Beware the "singing actors"
Re. Alexander Nevsky: The chorus on this recording sounded fine when I listened to the samples, but it's often dreadful in other places. The Stanislavsky Chorus is a music theatre chorus: more "singing actors" than singers (see http://www.naxos.com/choirinfo/253.htm) That said, I'd much rather hear a few flat tenors than hear a choir sing this piece too "carefully". This chorus can't be accused of musical cowardice. I was initially impressed by the very "live" sound of this recording compared with the Casadesus recording (also on eMusic), but for the chorus parts, the other one is probably better. Gelahova is fantastic in "The Field of Death" and the Russian State Symphony Orchestra play fabulously throughout.