Benackova was just beginning to become better known in the West when this performance was given. She sings very beautifully if without the specificity of Vishnevskaya or Soderstrom. Portella had a very warm, smooth baritone that he uses with great assurance. He made several well-known studio recordings (a fine Tosca with Kabaivanska one of them), but never seemed to hit the Big Time. The Lithuanian tenor Noreika captures Lenski's obsessive character and sings the big aria very pleasingly. The audience gives him a warm round of applause. Narke sings Gremin's gorgeous aria with great skill, making the most out of a less than first-rate voice.Jarvi adopts some slower tempos, but they work in the larger context of the opera. He makes an unusual cut I've never heard before in Onegin: the entire Filipevna/Tatiana encounter before the big letter scene is cut. It doesn't sound like it's missing from the original tape, just cut. Why it was made is a mystery as Adriana Cantelli performs the rest of the role very capably. The sound is excellent broadcast stereo. Honesty decrees that I should mention there is some radio static in the background of several scenes. It never obscures the music though and doesn't last long.Recommended to those who love Onegin and want to hear excellent, lesser known performances of it.

Some slow tempi from the maestro, but a fine performance of this wonderful opera.......and Benackova is glorious as Tatyana.