CD-Charts Position 1

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Der Ring Des Nibelungen - Highlights - R. Wagner

Search: Mutter
by: Helga Dernesch Gundula Janowitz Jess Thomas Josephine Veasey Zoltan Kelemen Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Thomas Stewart Berliner Philharmoniker Herbert Karajan

Release Date May 16, 2005

CD-Charts Position 2
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Wagner: The Great Operas from the Bayreuth Festival (33 Disc Box Set)

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by: Various Artists Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele Karl Böhm James Levine

Release Date November 05, 2008
I remember back in the days of LP, I had a huge Philips box containing this Dutchman, Tannhauser and the Knappertsbusch Parsifal from the 1960's. I concur with other reviewers that it is a pity Universal Classics has chosen the inferior Levine Parsifal for inclusion here, but the Tannhauser and Dutchman are the same performances conducted by Sawallisch. This time around, Universal adds Mastersinger, Lohengrin, Tristan and a complete Ring! Parsifal excepted, it is still a worthwhile set to have. Overall, all the other performances are fine. The Parsifal is simply bogged down by Levine's conducting. The Sawallisch Dutchman is immediate and gripping, vividly conducted. Silja sings so much better here than she did for Klemperer in the same opera ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
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Wagner: The Best of the Ring

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from: Duo

Release Date March 11, 1996
Sitting through an entire performance of Wagner's Ring can be an ordeal, and there are many out there who prefer just to listen to highlights. Those who like so called *bleedin chunks* of Wagner wont be disappointed with what this disc has to offer. Good sound and great singing which is what this disc has to offer. However, it cannot match Solti, Karajan etc. For one thing, Bohm has a tendency to take high tempis. And that can compromise the deep emotions the music has to offer the listener. Overall though, to be fair, it does offer good highlights from all four operas which make up the tetralogy. So, if you are one of those who just prefer *bleedin chunks*, then you really cannot go far wrong with this. For those who are not familiar with Wagner's Ring, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
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Ultimate Wagner

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by: Various Artists

Release Date July 14, 2008
Sitting through an entire performance of Wagner's Ring can be an ordeal, and there are many out there who prefer just to listen to highlights. Those who like so called *bleedin chunks* of Wagner wont be disappointed with what this disc has to offer. Good sound and great singing which is what this disc has to offer. However, it cannot match Solti, Karajan etc. For one thing, Bohm has a tendency to take high tempis. And that can compromise the deep emotions the music has to offer the listener. Overall though, to be fair, it does offer good highlights from all four operas which make up the tetralogy. So, if you are one of those who just prefer *bleedin chunks*, then you really cannot go far wrong with this. For those who are not familiar with Wagner's Ring, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
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Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

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from: Philips

Release Date August 02, 1994
This is, indeed, a great performance of the Ring, though to my mind not in the same class as Krauss or Furtwangler. In many ways it would be an ideal entry point for someone looking for a single recording of the cycle, but it is important to note that it is not perfect. Part of the delight of the Solti recording is the magnificent scale of the sound (this is a live recording, albeit from Bayreuth), which will draw new listeners in; more annoyingly this set does not have a libretto, which is crucial for people discovering the Ring. If you are new to the Ring, the Solti set is probably a better bet, or go for the wonderful Barenboim DVDs, where you can follow the action visually, and the text through subtitles.

CD-Charts Position 6
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Wagner: Siegfried

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from: Decca

Release Date October 06, 1997
Siegfried is theleast favourite of the "Ring" operas, but has some richly rewarding music nonetheless - for example the powerful "Forging Song" that closes Act 1, or the famous "Forest Murmurs" scene in the middle of the second act. The cast includes Hans Hotter i his prime - the greatest Wotan of the last century. Equally impressive are Stolze and Neidlinger as the dwarf brothers Mime & Alberich - very acutely characterisd. A uniformly strong cast is headed by Windgassen(for many years the only Sigfried available) and Nilsson and also includes a cameo part for none other than Joan Sutherland as the Woodbird. Superb playing from the Vienna Phil and sir Georg. Hihly recommended!

CD-Charts Position 7
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Strauss - Daphne

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by: Richard Strauss (Composer)

Release Date September 19, 2005
Strauss operas after Rosenkavalier tend to be lumped together and then dismissed as demonstrating a falling off in quality and interest. Partial exceptions are made for Ariadne and Arabella: more recently Die Frau ohne Schatten and Capriccio have started knocking on the door of the repertory. As for the rest; hardly worth the bother for their few crumbs of lyrical pleasure, seems to be the common view.

In fact, they are a very varied and often rewarding bunch - from the highly autobiographical Intermezzo through the knockabout comedy of Schweigsame Frau (with a sextet to rival the Rosenkavalier Trio) and the anti-war Friedenstag to the picturesque lyricism of Helena and Danae (great Strauss soprano arias in both).

Daphne is probably closest ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
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R Strauss: Daphne

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from: Strauss Opera Edition

Release Date August 02, 1994
When works are rarely performed, we may fall into the trap of supposing the neglect is deserved : "if nobody plays it, it's probably no good." Daphne will, if that's the case, come as a surprise to admirers of Strauss song. This relatively compact one-act work, about 100 minutes long, is perhaps the most gloriously vocal of all Strauss's operas (and was, we are told, his wife's favorite).

There are reasons, of course, why performances are rare. Casting and staging may both prove hard. Like Händel and Rossini, Strauss was in a position to write to for great voices; to succeed, Daphne requires, at the least, a strong but lyrical soprano with some agility and a fair range, two outstanding near-Wagnerian tenors, a good bass and a real contralto. The orchestral part ... Read More: