.
Mirella Freni sings Mimi under her early mentor Herbert von Karajan, a role she sang often in her career.
Pavarotti sings Edgardo from Lucia, a frequent role from early in his career but one he sang not at all as time went on.
And Maria Callas has both stunning voice and conviction in a studio recording of La Traviata at age 30, and as Isolde at age 26.