Customer Reviews

Wagner: Das Rheingold

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It's no small achievement for James Levine to have persuaded DG to let a Ring cycle be recorded in nYw York, so it's a shame the results werre not altogether happy. The Met's roster of Wagner singers included the best in the world at the time (the late 80s), but without a fine Brunnhilde, Siegfried, or Siegmund, there's only so much that can be done.

This Rheingold is the best of the lot, since none of those problematic roles are required. When I first heard this set, Levine's measured tempos bothered me, but he is no slower than Furtwangler, and in compensation there is a great deal of fine inner detail and wonderufl playing from the Met orchestra. Vocally, Levine has asked for scrupulous attention to the text--this is the most naturally conversational Wagner I'v ever heard. James Morris is an outstanding Wotan, and all the minor roles, particularly the three Rhinemaidens, are very well cast. The only clinker is Christa Ludwig as Fricka, a great singer well past her prime. Since Rheingold is an ensemble opera, the Met was fortunate to have such depth in its roster even though some of the singers are not well known.

In all, I would rank this a very good set, just behind the unsurpassed Karajan, also on DG, from the mid-Sixties.

I would say this is the best of the 7 Rheingolds I have.

The sound and the orchestral playing is simply superb and clearer than any other recording. Heaps better than Solti or Karajan.

The singers are all excellent; not one of them is weak.

Probably Janowski (with P. Schreier excellent as Loge) is the other best Rheingold.