Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen / Levine, Metropolitan Opera (Complete Ring Cycle)
by Brian Large
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Actor: Birgitta Svend?n, Heinz Zednik, Hildegard Behrens, James Morris, Siegfried JerusalemDirector: Brian Large
Writer: Richard Wagner
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: German (Original Language), Unknown; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; Chinese (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled)
Format: Box set, Classical, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
DVD Release Date: 2002-11-12
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Deutsche Grammophon
DVD Reviews of Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen / Levine, Metropolitan Opera (Complete Ring Cycle)
DVD Review: Authentic Production of "The Ring"
Summary: 5 Stars
A great production of the the "Ring" cycle. A wonderful cast and colorful sets and costumes staying true to Wagner's very detailed stage directions and scenery descriptions. A must for devotees of Wagner's monumental 4 opera story steeped in mthyology and memorable characters. Under the excellent musical direction of James Levine with a strong cast of some of the world's greatest voices suited for Wagner's rigorous demands. A big "thumbs up" for these DVD's that capture the live performances.DVD Review: Probably as good as it will get!
Summary: 4 Stars
The task of performing The Niebelung's Ring in its entirety is probably the most difficult for any opera house. An enormous cast is required, over fifteen hours of music, very difficult orchestral passages even in the orchestra... not to mention a conductor who knows the score front to back. On top of all that the stage and costumes need to be pristine as well.
There will never be a "perfect" production of The Ring. There will always be stars who the audience loves, there will always be those few performers who people won't like. There will always bee someone who misses "that note" and there will always be someone in the orchestra who cracks. There will always be a time when the conductor goes too fast or too slow to someone's taste. These are all inevitable to any show, especially if there's over 15 hours of music involved, and also because as much as we praise and borderline worship these performers: this team is still composed entirely of human beings like us; perfection is impossible, but being delighted is not.
The first thing most will notice is Otto Schenk's incredible detail in scenery. It is in my opinion the most accurate design to the story in every detail; even Wotan's costume includes raven feathers. The production itself was obviously not rushed - it seemed to me like there was plenty of rehearsal time; there are certain moments that simply cannot be looked at once and then moved on to the next bit.
Every detail to the score and set was heeded to. It is the best that this team could do. After all: that's all that anyone can do. I listened to this when I was very new to opera. Now after studying it for a few more years and nearing the completion of my undergraduate degree in music, looking at it again I'm still just as impressed and pleased. In these four massive (and long) operas, we will never find production, but we can find people who do their best. That is all the audience want really, and I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in seeing the entire cycle.
DVD Review: Great way to see a Ring Cycle
Summary: 4 Stars
I think this is a both a great introductory Ring Cycle for people new to the work and a nice video version for people already familiar to it. The voices are light for their roles, but the magic of the Ring comes across. The visuals (set designs) in Das Rheingold are spectacular. The acting and visual aspect are good here. The singers are sometimes light for their roles, but they are still decent enough. I think most opera lovers would enjoy this, if they have never seen it before. DVD Review: Best 'authentic' Wagner 'Ring'
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the best 'authentic' Wagner 'Ring' on DVD. It follows, very closely, Wagner's own staging instructions and is a wonderful representation of the Norse gods mythology. It definitely is the first 'Ring' for everyone to own--after all, the set of 4 operas is about the Norse gods and Norse mythology, not about modern power dams! My quibbles with it are few; however, the following are worth mentioning:
1. It doesn't have Fricka arriving in 'Die Walk?re', Act 2, Scene 1, in a cart (or wagon) drawn by two rams. Br?nnhilde sings about this when she warns Wotan that Fricka is approaching (and, Fricka is a very mad wife--she doesn't appear as irritated as she is without the cart).
2. 'Die Walk?re', Act 3, Scene 2, has no horses for the Valkyries.
3. 'G?tterd?mmerung', Act 3, Scene 3 (the final scene), Br?nnhilde does not have her horse 'Grane' when she rides into the flames.
In regards 1 above--it is just a pity this was not done per Wagner's stage instructions which are in the libretto.
In regards 2 above--it is another pity that Wagner's stage instructions were not followed. The Seattle Opera, a few years ago, managed to have flying horses complete with Valkyries upon them. If the Seattle Opera can manage to do this sort of thing, so can the Met!
In regards 3 above--it is yet again another pity that Wagner's stage instructions were not followed. These instructions state: 'Br?nnhilde jumps on her horse (Grane) and with one bound leaps into the burning pyre (Sigfried's funeral pyre'). I realize there are certain problems with having a live horse on stage; mostly problems with the horse dropping little gifts on stage or wetting up the stage. However, these problems could easily be solved by having a mannequin horse animated by two members of the ballet troupe as was done in the Komiche Opera's 1984 Berlin production of Handel's Giustino. (This was spectacular, with Jochen Kowalski in one of his greatest performances. It was released on LD, but has not yet, to my knowledge been released on DVD.)
DVD Review: The best of Wagner
Summary: 3 Stars
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 B?umer, 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 M?dl, Erna Schl?ter,
Gunther Treptow, Helmut Fehn, Trude Eipperle, Rudolf Gonszar, Willy Hofmann,
Josef Lindlar, Artur Korn, Raimo Sirki?, 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, G?nter Neuhold, Wilhelm Furtw?ngler,
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 !
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