Well the only other alternative that I am aware of is the Boulez recording which I have not seen, is that the DVD "to rule them all"?
marvin
Only alternative? What about:
Bertrand de Billy, Harry Kupfer, Barcelona 2004 (Opus Arte)
Lothar Zagrosek, various directors, Stuttgart 2003 (EuroArts/TDK)
Hartmut Haenchen, Pierre Audi, Amsterdam 1998 (Opus Arte)
Daniel Barenboim, Harry Kupfer, Bayreuth 1992 (Warner Classics)
The Levine's "good enough" for me. Someday, I intend to start renting the Boulez, which I haven't seen since it was telecast, from Netflix. Several people I know say the Barenboim's their favorite. I did rent the Stuttgart
Siegfried, and wasn't tempted to explore that
Ring further.
Really, the whole concept of "one
Ring to rule them all" is ridiculous. It's largely a matter of taste, and I'm sure
any performance, audio or visual, will have weaknesses.