Tannhauser is a surprisingly infrequently recorded opera, and of the studio recordings currently available none are satisfactory. That being said I was thrilled to discover this live recording. I was somewhat dubious of the label, because I had heard bad things about live opera, and this label specifically. Thankfully the low-range price encouraged me to buy it just to try. What good fortune that I did. This recording is sensational. The dramatic plan of Tannhauser allows for the inclusion of four exceptional principals in the parts of Venus, Elisabeth, Tannhauser, and Wolfram, and that's exactly what you get on this recording. Bumbry is a sensual clearly-sung Venus. de Los Angeles' Elisabeth ranks up with Ludwig's Leonora as one of the great righteous soprano performances. Windgassen is an exceptional Tannhauser and the true star of this recording. His musical expression puts the tortured soul of Tannhauser into stark relief. From his tortured cry "O Konigin Gottin lasst mich sein" to his exultant "Mein Heil in Maria" to his final redemption in "Heilige Elisabeth bitte fur mich" Windgassen is the complete character. Fischer-Dieskau does an excellent job as Wolfram, especially in the song to the evening star, perhaps the opera's most recognizable showpiece. A warning, this is a LIVE recording. The sound is not ideal. There are coughs, and stage noises. In some places it even sounds like someone offstage was giving cues to the singers on their next word. When confronting the music however, none of it matters. I continue to listen to this recording with great regularity 6 months after purchasing it. This is truly the Tannhauser to own, and makes me wonder why this opera is so infrequently recorded and staged.