Grob-Prandl appeared in a studio version of this opera that was sung in the original Italian. She was very good, but here singing in her native language she is even better. In fact, she's downright thrilling. There's nothing in this music that causes her any difficulty. Karl Terkal was a fine tenor with a great top as we can hear in this performance. I was a little disappointed (and surprised) that he didn't take the optional top C on "No, no, principessa altera", but he still brings swagger and a beautiful voice to the role. Lotte Rysanek demonstrates why she sang at the Vienna State Opera for years; her Liu is very well sung indeed. The three ministers are terrific. Timur is great as well, but that role is sung by Josef Greindl, not Richard Greager (a fine New Zealand tenor) as listed above.The final scene between Calaf and Turandot is shorn (as was customary at that time) of "Dal primo pianto", but is also a slightly different version of the score than we're used to hearing. Rossi leads a fiery, well-rehearsed performance in which every role is in more-than-capable hands. The sound is an excellent broadcast for the period.The filler is Grob-Prandl's account of Elektra's first monologue from Strauss' opera. She is superb in that too and I highly recommend the entire performance (also available on Opera Depot).

Eine Rarität ist diese deutsch gesungene Turandot Aufnahme. vor allem durch die ausgezeichnete, stählerne , trotzdem aber hochdrammatische Ausdruckskraft der Stimme von Gertude Grob-Prandl als Turandot. Karl Terkal ist ein ihr ebenbürtiger, klar singeneder Kalaf, von dem es leider zuwenig Dokumente seiner wienerisch geprägten Gesangskultur gibt.