The best of Wagner
I RECOMMENDING THIS EDITION OF WAGNER'S MUSIC -Wagner: Complete Operas


Label: Membran / Documents Catalog #: 223053
Composer: Richard Wagner
Performer: Franz Klarwein, Luise Willer, Viorica Ursuleac, Georg Hann, Hans Hotter,
Karl Ostertag, August Seider, Karl Paul, Margarete Bäumer, Marianne Schech,
Otto von Rohr, Benno Kusche, Eleanor Steber, Josef Greindl, Hans Braun,
Hermann Uhde, Astrid Varnay, Wolfgang Windgassen, Bodo Brinkmann, Tiny Peters,
Ortrun Wenkel, Wolfgang Neumann, Carla Pohl, Zlatomira Nikolova, Frode Olsen,
Gabriele Maria Ronge, Edward Cook, Malcolm Smith, John Wegner, Simon Yang,
Wilja Ernst-Mosuraitis, Hans-Jorg Weinschenk, Oleg Bryjak, Markku Tervo, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau,
Ludwig Suthaus, Kirsten Flagstad, Edgar Evans, Blanche Thebom, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf,
Otto Edelmann, Hans Hopf, Erich Kunz, Ira Malaniuk, Gerhard Unger,
Arnold Van Mill, George London, Ludwig Weber, Martha Mödl, Erna Schlüter,
Gunther Treptow, Helmut Fehn, Trude Eipperle, Rudolf Gonszar, Willy Hofmann,
Josef Lindlar, Artur Korn, Raimo Sirkiä, Manuela Kriscak, Jyrki Korhonen,
Ulrike Sonntag, Sue Patchell, Willy Friedrich, Hannelore Steffek, Kurt Equiluz,
Ludwig Welter, Anton Dermota, Hilde Zadek, Franz Handlos, Ernst Salzer
Conductor: Clemens Krauss, Robert Heger, Joseph Keilberth, Günter Neuhold, Wilhelm Furtwängler,
Herbert von Karajan, Hans Knappertsbusch, Winfried Zillig, Gabor Otvos
Orchestra/Ensemble: Bavarian State Opera Orchestra, Bavarian State Opera Chorus, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra,
Bayreuth Festival Chorus, Badische State Orchestra, Royal Opera House Covent Garden Chorus,
Philharmonia Orchestra, Hessian Radio Symphony Orchestra Frankfurt, Cagliari Theater Chorus,
Cagliari Theater Orchestra, Austrian Radio Chorus, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra

Number of Discs: 43
Recorded in: Mixed
Imported from: European Union

ALL OPERAS - ALL LOVING MUSIC !

Wagner's Ring on DVD
Excellent presentations. Excellent purchase process. Delivery was within 2 or 3 days of transaction.

Epic performance
This is an epic performance of the most epic of operas. The Met brings all of its awesome technical capabilities to bear in creating a splendid, if traditional, visual presentation, very nearly matched by sumptuous and passionate vocal and theatrical performances. James Morris is one of the best Wotans of the past generation. Siegfried Jerusalem is a thrilling Siegfried (and a surprisingly good Loge). Hildegarde Behrens does not fit the usual physical type for a Walkure and is not Birgit Nilssen, but still sings and acts a vital and exciting Brunnhilde. Christa Ludwig and Jessye Norman both are perhaps a little past their primes, but do very well in filling their rolls as Fricka and Sieglinde. Etc., etc. all the way through the impressive and large cast. Levine's conducting is never boring and often electrifying. I was very pleased with this DVD set, especially after being very disappointed in the Met's static and boring Tristan.

Overall, the best "Ring" out there
As a veteran of 25+ live "Ring" cycles, this Met production remains my favorite. Reviewers giving this production 3 stars have evidently not suffered through such "Ring" abominations as those recently done in Vienna and Stuttgart, or the godawful Kirov "Ring" at the Met this summer.
Siegfried Jerusalem is a fantastic Siegfried, warm, likeable(which is difficult), nuanced, I could go on and on. It is hard to describe how many trainwreck "Siegfried"s I have seen, this one is pretty near perfect.
Any live production of "The Ring" is never going to be exactly what you have in mind. Actually, James Levine's conducting and innate understanding of "The Ring" IS what I have in mind...this is the best DVD of "The Ring" available.

Good enough, I'd say
This Ring Cycle does *not* deserve three-and-a-half stars, so I'm trying to up the average--I'd prefer to give it four-and-a-half, but there we go.

There are minor quibbles which have been mentioned: no horses, the fact that the twins aren't very, well, twin-like--they're all true, but not enough to take a star off, that's for sure. All the problems with it are so minor I hardly noticed.

James Morris' Wotan is truly amazing, and Hildegard Behrens, though not perfect, is a decent enough Brunnhilde. But Siegfried Jerusalem as Siegfried troubled me (I think I've been spoiled by Alberto Remedios--listen to the ENO Ring Cycle recording of "Siegfried" after this and you'll get my point). Matti Salminen is a wonderful Hagen/Fafner, and the music is of course excellent. The voices range from fair to awe-inspiring. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves opera, or legends, or (like me) both.