First, what's here and what isn't:Disc 1:1. Overture2. Act Two - opening through Elisabeth and Tannhauser's duet3. Entrance of the Guests4. Bits and pieces of the song contest through Elisabeth's "Haltet ein!" and plea for Tannhauser, the big ensemble following that, cut off before the end of the actDisc 2:Act Three:1. Prelude through half of Elisabeth's Prayer2. Wolfram's Hymn to the Evening Star through the beginning of Tannhauser's "Inbrunst im Herzen" (middle section missing)3. Last part of Tannhauser's monologue 4. Venus' entrance and ensuing scene5. Abridged final sceneThe three leads in this performance are great. Beirer is in strong, focused voice and is very characterful. Wachter sings with that gorgeous lyric baritone of his that didn't last all that long (his Evening Star aria is stunning). Brouwenstijn sings like an angel. The very little we hear of Modl shows she was already in vocal decline and/or that she was indisposed when this was recorded. She gets the high notes, but can't sustain them. The chorus sings in Italian. The really frustrating thing about this release is the uneven sound. Most of the time it's very good, but whenever the music gets quiet the sound breaks up and fades. There are also tape stability issues, especially in the Act Two excerpts. The bleeding chunks are worth hearing, especially if you love these singers, but you've been warned.