Product Details

• Actors: Zubin Mehta, Peter Seiffert, Matti Salminen, Petra-Maria Schnitzer, Juha Uusitalo
• Directors: Carlus Padrissa
• Format: AC-3, Classical, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled, Surround Sound, Widescreen
• Language: German (DTS 5.1), German (PCM Stereo), Italian (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: German, English, French, Spanish
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: C Major
• DVD Release Date: January 26, 2010
• Run Time: 245 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B002S8ON8M
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #138,257 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

In the words of the prestigious German weekly 'Die Zeit,' the stage production of Wagner's 'Rheingold' and 'Walküre' by La Fura dels Baus 'quite possibly shows us the path that musical theater will be taking in the future.' There's no doubt about it: the Catalan city of Valencia is setting new accents in 21st-century opera not only with its spectacular new theater designed by Santiago Calatrava, but also with its visually transfixing production of Wagner's 'Ring' staged by Carlos Padrissa and his theater group La Fura dels Baus. The Barcelona-based Fura blends music, dance, acrobatics and technology into unforgettable stage events of sometimes raw but always captivating power. The Fura made its breakthrough in the classical establishment with its production of Berlioz's 'La damnation de Faust' at the 1999 Salzburg Festival. The Fura's fertile visual fantasy and endless combinations of savvy video technology, lighting and props (often formed of human beings) are predestined for Wagner's visionary expressive world. Wagner's dream of a Gesamtkunstwerk becomes reality as this shape-shifting sequence of tableaux unfolds before our eyes: 3D computer projections that evoke computer games, organic structures built of athletic performers that recall the 'Cirque du soleil,' and much more. In this production, 'the visual codes of the digital era become elemental and dazzlingly employed means of narration' (Opernwelt). Musically, the first two parts of Wagner's tetralogy 'Das Rheingold' and 'Die Walküre' are on a par with productions from historically more prestigious opera houses. Part Three, 'Siegfried,' is scheduled for June 2008, and Part Four, 'Götterdämmerung,' for June 2009. Legendary conductor Zubin Mehta leads world-class Wagner singers such as Peter Seiffert, Petra-Maria Schnitzer and Matti Salminen, and promising young talents that include Jennifer Wilson (Brünnhilde), John Daszak (Loge) and Juha Uusitalo (Wotan), whom the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung hailed as a new 'Number One among the opera gods.' Equally outstanding is the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, an ensemble of top musicians hand-picked by Music Director Lorin Maazel.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Successful Installment in a Unique Ring Cycle, February 21, 2010

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I. Martinez-Ybor "Ignacio Martínez-Ybor" (Miami, FL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wagner: Die Walkure [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

The opening bars of Die Walküre immediately establish the danger and excitement in the tale to follow. Zubin Mehta's first downbeat conjures up that tempestuous, ferocious flight, as stage projections show running wolves, passing trees, the legs of a man fleeing whom we eventually see stumbling into Hunding's dwelling. Peter Seifert is the Siegmund, Petra Maria Schnitzer Sieglinde, Matti Salminen Hunding. The stage is dominated with the liveliest tree I have ever seen in a Ring production, always changing hues, and importing an alphabet when Sieglinde gives the name Siegmund to her beloved brother. Costumes are eloquently primitive, Siegliende appearing bound by a rope around her neck, clearly Hunding's chattel that must not get away. The imaginative vision of La Fura des Baus with which we first got acquainted in Rheingold continues and grows in this Walküre. The second act brings back the strong, riveting Wotan of Juha Usitalo and the Fricka of Ana Larsson. It also introduces the powerful Brünhilde of Jennifer Wilson, and without reservations one can honestly say: at last, a Brünhilde! One of the joys of this ring is that the voices are firm, secure, in all cases fresh and young (well, we know Salminen is mature, but the voice is rock-solid and overwhelming, as if the years hadn't passed). The singing is always musical, subtle when called upon by the text, and soaring when they need be. The ride of the Walkyres is as close to a ride as one has ever seen (symbolically achieved)..... with an element of terror in their stride. It is all quite astounding. The final Wotan-Brünhilde scene is eloquent and powerful, with the scenic background, always dynamic, reflecting the momentous parting of father-god and human-to-be daughter. The music, the staging, the singing indeed embody the momentuous rupture of the old order, as indeed from this moment on the demise of the old gods becomes inevitable. Twilight really begins here, with Brünhilde's disobedience and embrace of humanity, which is why Wagner treated Walküre as the first opera in the cycle. The long dénouement of Götterdammerung is the final catastrophe for the gods and the rise of humankind, with Siegliende's soaring phrase for her son in the third act of Walküre, sealing the cycle.

This production is a treat. If one doesn't like what one sees, one can close the eyes and see with the ears as the singing and playing are stupenduous. The sound on blu ray is sumptuous, demonstration quality if you have surround; it's true high-definition sound. And, by the way, there is real fire on stage when the Fire Music plays. I can hardly wait for the remaining two operas, particularly with the much praised young Canadian Lance Ryan as Siegfried whom I've never heard except in YouTube. One is looking forward to much pleasure.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars sensational Walkure, March 5, 2010

By 

Ivor E. Zetler (Sydney Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wagner: Die Walkure [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

I am wildly enthusiastic about this performance. The singing is uniformly excellent, Mehta proves to be a superb conductor and his orchestra play like angels. The busy production, frequently involving creative and colorful back projections, seemed to my eyes to be intelligent and enhancing of Wagner's vision. It will not be to everyone's taste but it is a performance that demands to be experienced by the many fans of this inexhaustable masterpiece. Excellent sound and visuals. Please see my more comprehensive review given for the non Blu-ray version.

4.0 out of 5 stars Not quite as jaw dropping as Rheingold but still astonishing, May 8, 2010

By 

John Chandler (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wagner: Die Walkure [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

After their earth shaking Rheingold this production of Die Walküre is more traditional: rather static with long dialogues. It does not have the "action flick" Star Wars style of the prelude, but the basic design is similar with the focus back on the dialogue. The colors are darker and more brooding and the casting has been made with emphasis on the voice rather than physical appearance. With one exception the Walkuries are a formidable lot. Not be messed with! One or two had huge breast shields over just the left breast giving them a rather wierd lop-sided appearance. The mature Siegmund looked more like his twin sister's father. It would have been a better visual fit if Brünnhilde and Sieglinde had changed roles. Having said that the singing is really very good and the movie style focus on carefully planned close ups enables one to fit the acting / facial expressions to the text with considerable benefit to the better understanding of what is a complex story line. A minor concern here was the English translation used. It dates from 1996 but I found it in many places a bit silly and not always comprehensible.

The production continues the fantastic style of Rheingold but with fewer options to be so spectacular. The use of acrobats is not really explained in either the booklet or the "making of" short doco - (better than that for Rheingold but not by a lot). I feel this is a frustrating shortcoming of this series. La Fura dels Baus are clearly a remarkable mob who have transformed Wagner in a way no other producer has attempted before, but we are told absolutely nothing about them anywhere. Why on earth not?

I am not wholly convinced by Mehta and the orchestra who don't quite catch the extra thrust and fire that one got with say Solti. They are more than competent and beautifully recorded but with such a special production one inevitably looks for a bit more. Despite a few regrets this continues to be a remarkable re-invention of how the Ring is seen and all credit to La Fura dels Baus and the immensely talented production and lighting team. I can strongly recommend this disc and overall it is now my preferred version although I will still return to Boulez and Haenchen from time to time, not to forget my old Solti CDs.