Wagner: Lohengrin [Box set]

Ben Heppner (Artist), Jan-Hendrik Rootering (Artist), Sharon Sweet (Artist), Sergei Leiferkus (Artist), Eva Marton (Artist), Bryn Terfel (Artist), Richard Wagner (Composer), Sir Colin Davis (Conductor), Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra&Chorus (Orchestra), Bavarian State Opera Chorus (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Bavarian State Opera Chorus
• Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra&Chorus
• Conductor: Sir Colin Davis
• Composer: Richard Wagner
• Audio CD (August 15, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: RCA Red Seal / BMG Classics
• ASIN: B000003FPZ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #434,219 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Worth it for Heppner & Sweet, But Flawed Otherwise, January 31, 2001

By 

"aleibo31" (Dobbs Ferry, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wagner: Lohengrin (Audio CD)

I own six recordings of Lohengrin, and eagerly awaited this recording, having heard Heppner sing the role at the Met. On first listen I was very impressed with the overall recording, but immediately noticed the obvious flaws. Let me start out by saying that Ben Heppner is a perfect Lohengrin, as other reviewers have said the role is tailor made for him. It lies in the best part of his voice and allows him to showcase all of his many talents. Sharon Sweet is likewise a wonderful Elsa, maybe the best around, although I'd love to hear Deborah Voigt give it a try. She has a marvelous understanding of the role and ample voice to bring it to life. This recording is worth it just to hear these two. However, once Act II starts the obvious flaws of this set becomes readily apparant, sometimes painfully so. The Teleramund and Ortrud on this set are just awful, Sergei Leiferkus sounds very unconvincing, his metallic, slavic tone is all wrong for a German lord, and he butchers the language. Eva Marton, simply butchers the listeners ears; she shrieks, cracks and groans her way through the role. She makes Callas in 1975 sound good. She is simply just terrible for the role, I don't mind an ugly sounding Ortrud, Randova on Solti is not pretty but she is very convincing. The rest of the cast is quite good, Rootering and Terfel both sound great and bring a nice depth to their roles. All in all, I would reccomend this set to someone interested in hearing the finest Lohengren around today, and a great Elsa, but be warned most of Act II is pretty brutal. Do yourself a favor and listen to Act I up to Ortrud's appearance, skip most of Act II, and then sit back and luxuriate in a truly sublime Act III.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stellar Lohengrin, April 20, 2002

By 

Gerald "polemicallycorrect" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wagner: Lohengrin (Audio CD)

I am a nut who owns 3 Lohengrins (Abbado,Solti,Davis) and have seen it with Abbado/Domingo/Studer at the Vienna State Opera a few years back. I really like Ben Heppner, his german is way better than Domingo's whose german makes me cringe. His voice is very powerful, whereas maybe not quite as luscious as Domingo's voice was back then. Sharon Sweet is a pretty good Elsa, although a tad shrill at times (prefer Studer and Norman). Marton is dramatically good but her voice is a bit too piercing. I like the pace of Davis' conducting and the lush orchestra sound. Sergei Leiferkus really bugs me with his "german" and his "S"s are awful. For the orchestra part I go with the Vienna PO (coincidentally I am Viennese-born, living in San Diego, CA now) but the Bavarians are definitely up to task.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Uneven set, November 10, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Wagner: Lohengrin (Audio CD)

This is a very uneven set. Heppner is a fine Lohengrin, one of the best around. Sweet, while not the Elsa of one's dream, is better than average. Leiferkus is mediocre and Marton downright bad. Rootering and Terfel are excellent, though. A mixed bag. Look elsewhere!