"This is the world premiere performance of the opera, with the composer conducting and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf as Anne Truelove. Although the sound is 1950-live, the voices and orchestra emerge acceptably. Most of the cast are non-native speakers of English, so one of the other recordings (all have their virtues) is a better place for a beginner to encounter this enchanting work. Nevertheless, Schwarzkopf's diction is good and her voice absolutely radiant. The accommpanying booklet contains much more information than usually comes from this label, and the price is fantastic. According to the booklet, this is the only performance of the premiere conducted by Stravinsky himself, another circumstance that makes this a recording I will cherish."