Wagner's Valhalla

[marvinbrown]

!!!

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Warner%2BClassics/2564666834

This is irritating considering that I spent £60 on Barenboim's Ring alone  !  and......and Barenboim's Parsifal is exceptional from what I have read and very expensive (over £50 new).  The other music dramas I could have done without. Seeing as how I do not need libretti, this box set is proving MOST irritating!!!

  marvin     

  Edit: Correction I meant to say Barenboim's Parsifal!

[bigshot]

That's a phenominal deal. I already have 3/4s of it though. Barenboim's Ring has been discounted at Berkeshire Record Outlet for a long time now. Perhaps the other operas will show up there too.

[Coopmv]

That's a phenominal deal. I already have 3/4s of it though. Barenboim's Ring has been discounted at Berkeshire Record Outlet for a long time now. Perhaps the other operas will show up there too.

Any CD's that are available at BRO at big discount probably have not been selling well ...

[Wendell_E]

Speaking of Barenboim's Wagner, I see Kultur's releasing a new DVD transfer of his Bayreuth Ring, and Archivmusic.com's got it on sale for just $59.99.  http://www.arkivmusic.com/albumpage/613193-E881-5

[kishnevi]

Speaking of Barenboim's Wagner, I see Kultur's releasing a new DVD transfer of his Bayreuth Ring, and Archivmusic.com's got it on sale for just $59.99.  http://www.arkivmusic.com/albumpage/613193-E881-5

Prestoclassical has a better price for the original Warner release
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Warner%2BClassics/2564688804
Including shipping and handling, works out to about $45.00 at the current rate.

Not that I'm hurrying off to get either the CD boxset or the DVD set.   I still have half of the Bohm Bayreuth Ring and everything except Rheingold on the Levine/Met DVD set to listen/watch.

[bigshot]

I have enjoyed Barenboim's Ring on CD, but I never made it through the DVDs. The darkness, laser beams and fog machines made it hard to see the opera. Too much heavy metal concert.

[Josquin des Prez]

I have enjoyed Barenboim's Ring on CD, but I never made it through the DVDs. The darkness, laser beams and fog machines made it hard to see the opera. Too much heavy metal concert.

I own very few operas on DVD precisely for that reason. Too much degenerate eurotrash or stupid cartoonist stuff like the one you just described. Most of the times i just let my imagination do the work.

[marvinbrown]

I own very few operas on DVD precisely for that reason. Too much degenerate eurotrash or stupid cartoonist stuff like the one you just described. Most of the times i just let my imagination do the work.

  I couldn't agree more with you. The only DVD Ring cycle that I can tolerate is the MET Levine Ring, which is not without its problems. All other productions are as you said, eurotrash avant garde trash! Opera companies spend a fortune on experimental productions with limited success.  It seems that these experimental attempts take away or at least distract the listener from truly immersing him/herself in Wagner's drama. 

  marvin

[Guido]

I didn't find a thread for jokes so I'll tell you here that Domingo is to debut as Holländer:

http://www.larena.it/stories/Cultura_e_Spettacoli/285604_il_maestro_diriger_wagner_in_arena_con_placido_domingo/

This man's gone crazy. As for Barenboim, it's a disappointment to see he's ready to show off in this botch.

Haha this is just mental. Mental! Why this role? At 72? in the blazing heat of an arena. He's out of control.

[bigshot]

Didn't Jack LaLayne drag a boat with his teeth through San Francisco harbor when he was 90?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Didn't Jack LaLayne drag a boat with his teeth through San Francisco harbor when he was 90?

Some powerful dentures, there...

[Rinaldo]

Any thoughts on yesterday's Siegfried in the MET? I was thoroughly disappointed with the opera and I'd like to find out if the performance might be to blame..

I've enjoyed Die Walküre immensely but this, to my ears, was 5+ hours of.. nothing.

[Mirror Image]

Any thoughts on yesterday's Siegfried in the MET? I was thoroughly disappointed with the opera and I'd like to find out if the performance might be to blame..

I've enjoyed Die Walküre immensely but this, to my ears, was 5+ hours of.. nothing.

I never have liked Siegfried. Doesn't matter how lively or passionate the interpretation of the music actually is, I think this is the only low point in the Ring.

[Lisztianwagner]

I never have liked Siegfried. Doesn't matter how lively or passionate the interpretation of the music actually is, I think this is the only low point in the Ring.

Why the low?

I think Siegfried is maybe the best operas comprised in the Ring Cycle, along with Götterdämmerung; it's so passionate, poetic and overwhelming! The Finale is the peak of vital love, so expressive

[Brahmsian]

Why the low?

I think Siegfried is maybe the best operas comprised in the Ring Cycle, along with Götterdämmerung; it's so passionate, poetic and overwhelming! The Finale is the peak of vital love, so expressive

I agree with you, Ilaria.  Siegfried is my personal favourite of the 4 Ring operas, but I do know I'm more in the minority.  Siegfried is probably considered overall the least popular or favourite overall, among the Ring operas.  I could be wrong, but I think that is generally the case.

[Lisztianwagner]

I agree with you, Ilaria.  Siegfried is my personal favourite of the 4 Ring operas, but I do know I'm more in the minority.  Siegfried is probably considered overall the least popular or favourite overall, among the Ring operas.  I could be wrong, but I think that is generally the case.

Yes, that's right Ray; generally Das Rheingold, Die Walküre and Götterdämmerung include more famous pieces.....

[DavidRoss]

I agree with you, Ilaria.  Siegfried is my personal favourite of the 4 Ring operas, but I do know I'm more in the minority.  Siegfried is probably considered overall the least popular or favourite overall, among the Ring operas.  I could be wrong, but I think that is generally the case.

I like it best, too, Ray...at least as a drama.  What's not to like:  dwarf bowling, bear baiting, riddles, patricide, Puff the magic dragon, and the fiery rescue of a sleeping beauty! Trim it by an hour and get some babes in the first two acts (maybe Megan Fox?) and you might have a real winner!

[bigshot]

Siegfried is the one of the best parts of the Goodall Ring because the first act is so dependent on understanding what's being said. The back and forth between Mime and Siegfried and the riddling with The Wanderer are really boring if you don't speak the language. There's a great deal of humor in it- Sieggie chasing the bear around, etc.- that gets ignored in a lot of stagings too.

[JerryS]

Any thoughts on yesterday's Siegfried in the MET? I was thoroughly disappointed with the opera and I'd like to find out if the performance might be to blame..

I've enjoyed Die Walküre immensely but this, to my ears, was 5+ hours of.. nothing.

The Met performance (via Live HD) left me with a radically different impression. I've seen three video productions of the Ring (Levine, Valencia, and Copenhagen). The Met production was the first time I found the opera enthralling from first note to last. The orchestra sound was stupendous, although a little too closely miked and the lower strings seemed exaggerated. The mostly darkened or subdued set enhanced the mythic dimension of the drama. I didn't find the multi-plank machine interfered as it did in the Walkure production.

Jay Hunter Morris was a revelation as Siegfried. His voice lacks the power of a true heldentenor, but I didn't care. Here, for once, is a tenor who looks the part, convincingly conveys the wonder and naivete of the character, and sings with incredible beauty and security.

I previously considered Siegfried my least favorite of the Ring operas. I'm going to have to reconsider that ranking. I honestly would have sat through this opera a second time. That's saying a lot!

[DavidRoss]

The Met performance (via Live HD) left me with a radically different impression. I've seen three video productions of the Ring (Levine, Valencia, and Copenhagen). The Met production was the first time I found the opera enthralling from first note to last. The orchestra sound was stupendous, although a little too closely miked and the lower strings seemed exaggerated. The mostly darkened or subdued set enhanced the mythic dimension of the drama. I didn't find the multi-plank machine interfered as it did in the Walkure production.

Jay Hunter Morris was a revelation as Siegfried. His voice lacks the power of a true heldentenor, but I didn't care. Here, for once, is a tenor who looks the part, convincingly conveys the wonder and naivete of the character, and sings with incredible beauty and security.

I previously considered Siegfried my least favorite of the Ring operas. I'm going to have to reconsider that ranking. I honestly would have sat through this opera a second time. That's saying a lot!

Ack!  Oh sh*t!  That was yesterday and we missed it--rats!  Gotta make sure to catch the encore showing.  This cycle's been too good to miss--so good that I'll probably buy it when it gets released on disc.