Nicolai Ghiaurov; Franco Corelli; Eberhard Waechter; Gundula Janowitz; Shirley Verrett; Edita Gruberova; Ewald Aichberger; Martti Talvela; Tugomir Franc; Judith Blegen; Chor der Wiener Staatsoper; Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper; Buhenenorchester der Wiener Staatsoper; Horst Stein - Giuseppe Verdi: Don Carlo

The present re-release contains the premiere of the new Don Carlo production from October 1970 in Vienna. The occasion was marked by a great scandal caused by Karajan's fans, who expected their idol to conduct the new production. Karajan, however, entrusted German conductor Horst Stein with the new production and, although Stein - by then for several years repertoire conductor with the Vienna State Opera - had until then been, a favourite of the local audience, on this occasion he was greeted at the curtain call with a torrent of boos, which were completely unrelated to his artistic performance. The singers, by contrast, were cheered to the rafters; the house had hand-picked the cast for this production, right down to the smallest role. The booklet offers detailed information about the scandal and indignation surrounding the premiere, together with archive photographs of the stage set.