Vladislav Sulimsky, Alexei Tanovitski, Tatiana Kravtsova, Andrei Popov, Sergei Semishkur, Gennady Bezzubenkov, Vadim Kravets, Sergei Skorokhodov, Yevgeny Strashko, Elena Vitman & Zhanna Dombrovskaya
Mariinsky Orchestra & Chorus, Valery Gergiev
…Gergiev… wrings superb playing from his band, bringing real panache to the rapid alternations of contrast and grotesquerie and to the brilliantly inventive interludes. Vladislav Sulimsky as Kovalev is powerfully charismatic, on a par with Eduard Akimov in Rozhdestvensky’s recording for characterisation and outdoing him in vocal beauty; he really holds the production together. …all the vocal principals communicate utter insane conviction in the surreal, even Kafkaesque, world of Gogols story. …the recorded sound is absolutely superb in its crystal clarity and depth…–BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE
Gergiev and his soloists give a scrupulously prepared account of the dauntingly rebarbative score, finding a suavity, euphony and poise that are anything but readily accessible. –GRAMOPHONE