Wagner's Valhalla

[Sergeant Rock]

Apart from that: Very interesting posts on the area where you live in that other thread. I found your throwing of that wedding band to the maidens quite fitting.

Well, I was young and romantic then, and completely in thrall of the Ring. That I actually lived in the historical area made it that much more significant. You know, though, the future Mrs. Rock thought I was crazy. Being of practical, no nonsense, northern German stock she thought I should have sold it for the money

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

Yes, you are. It's the Opus Arte you know from DVD releases.

Ah...of course. I don't own any Opus Arte DVDs, though.

Sarge

[Valentino]

northern German stock

I once had a girlfriend from similar stock, but ended up with one from Flagstad stock instead. Our youngest son is damn loud.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Thielemann's Ring is available on Amazon US and is listed as in stock.

Ditto ArkivMusic. But why both sites mention the BBC I've yet to ascertain (typo?).

[Drasko]

Ditto ArkivMusic. But why both sites mention the BBC I've yet to ascertain (typo?).

BBC Worldwide, Opus Arte sign £10 million deal

2003 LONDON: BBC Worldwide, the commercial consumer arm of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and Opus Arte, the Anglo-Dutch multimedia company and a leading player in the classical music, opera and ballet DVD market, have announced a new nine-year agreement for investment, production and distribution of classical music, dance and selected arts programming covering international TV, DVD and video sales.

To my knowledge only Glyndebourne and Covent Garden productions went under BBC Opus Arte moniker, but maybe they have incorporated further since.

[Wanderer]

Thielemann's Ring is available on Amazon US and is listed as in stock.

Ditto ArkivMusic. But why both sites mention the BBC I've yet to ascertain (typo?).

It's also available on Europadisc.

[marvinbrown]

No Sarge. I guess I'm fine with Solti, Keilberth (Testament), Karajan and Barenboim. Will probably get the Boulez on DVD someday, though.

Apart from that: Very interesting posts on the area where you live in that other thread. I found your throwing of that wedding band to the maidens quite fitting.

  Sorry Sarge  but me neither.  I am still saving money for my second Ring (the Karajan, your favorite  ) But before I splurge on that I would like to pick up another Ring on DVD first, much like Valentino  the Boulez recording comes to mind.  That said I am very upset that the Seattle Opera house has not recorded and released it's 2005 Ring Cycle nor is planning to record it's 2009 Ring cycle  .  Thake a look at their website, they have some of the best Fafners I have ever seen.....<sigh> I guess I'll have to live with my Levine Ring on DVD and Solti on CD (I'll take that with me to the grave!!) until something better comes along!

  marvin

[Coopmv]

I received this Karajan's Wagner Parsifal last week but have yet to find the time to play it.  I have had the LP version when that was first released but now prefer the much cleaner sound on CD ...

[Dancing Divertimentian]

To my knowledge only Glyndebourne and Covent Garden productions went under BBC Opus Arte moniker, but maybe they have incorporated further since.

Thanks,  Drasko.

[knight66]

I will bump this thread with what I hope will feel like a gift.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oULtUTc-rME

Mike

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I will bump this thread with what I hope will feel like a gift.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oULtUTc-rME

Mike

It is. Absolutely beautiful.

[knight66]

Thanks, there are several first rate versions on Youtube, Kubelik and Kempe amongst them. But this was the first recording of the quintet I ever heard and it is many years since I heard it, not since I disposed of my LPs. So it was a lovely surprise to hear it. It was as affecting as I had remembered it.

Mike

[jlaurson]

I thought this thread had been bumped, because Wolfgang Wagner has died.

For those of you who speak German, this might be of--albeit tangential--interest.

GMD Christian Thielmann zum Tod von Wolfgang Wagner:

Osaka (23.03.2010) ,,Mein Verhältnis zu Wolfgang Wagner war immer ein sehr persönliches.
Er war für mich ein väterlicher Freund und ich habe auf seinen Rat gehört. Ohne ihn würde ich
Wagner anders dirigieren. 2000 und 2001 durfte ich ,,Meistersinger" und 2002 ,,Parsifal" mit
Wolfgang Wagner als Regisseur dirigieren – seine beiden letzten Arbeiten.
Sein Tod geht mir sehr nahe. Wolfgang Wagner war für mich eine Symbolfigur für die
Opernwelt des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts. Es ist wichtig, dass der familiäre Geist, die
besondere Atmosphäre, die er in Bayreuth geschaffen hat, aufrechterhalten werden kann.
Ich habe ihn sehr für seine Art bewundert, wie er mit Menschen umgegangen ist. Er hatte
immer ein offenes Ohr und nahm sich Zeit, für jedermann.
Im Moment bin ich mit den Münchner Philharmonikern auf Japantournee und wir haben die
Tannhäuser - Ouvertüre auf dem Programm. Als wir heute Nachmittag geprobt haben, war ich
sehr bewegt. In einer Schweigeminute haben wir an Wolfgang Wagner gedacht und sein
Lebenswerk gewürdigt. Er hinterlässt eine große Lücke.", so Christian Thiele

[jlaurson]

Reviewed, Not Necessarily Recommended: Tristan & Terrible



This Tristan had been out on Nuova Era, Walhall, and probably any
other label that specializes in opera recordings of sketchy provenance.
Now it is Myto's turn to entice us. The cast has always been so very
tempting to hear, but the sound was—and remains— excruciatingly
bad. It's one of those things you know should be great, somehow,
so you try again and again, the memory of disappointment soon giving
way again to the hopeful conviction that something so potentially
awesome should be better than it is.

If you've not heard the recording, or one of similar sound quality, here's
how to approximate the experience: ...

[DavidRoss]

Thanks, there are several first rate versions on Youtube, Kubelik and Kempe amongst them. But this was the first recording of the quintet I ever heard and it is many years since I heard it, not since I disposed of my LPs. So it was a lovely surprise to hear it. It was as affecting as I had remembered it.

This is the one that would tempt me were it reissued at a fair price:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gykYRGYaDbY&feature=related

[knight66]

David, I have that set and it is superb. I had not appreciated what a beautiful voice Thomas Stewart had until I heard this set. The second Karajan, Dresden, is also a glowingly affectionate set.

Mike

[mc ukrneal]

This is the one that would tempt me were it reissued at a fair price:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gykYRGYaDbY&feature=related

Not sure if this meets your criteria, but I recently ordered the Kubelik Meistersinger for somewhere around $42 from Moviemars (with free shipping in the US). This was significantly cheaper than anywhere else I could find (although you can find cheaper versions). And I just received it, so it was in stock. It is my first Meistersinger.

That excerpt was excellent! The entrance (and subsequent singing) of the first female part is shattering in its beauty. Beautiful quintet!

[Walther von Stolzing]

Can anyone tell me if the Kubelik's Parsifal released on the Arts Music label comes with a full libretto and English translation?

[jlaurson]

Can anyone tell me if the Kubelik's Parsifal released on the Arts Music label comes with a full libretto and English translation?

It does.

[BMW]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sjllw

This looks like it could be good ------- unfortunately we cannot watch it in the U.S.