Product Details

• Actors: Bertrand de Billy, John Treleaven, Graham Clark, Deborah Polaski, Harry Kupfer
• Format: Box set, Classical, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: German (Dolby Digital 2.0), German (DTS 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: German, English, Spanish, Italian, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC / Opus Arte
• DVD Release Date: June 21, 2005
• Run Time: 256 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0009JVOMA
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #250,235 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Siegfried, the third opera in Wagner's Ring cycle, picks up about two decades after Die Walküre ends. The promised hero, Siegfried, is a burly innocent living in the forest where his late mother left him in the care of Mime. This crafty creature aims to use Siegfried to gain the gold guarded in the cave of Fafner, the giant of Das Rheingold, now transformed into a dragon. Siegfried forges the invincible sword broken to bits by Wotan in Die Walküre, slays the dragon (and Mime) and now has the gold ring that enables its owner to rule the world if he renounces love. But love is what the hero yearns for. Led by a wood dove he comes to the mountain where Brunnhilde sleeps ringed by fire. Intercepted by Wotan, Siegfried breaks the god's spear, symbol of his mastery and the treaties with which he has sealed his power, and proceeds to discover the sleeping maid. He wakes her and they share a rapturous love duet.

As in the previous Ring operas in Harry Kupfer's Barcelona production, there's a grid backdrop upon which projections set the scenic tone along with symbol-laden sets and lighting. The ash tree that dominates the stage is now disintegrating, with gaping holes in which we sometimes see Wotan observing the action. Mime's forest abode is an industrial forest of pipes centered on what looks like an airplane propeller--the triumph of technology over nature that's the subtext of Kupfer's approach to the Ring. No dragon here, just some awkwardly placed log-like tentacles that plop onstage in a dry-ice fog. As before, there are some striking lighting effects, achieved through a red grid backdrop reflected on the mirror-like stage floor.

Tenor John Treleaven portrays Siegfried as a clumsy, oafish, naively fearless bully who softens when Mime tells him about his mother. Treleaven sings well enough if without the ringing top we hear from the best Siegfrieds, and we can tell it's a killer role from the voice that's obviously tiring toward the end of the opera. The cycle also takes its toll from the Wotan, here disguised as "the Wanderer," Falk Struckmann, who's strained vocally and has a pronounced wobble at times. Graham Clark, a fine Loge in Das Rheingold, is a wonderful Mime. Almost balletic in his acting, he uses his flexible high tenor to convey the absurdity of this greedy, permanently hysterical character. The other principals range from excellent (Deborah Polaski's warmly sung Brünnhilde) to miscast (Andrea Bönig's lightweight Erda), and Betrand de Billy conducts well, if not with a strong profile. The orchestra gets through the long opera without serious mishaps, but the camera work once more has its hit-or-miss moments. --Dan Davis

Product Description

WAGNER:SIEGFRIED - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Deceiving, January 12, 2006

By 

Osvaldo Colarusso "Osvaldo Colarusso" (Curitiba, Paraná Brazil) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wagner - Siegfried / Treleaven, Struckmann, Halfvarson, Polaski, Clark, von Kannen, Bonig, Obregon, de Billy, Barcelona Opera (DVD)

One star for Falk Struckman, one of the best Wotan I ever heard , and one star for Graham Clark, one first class Mime . The others singers are very problematic. Andrea Bönig as Erda has nothing to do with the role . But the big problem here is John Trevealan (Siegfried). There are moments that it is very painful to listen to him. The last phrase he sings before the Orchestral Intermezzo for the closing scene ( Jetzt lock'ich ein liebes Gesell ) is shameful. The beginning of the closing scene , when he arrives at Brünhilde's rock is the worst moment of this DVD.
Deborah Polaski hasn't the resources for Brünhilde. And Günter von Kannen as Alberich is dramatically a disaster. Fafner (Eric Halfvarson ) and The Bird ( Cristina Obregón) are vocally very good. But no one buy one expensive DVD like this because of the Wood Bird.
I really think the Kupfer's direction old fashioned . This post nuclear universe......This is so old now...The set of the first act is awful , and I can't understand costumes like that of Wotan and Brunhilde.And the idea of Wotan answering Siegfried's horn in a second horn is ridiculous
As in Die Walküre , Bertrand de Billy , the conductor, is very irregular. The first act is superb. But the last part of the third act is so slow...and the tenor is so tired...a disaster. The solo violins at the beginning of this last scene is very problematic too.
In DVD the best solution for Siegfried is Boulez /Cheareau . And the best tenor as Siegfried in DVD is Siegfried Jerusalem. And if you want to listen without sufering this magnificent score listen to Nilsson/Windgassen/Böhm- Bayreuth 1966.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A decent Siegfried - no more, December 29, 2005

By 

Richard (Minneapolis, Mongolia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wagner - Siegfried / Treleaven, Struckmann, Halfvarson, Polaski, Clark, von Kannen, Bonig, Obregon, de Billy, Barcelona Opera (DVD)

The first and most important question is how good is Siegfried? Trevealan has a sweet voice but when it is pushed (and it is pushed a lot) it gets steely. It is also rather colorless. He is a decent actor - which is a lot for a Siegfried. Clark''s Mime is wonderfully acted but shrilly shouted - does this man have any voice left? Struckman is again fairly good as Wotan. Polkaski is again the best voice in the production. The other characters are pretty good.
The production takes place on the same basic set with variations for the cave and Erda. The dragon is a disappointment. It seems to be a bunch of logs from the World Ash. Kupher sticks with his concept that Wotan is still pulling the strings - literally in terms of the woodbird. I don't know how I stand on this idea. He says he has let go. But if he really has why does he fight Siegfried.
The scene with Erda is well done. And the final duet finds both principals in fine form. The orchestra is adequate and de Billy gives a decent account of the score. Nothing more. Better than this company''s Walkure - but not up to other video Siegfrieds.