This was, in several ways, a typical Vienna State Opera performance from its day (1974). The singers all had personality and something to say about their roles, but there was precious little, if any, rehearsal time. I cringed a number of times because of the sloppy or missed entrances or dropped lines. Alignment with the orchestra is very haphazard. Juan Oncina bungles his first entrance, either forgetting his words or losing his place. Rysanek, the star attraction here, is good, but she seems to be fighting the conductor the entire evening. There's no denying her passion or her ability to sing the role; I just wish it had been under more rehearsed circumstances. Elsewhere Rysanek soars to the heavens, having no difficulties with any of the roles umpteen high Bs and B-flats. She also knows how to shape the long, melodic Verdian lines. Her accounts of her two big arias are very satisfying. The Polish bass Leonard Mróz is an excellent Guardiano while Oncina is capable in what little we get to hear him sing (I would've thought the role too heavy for him). Whoever taped this was a Fidgeter, someone who can't seen to sit still and the mic-bumping becomes annoying. Otherwise the voices are clearly heard and the pitch of the tape is correct. The filler of most of the Leonora/Guardiano duet with Nicolai Ghiaurov is very enjoyable. I can't say I missed hearing the rest of the performance given the circumstances, but Lotte's fans should have this.