From 1988, a superb recording of The Queen of Spades (Pique Dame), with Emil Tchakarov and Bulgarian Opera. “When Tchaikovsky’s work is as superbly performed and recorded as it is here,” wrote Gramophone, “it sounds like the most convincing and inspired opera in the Russian language … A reading that catches all the romantic yearning, feverish passion and eerie atmosphere of this amazing score.” The cast is outstanding too: “Wieslaw Ochman makes an impressive Herman … Yuri Mazurok is a superb Yeletsky, and the duet of Lisa and her companion, Pauline, is beautifully done by Stefka Evstateiva and Stefania Toczyska” (Penguin Guide).

Cast:
- Hermann: Wieslaw Ochman
- Lisa: Stefka Evstatieva
- Countess: Penka Dilova
- Count Tomsky: Ivan Konsulov
- Prince Yeletsky: Yuri Mazurok
- Pauline: Stefania Toczyska
- Chekalinsky: Angel Petkov
- Surin: Peter V Petrov
- Chaplitsky, Major-domo: Mincho Popov
- Narumov: Stoil Georgiev
- Governess: Wesselina Katsarova
- Masha: Roumyana Bareva
- Prilepa: Elena Stoyanova