David Reynolds' review describes the performance well, from its admirable cast to the pervasive ground loop hum that, for me, made enjoying the performance impossible. Fortunately, I do have some digital recording software that has both 60hz and 50hz filters. The latter and some patience (software is basic so no batch processing; I had to do each .mp3 file one at a time) has now given me a decent sounding performance with a lot of really memorable singing. Ghiaurov provides a lesson in how to communicate Boris' torment without "hamming it up," and Fassbender is in the same league as Archipova and Milcheva in a role that is too often dismissed as somehow "tainted" due to its origins in the revised 1872 score, and thus not "original" enough. Definitely worth the effort to make it listenable -- 3 hours of ground loop hum could induce a migrane!

This Boris has a terrific cast: everyone, large and small parts alike, is excellent and often more than that. Ghiaurov recorded this role in the studio with Karajan in a sumptuous recording that can still be recommended. This performance was recorded about a decade later and the Bulgarian bass has deepened his interpretation without resorting to the shouting heard in the earlier recording.Atlantov sounds virile and sexy as Dimitri; a pity his scene with Rangoni is cut. At least we get some of the Polish Act with no less than Fassbaender and Mazurok as the manipulators. They are both very memorable as is Kovats beautifully sung Pimen and Kmentt's creepy, stronger-than-usual Shuisky.The supporting cast is a Who's Who of great Vienna State Opera singers: Heinz Zednik, Margarita Lilowa, Karl Terkal, Sona Ghazarian, etc. The conducting of Satanowski holds everything together well, the chorus distinguishing itself in every scene it participates in.The sound is mostly very good, but the original tape is missing the first five minutes or so of the Polish Act as well as a few minutes of the beginning of the Pimen/Boris scene. There is a hum I wish could have been filtered out, but there we are. Despite the imperfections, all Boris lovers should have this: the singers are that good.

A wonderfully exciting telling of Mussorgsky’s epic tale (in, I believe, Rimsky’s orchestration) from everyone involved! Satanowski leans into the music with rhythmic incisiveness but no loss of lyricism. From comprimarios up, everyone sings gorgeously, and the casting is particularly sensitive to the colors of differing bass voices. Ghiaurov is marvelous (if one tick below his absolute dramatic best), and special kudos to the full-blooded vocalism of Fassbaender, Atlantov, Kovats, and Mazurok. A keeper!!

It's recording of premiere performance of Godunov (21st February 1976). Ghiaurov is very moving as title hero, Fassbaender is real Marina, driven by her will for power. You really enjoy her singing. Atlantov is nice False Dimitry. Czerwenka, Kovats, Mazurok and Kmentt are all very convincing in their roles. It is nice to hear some old acquaintances as Zednik as good Simpleton and Šramek and Tichy in their smaller roles. Conducting of Robert Satanowski iz great also. My advice: Grab it!