Product Details

• Actors: Hildegard Behrens, Christa Ludwig
• Format: Classical, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 2
• Studio: Deutsche Grammophon
• VHS Release Date: March 10, 1992
• Run Time: 280 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302342104
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #243,365 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stuff, January 27, 2002

By 

"jkdheilner" (Elizabethtown, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wagner - Gotterdammerung / Levine, Behrens, Jerusalem, Metropolitan Opera [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I have to disagree strongly with Khan in his 2000 review. The performance (which I have seen live in New York four times) is remarkable in every way, and if you really want to hear every note Wagner wrote (read that as I followed the score while watching the video), THIS is the video to have. Regarding Khan's review, this is the Metropolitan Opera, NOT the NY Philharmonic. Secondly, Wagner is NOT Sturm und Drang. This designation is given to the Classical period of German lierature, NOT the Late Romantic period in music. I would find this reviewer more credible if he knew what he was talking about, but clearly he doesn't....

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a fine performance, April 10, 2000

By 

Ray Barnes (Surrey, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wagner - Gotterdammerung / Levine, Behrens, Jerusalem, Metropolitan Opera [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Just to set the record absolutely straight, the rest of the cast, apart from the three principals whose names are mentioned elsewhere, are as follows: Ekkehard Wlaschiha as Alberich, Hanna Lisowska as Gutrune, Christa Ludwig as Waltraute; Gweneth Bean, Joyce Castle and Andrea Gruber as the First, Second and Third Norns; and Kaaren Erickson, Diane Kesling and Meredith Parsons as Woglinde, Wellgunde and Flosshilde.

Opinion is sharply divided among other reviewers of the merits of the performances of Hildegard Behrens and Siegfried Jerusalem. My own personal opinion is that she acted the role very well but was a little lacking in power. She sounded better in the same role at the Bayreuth 1976 Ring under Georg Solti due in part to the more favourable balancing of the large orchestra. In my view only a Heldensoprano with a huge voice - such as Nilsson - can really be heard to good advantage in an opera house with an open orchestra pit. In spite of that, I enjoyed her interpretation, I found it had some of the same "feminine"/weibliche qualities as did that of Gwyneth Jones under Boulez, but with more accurate and reliable intonation. Siegfried Jerusalem's performance was again well acted but the vocal quality was debatable; to me he sounded fresher than Manfred Jung as Siegfried under Boulez, but still was not very lyrical. The best I have heard in modern stereo - again a personal choice only - would be Alberto Remedios under Goodall (sung in English). It would also be interesting to hear Ben Heppner or Placido Domingo in that role, I think they both have the potential to outsing Jerusalem. I wholeheartedly concur with earlier favourable comments about Matti Salminen as Hagen, one of the greatest roles Wagner ever created. The rest of the cast is effective, notably Ludwig. I enjoyed Levine's reading of the score and he keeps a brisk but unforced tempo. The playing is excellent.

Speacial kudos to Gunther Schneider-Siemssen, the set and projection designer. This work looked very convincing in a traditional manner, and the whole Immolation Scene looked very impressive indeed. The overall sound quality was excellent. Total playing time was 4 hours and 41 minutes.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best Video Production, May 14, 2000

By 

David Gottner - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wagner - Gotterdammerung / Levine, Behrens, Jerusalem, Metropolitan Opera [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is probably the best video version of Gotterdammerung out there. The singers and orchestra are all fine. However, after hearing the Solti and Barenboim Gotterdammerung, this video is somewhat bland in comparison, so I rarely watch it now.

If you are new to the ring, start here, but otherwise go with an audio performance.