The Voce Della Luna set of Ruslan and Ludmila is a marvelous performance by the Bolshoi in 1952. Kondrashin conducts. Ivan Petrov is Ruslan; Vera Firsova is Ludmila; Georgy Nelepp is Finn; Sergei Lemeshev is Bayan; and other Bolshoi notables are in cast. The transfer presents excellent mono sound, commenting on it as an historical recording. IMO this performance is more exciting, better sung, conducted, and played than the later performance that I have heard, and which came to my shelf first. BUT that performance is good, too, so this comment has in it a large element of the personal. I'm not one who cares about "best" ratings, so factor that into your understanding of these comments. Summary: Unless your tummy *must* have DDD stereo sound this Bolshoi performance will give great pleasure. Cordially, Harry Davis Houston (email: [log in to unmask])