This is a wonderful live performance. It corresponds to the studio recording with nearly the same artists on EMI. Kollo and Anna T-S are in wonderful voice and Karajan leads a compelling production. The sound is excellent, almost studio quality, especially for a live performance. This is a Lohengrin to enjoy.

5 gold stars = equivalent to Excellent. Quality of the product, service and attention = Very very good... Perfect! I am totally satisfied. Please accept my warmest congratulations.Thank you so much!From Spain ; Ángel Crespo López.

A very exciting performance, with the voices of Tomowa-Sintow and Kollo in the freshness of their youthful beauty. She leaves nothing to be desired as Elsa. Kollo is marvelous through the tender section of the bridal chamber scene, then encounters some vocal rough patches through the end. I was at his Met debut in this role around the same year as this performance, and he sounded much more secure there (it was a beautiful performance). Schroder-Feinen (an amazing Elektra at the Met the prior year) characterizes well as Ortrud and has a very fine instrument but seems to come up short at the top of the range. Nimsgern is certainly an impassioned, even frenzied, Telramund, given to shouting, as is Karl Ridderbusch, with his beautiful voice. The chorus is magnificent, so is the orchestra (other than a few flubs in the horns), and Karajan creates a sound picture and dramatic picture that conjure the whole fairy-tale world of the piece. NB: the intertwining phrases of Kollo and Tomowa-Sintow in the bridal chamber duet are alone worth the price--they manage, miraculously, to be at once erotic and chaste, and define the characters' relationship as never before. The sound is excellent.

I am particularly impressed by the quality of sound. Karajan's mastery in Wagner is evident from the beginning of the prelude. He draws wonderful playing from the Berlin Philharmonic, of course. While the cast is not as uniformly outstanding as on some recordings, the whole production is a welcome reminder of Karajan's Salzburg Easter festivals.

Die Besetzung entspricht im Grunde der Studiogesamtaufnahme von Karajan mit Ausnahme der Sängerin der Ortrud. Diese Aufnahme nahm bekannter Weise mehrere Jahre in Anspruch, was man Ihr auch anmerkt. Die Live Aufnahme ist ihr weit überlegen mit einem alles überragenden Siegmund Nimsgern als Telramund, aber auch die restliche Sängerriege lässt keine Wünsche offen. Jedem, der eine packende Vorstellung des Lohengrin erleben möchte, sei diese Aufnahme ans Herz gelegt.Die Tonqualität ist keiner Studioproduktion unterlegen. Also: absolute Kaufempfehlung!

Some parasite noises during the Act I prelude infortunately.... Tenor Kollo is rather good but has some problem with the way he attacks sounds specially in high registers. Tomowa-Sintow is ok; a little bit academic and too old fashion for a young maid role. Schroder-Feinen is ok but she's a soprano more than a mezzo ;her voice is too near of Elsa's one. Nimsgern in the most difficult baritone's role of Wagner's repertory is quite good. Ridderbusch 's voice getting a bit older is still quite good in a most difficult bass role too ( attacks on low F as well as upper F) Karajan and his orchestra are at different levels during the opera : sometimes magic as usual sometimes approximate.

Beautifully played and sung. Sound quality is superb. All around recommendation.

Magnificent

Better then the Emi edition

a precious document from Salzburg's golden age