Customer Reviews

Wagner - Die Walkure / Levine, Behrens, Norman, Metropolitan Opera (Levine Ring Cycle Part 2)

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3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was privileged to see James Morris perform the role of Wotan in another of the Ring operas, Das Rheingold. In this DVD, filmed over a decade before I saw him live, he is absolutely fabulous. He is a tall, imposingly built individual and with his great baritone/bass voice, he is made for this role. Hildegard Behrens (who I have also seen live many years ago) sings the role of Brunnhilde. She sings it well and does an enthusiastic job of acting. Of course, in a DVD the camera can pan in and therefore, the viewer can see that she was much older than the character Brunnhilde would have been. This is not a real drawback, however since this is inevitable in opera. There just don't happen to be 18 or 20 year old divas so, the role will naturally be played by someone a decade or two older. But when you see it live, your eyes cannot zoom in for a closeup as can a camera.

The highlight of Die walkure, for me, is the third act when Brunnhilde desparately tries to escape the wrath of her father, Wotan, for having defied him in her failure to cause Siegmund's death. She is unable to evade him for long and must take her punishment. I once read a description of this opera in which it is said that the fire of Wotan's anger goes away but not the steel. Brunnhilde's punishment is that she is to lose her godly powers and be put into a deep sleep to be awakened by the first man who finds her. She then must submit to this man as his wife.

The furious Wotan is bent upon carrying out the punsihment, however Brunnhilde's pleas weigh on his heart. Despite his anger, he loves her dearly. He cannot, however, go back on what he sees as his duty to carry out the punishment. But, as I said, the fire is now gone from his anger and he softens the blow. She pleads that she at least be claimed by a man who is a great hero, not some run of the mill mortal. Therefore, Wotan calls upon Loge, the god of fire to build a ring of fire around her as she sleeps so only a hero will be able to break through to claim her. The fact that Brunnhilde wants only to be claimed by a great hero is moving in an interesting way. Obviously, if anyone can find and awaken her, she will not be lost in a deep sleep for long. The first passerby, even if he is a total coward, will be able to claim her. However, she is willing to be lost in a deep slumber for decades or centuries, maybe forever, if a great enough hero never finds her. To her, the worse of the two fates would be to have to submit to a coward.

In all of the arts, this may be the most moving and emotional tear jerker of a scene. Wotan has granted her wish to be rescued only by a hero. Morris is so beautifully cast as a loving, fatherly Wotan. This powerful figure tenderly embraces his daughter as they say their emotional faiwells. The juxtoposition of his deep, tender love with his resolve to carry out the punishment is heart rending. I have seen this role sung by two other Wotans and to me, Morris is the best. By the way, I will see another Wotan in a few weeks since I have tickets to a performance at the Met.

Well, this is the kind of DVD that will inspire hot passions, either pro or con. The legendary vocalists that used to take on these roles are no longer singing, and many of the singers on this disc are a clear step below them. Even some of the brightest stars (Ludwig, for example) are past their prime. Still, do those here make a convincing production? In my opinion, yes. Behrens, for example, is good at using her instument to good effect, and certainly brings other positives to the role... coming off as an active young woman rather than a large, static matron. Morris is commanding in the role of Wotan. The others are good, if not overwhelming. What will probably be the most important factor for casual opera viewers (and particularly to newcomers) is that the staging is visually gripping and comprehensible. Some more experienced viewers have savaged the production as being too simple, traditional or "easy." This is not may opinion. To me, many of the visual daring "concept" productions are perhaps interesting once, but become cliche immediately thereafter -- their "newness" is their only selling point, and once its no longer new, well.... The Met's Walkure provides a world where magic can take place, focuses on mythic elements, and lets the undercurrents of subtext remain undercurrents. Is this the only approach? No, and certainly some more "modern" productions help bring out important elements of the story. But for those looking to jump into Wagner for the first time, the Met's production should make the plunge easier.

This is what DVD is all about!

The best seats in the house - not just front and centre, but in various other positions. And you are taken on stage so close that you feel you can touch the singers. And what superb singers they are! The first part belongs to Gary Lakes as Siegmund, and Jesse Norman as Sieglinde, ably supported by Kurt Moll as Hunding. The second part is dominated by James Morris as Wotan, and the beauteous Hildegard Behrens as Brunhilde, with Christa Ludwig playing a smaller, but nonetheless dramatic part, as Fricka.

Wagner's operas are not for the faint of heart, or stamina - hence the expression "with the build of a Wagnerian singer". There are not many tuneful arias that you can sing afterward, as is the case with the operas by such other masters as Verdi and Puccini, but the music is stunning and powerful, and in this presentation, the performers do Wagner's score full justice. The drama is in the singing and in the story line.

This is just one of the four operas in The Ring Of The Nibelung series, and it takes all of four hours. A live performance would add another hour, with the various breaks. I did cheat a bit, in that I viewed it over two nights, in my comfortable recliner, with copious draughts of rum and coconut water (milk), but I was totally absorbed until the very end.

The staging was superb, with a haunting blue light pervading many scenes, but the spotlights were clear enough, to do justice to the singers' faces, and the rich costumes. This is in line with what you would expect of a Metropolitan Opera production, with a seemingly unlimited financial budget. The orchestra fully supported the singers, and the effect in surround sound, makes an investment in such equipment, worth every dollar.

The enclosed booklet was very informative, unlike other DVD productions, where one is forced to take out the booklet that accompanies most CD music versions (assuming one already owns such), to provide an occasional synopsis of the scenes.

A well staged, dramatic opera, magnificently sung - what else can one ask for?

I just can't wait for other releases in The Ring series.

When opera moves me to tears, it truly is grand, and the ending of this version is soul-stirring and thoroughly captivating.
The highlight of this fabulous production for me is James Morris' Wotan. It's a riveting, emotional performance, with vocal passages of pure gold.
Act 3, Scene 3, the parting of Wotan and Brunhilde, magnificently played by Hildegard Behrens..."Farewell, my brave and splendid child"...so tender and passionate, so full of beauty, the music soars and takes my heart with it.

Another performance of power and presence is Jessye Norman's Sieglinde, Christa Ludwig is perfect as Fricka, and James Levine keeps it all together masterfully.
Just over 4 hours long, this tape set has a booklet with an excellent synopsis, and the sets (the final fire effect is great), lighting, costumes and direction are wonderful, but it's James Morris that makes it a triumph, and one to enjoy again and again.

I find it very hard to find fault with this Video presentation of Die Walkure. Some have made some very harsh comments here about this performance. Overall though, this DVD has the kind of psychological intensity that Wagner's music requires. It must also be understood just how difficult, if downright impossible it is to stage many of the stage directions Wagner indicated. I think it is really up to our imaginations to fill in the gaps. I'm sure the audience would enjoy seeing real live horses on the stage when the Valkyries sing at the beginning of the third act, not to mention the little present said horses might leave on the stage!
In reality, there is no perfect way to stage the Ring operas. They all ask for incredibe demands in set deasign and the imagination of the audience.
With this performance, the main importance lies in the singing, acting and of course the ability of the conductor to pace everything well. Levine does a stunning job here. Wotan's monologue builds to a stunning climax in the middle of the second act with his own kind of curse against Alberich. Morris never misses the high notes either and has no audible wobble in his voice. His power as a singer is truly evident at the end of the third act during the magic fire music. His chest notes cut over the top of the orchestra with power and majesty. The other cast is all excellent as well. Gary Lakes is another powerful singer who also has power in the high notes with the right amount of pathos. Jessye Norman has excellent expression and beauty of tone in her voice. She also displays wonderful facial expression and conveys the sympathy for Siegmund necessary for the part of Sieglinde. Although Christa Ludwig is past her prime here, she uses her voice intelligently and has the haughtiness of Fricka. Kurt Moll is a dynamic Hunding and his death scene will take your breath away. As for the Valkyries, it seems they could have been miked a little bit better. The video quality is outstanding and watching this in the dark in surround is a real treat. The lighting effects used in the magic fire scene are glorious and Morris as Wotan and Behrens as Brunnhilde are an excellent match on stage. Behrens may not have the power of past singers like Nillson or Flagstad, but she is convincing and has the technical prowess to sing the woops at the beginning of the second act.
This is a DVD I strongly urge any Wagner fan to acquire. Newcomers may want to shy away, since the program is 4 hours long. The picture doesn't seem to have any noticeable aging and the picture is sharp, clean and clear. An excellent transfer of the video element was made to this DVD. Blacks are very black and contrast levels are excellent throughout. The Digital sound is stupendous in a LPCM stereo track at 48KHz. This is worth the price alone. There is no hiss or noise evident in the audio track and sounds clean in surround. Just about any Wagner fan who snaps this up will not be dissapointed. There are no extras on this DVD, except for a series of still shots of other DVD's from DG. The subtitles are available in English, German, French and Chinese. The booklet that is supplied has many nice photos from the production, black and white paintings, as well as a very indepth synopsis for those new to The Ring. A very good booklet. It has a keepcase style case which proved a little difficult for getting the DVD's out so use caution when removing the discs. Perhaps in the future DG will release the other 3 ring operas from this production in the future. Wonderful cast, wonderful singing and a very tasteful original style production make this DVD unbeatable.

The highlights here are the performances of Jessye Norman as Sieglinde, Christa Ludwig and Fricka and James Levine and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, overall this is a fine performance. Gary Lakes' Siegmund is overwhelmed at times by the orchestra but overall he does a nice job--the first act is the highlight of this performance and it receives a thundering ovation at its conclusion.

The production by Otto Schenk is probably the most traditional staging of the "Ring" cycle one is likely to see nowadays--however since modern productions have included such things as bungee-jumping Rhine Maidens and Valkyries riding motorcycles that may not be such a bad thing.

After having watched this video twice I couldn't resist an opportunity to offer some comments and observations. People are going to either love the individual singers or hate them. I feel that Gary Lakes as Siegmund was neither a good visual or vocal match for Jessye Norman as Sieglinde, but he acted very well. Kurt Moll as Hunding was for the most part convincing, but he spent too much time in Act I glaring at Siegmund, complete with a raised eyebrow, not unlike a 19th Century version of The Rock. Jessye Norman to most listeners would be the ideal Sieglinde, but on at least two occasions she held high notes (for presumably dramatic effect) longer than stipulated in the score. Her rendering in Act III of O hehrstes Wunder was breathtaking. Christa Ludwig as Fricka was excellent in Act II and it was gratifying to see this veteran mezzo in a live performance, and she deserved her very loud ovation. James Morris as Wotan was vocally good and dramatically perhaps better. Behrens' Brunnhilde lacked power but her voice was accurate. She was a good visual match for Morris. In the Farewell Scene during "Der Augend leuschtendes Paar (sp?)" when he is looking into her eyes, there was an overhead camera shot from the top of the stage which caught a distinctive glistening effect. It was quite touching. The overall stage production by Gunther Schneider-Siemssen was convincing in a traditional manner, and the fire effects at the end were impressive.

As for the conducting, although it was a bit of a slow reading at 4 hours and 4 minutes, I did not feel the tempo dragging in the same way that Reginald Goodall's live performance did. The end of Act I had plenty of adrenalin. The Met Orchestra, 101 musicians I believe, played very well and the VHS digital tape had surprisingly crisp and vivid detail. I think the singers were a bit swamped at times by the open orchestra pit, as opposed to the Bayreuth acoustics. For those who like Wagner played to the hilt in the big moments, this performance should be a very satisfying experience.

For those who may never have an opportunity to experience a live performance at the Met, this should make a very worthwhile investment.

This opera (and Das Rheingold) is probably the best in the Levine ring video cycle. Unlike "Siegfried" and "Gotterdammerung" where better audio-only versions are available, this recording of the Valkyrie competes favorably with all other available Valkyre recordings, both audio & video.

Lakes and Norman are probably without doubt the best Siegmund/Sieglinde pair out there, and Morris (as Wotan) and Behrens (as Brunnhilde) do a fine job too. The video production is excellent, capturing the mood of the score. The fight in Act II is well choreographed, and the final magic fire scene is all everyone could ask for both in terms of music and effects.

The biggest flaw is the Act I performance. The stage direction is very static, like a tableau, and the lack of dramatic action makes it boring and stiff and unconvincing. Get the chereau version of the Valkyrie for Act I (the singers in Chereau are just adequate, but the acting is so much more convincing and fluid, that the whole first Act will fly by.) then after watching Chereau Act I, pop in the Levine for Acts II & III.

I owned the laserdisc version of this version of "Die Walkuere" and I am happy that it has finally appeared on DVD. Hopefully the other operas of the Ring will be available soon.

There are three singers that deserve all the praise for this recording: James Morris makes a simply incredible performance. Not only does he have the size and appearance one would expect for Wotan, his understanding of the psychology of the role is impressive. His monologue in the second act is simply superb. He expresses Wotan's grief in a way probably only Hans Hotter could parallel. His German is also one of the finest, with all the nuances and enunciation where they should be.

Kurt Moll shows once again that he is one of the greatest basses of this century. His Hunding is as perfect as it is in Solti's recording.

Yet my favorite character in this production is Jessey Norman's Sieglinde. Not only is her German perfect, she shows an almost neverending source of beatiful Wagnerian sounds. "Du bist der Lenz nachdem ich verlangte..." is probably one of the finest pieces she has ever recorded, and it is certainly the best on video.

Not so convincing to me are both Gary Lakes and Hildegard Behrens. The first one evidences a stressed voice and a strange sounding accent. Behrens is a fine singer and her physical appearance is well suited to play a Walkuere, but I still don't find her totally convincing - however, this is probably her best recording on Levine's version of the Ring.

This is certainly a "must have" for any real Wagnerian fan and also for Jessey Norman's unconditionals (among which I should be included). If you want to try a Wagner opera for the first time, probably you ought to go with Domingo/Solti's Lohengrin.

(THIS IS NOT THE SAME RECORDING AS THE LEVINE CD VERSION)
This is far preferable to the CD version. Jerusalem is worlds better than Reiner Goldberg and James morris turns in one of the finest Wotan performances of all time, behind only Hotter and Tomlinson. The only issue, and it is a big issue, is with the Brunnhilde of Hildegard Behrens, who is much finer on CD and by the end of gotterdammerung, seems like she is going to hyperventilate and accidnetly fall into the pyre instead of riding her steed into it.
The pseudo-traditional staging is exquisite, though the some of the costumes are somewhat silly and at times interfere with the stage action. Again, Hildegard Behrens seem weighed down by her costume in Walkure.

This is an essential place to start for those new to Wagner. There really isnt a better introduction available. Though i many other versions musically-the staging here will not offend or deter anyone as many modern interps will.
The met orchestra plays georgeously, if at times without the violent passion that Solti inspired his VPO or Bayreuth turns in for Bohm, Barenboim, Krauss, Keilberth, or KNA.
For a while, other Wotans will seem to pale in comparsion to the buttery legato of James Morris, but as time goes on you(you will not understand what the fuss is about over Hotter when you hear SOlti's Walkure but when introduced to Hotter with Krauss, Keilberth,KNa, you will finally get it.

To summarize-I couldnt recommend this more for those new to Wagner or the Ring. After you have let it take hold of you-the followng are a brief guide

Rhinegold- Solti, Karajan, Bohm
Walkure- Krauss, Keilberth, Karajan, Barenboim
Siegfried- Keilberth, Solti, Barenboim,
Gotterdammerung --Keilberth, Krauss, KNA, SOlti, Barenboim, Bohm, LevineCD