20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Save us from "Significant" direction, January 27, 2007
This review is from: Wagner - Gotterdammerung (DVD)
There is much to admire about this production. The singing is almost without exception on a very high level as is the orchestral playing. All the characters look their parts except the dwarf Alberich (maybe he's just big for his age) In the main Kupfer's penchant for keeping the characters moving does serve the drama although at a certain point one tires of all that lurching about. It begins to seem like all the characters are on the verge of attacking each other at any moment. By the time you've seen all of the Ring Cycle and get to Gotterdammerung Siegfried's silliness becomes a bit overdone. He seems more an empty headed jock than a hero of heros. Still, one could just justify it all. But then, at the very end of the opera, he throws in somthing so stupid and incongruous that it ruins the effect of the whole cycle. When are artistic administrators going to learn to say "enough is enough. Lets stick to the composer's ideas." Or doesn't the composer count?
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Yet another outstanding Ring - but a lack of focus at the end., January 23, 2007
This review is from: Wagner - Gotterdammerung (DVD)
Let's get the technicalities out of the way first. The source material was high resolution (analogue) video and high-quality multi-channel ambient sound. It has been ably converted to the DVD medium. I listened in DTS 5.1; apart from a few occasions where the orchestra overpowered the singers (which it probably did in the original performance), the reproduction is perfect. The lack of audience was perceptable in the rear channel, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing; it's nice to hear the closing bars without the intrusion of early applause. And isn't it splendid to hear a Bayreuth production the way King Ludwig did?
The performances? Brilliant! Absolutely no cause for complaint. I'll just mention the highlights, but please don't interpret this as a criticism of the rest - they were all Ausgezeichnet!.
John Tomlinson's Wotan showed enormous presence, with a full command of the emotional range demanded by this part. Graham Clark's Loge/Mime was a clear indicator of the outstanding abilities of this character tenor. If you haven't seen it, check out his 'David' in Meistersinger.
Jerusalem was, er, well, Jerusalem. If you've seen him in the Met production, you'll be gratified that he may have gained a few years, but he can still portray the teenage Siegfried.
Waltraud Meyer, as Waltraute, was icing on the cake.
Now, the stage direction.
There were some surprising innovations, and if you'd like to see this production complete with surprises, please stop reading now.
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The non-speaking use of Wotan and Alberich was nothing short of genius. I won't go into too many details, but such scenes as the horn interchange between Siegfried and Wotan, the trick with the Waldvogel, Mime mouthing 'Wotan', Alberich and Wotan skulking around Mime's humble abode... All brought an extra dimension to the Gesamtkunstwerk. I think Wagner might have approved.
On the other hand, the beginning and end of the cycle were much less satisfactory. Others have already commented on the preamble to Rheingold, but I'll just mention the very end. In the lead up to immolation, Hagen hovered around Brunnhilde like a pickpocket. Quite a clever concept (since he was trying to snatch the ring) but bloody irritating!.
At the final moment, with Brunnhilde on the pyre, what should we see but a non-singing Greek Chorus wheel a bunch of TV sets onto the stage, and proceed to watch Valhalla's ruin, while sipping a cocktail. We, the audience, didn't get to watch the program. The 'making of' bonus track implied that it was an eerie premonition of 9/11. Yeah, well, personally I thought it was a loose end.
To sum up - if you aready have the two 'good' rings (you know which ones I mean) add this one to your collection
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Masterful!, January 23, 2007
This review is from: Wagner - Gotterdammerung (DVD)
Wagner would be thrilled with this visual and vocal treat. Barenboim's nuanced interpretation at Bayreuth is stunning. The cast make the emotions in the music accessible--so the "big tragedy" is all the more shattering. Siegfried Jerusalem is heroic, yet tender as Siegfried. Check out his "birdsong" in act 3, and then his dying greeting to Brunhilde. It has been said before; this hero sings his heart out. Ann Evans is exquisite; a heroic voice and no skeeching! The production is uncluttered and evocative. For instance, notice how everyone who is related to Wotan are all redheads-just like him; a kind of inside observation for "Ring" fans...This is the final chapter for the Barenboim/Kupfer Ring, and should be viewed with the other three operas, equally entrancing!
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