CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde

starring: Siegfried Jerusalem, Waltraud Meier, Matthias Holle, Falk Struckmann, Uta Priew
directed by: Daniel Barenboim

Release Date July 08, 2008
Tristan and Isolde is one of the most emblematic Operas ever made along the history of the Western music, because among other facts, carves in relief the impossibility to achieve the love as supreme bliss for a long time.

Tristan is the epitome of the noble, valorous, bold and courageous hero who suddenly finds himself literally trapped between his duty and his bliss, between the loyalty and his most intimate desires.

But also, there` s not other Opera that reveals with chilling reality these inner contradictions immersed into the human soul and those unexplored labyrinths of the human physique.

This version reflects and captures with magisterial precision this complex universe of never felt before ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
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Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen / Levine, Metropolitan Opera (Complete Ring Cycle)

starring: Siegfried Jerusalem, Hildegard Behrens, James Morris (IX), Heinz Zednik, Birgitta Svendén
directed by: Brian Large

Release Date November 12, 2002
I RECOMMENDING THIS EDITION OF WAGNER'S MUSIC -Wagner: Complete Operas


Label: Membran / Documents Catalog #: 223053
Composer: Richard Wagner
Performer: Franz Klarwein, Luise Willer, Viorica Ursuleac, Georg Hann, Hans Hotter,
Karl Ostertag, August Seider, Karl Paul, Margarete Bäumer, Marianne Schech,
Otto von Rohr, Benno Kusche, Eleanor Steber, Josef Greindl, Hans Braun,
Hermann Uhde, Astrid Varnay, Wolfgang Windgassen, Bodo Brinkmann, Tiny Peters,
Ortrun Wenkel, Wolfgang Neumann, Carla Pohl, Zlatomira Nikolova, Frode Olsen,
Gabriele Maria Ronge, Edward Cook, Malcolm Smith, John Wegner, Simon Yang,
Wilja Ernst-Mosuraitis, Hans-Jorg Weinschenk, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
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Smetana - The Bartered Bride

starring: Lucia Popp, Siegfried Jerusalem, Karl Ridderbusch, Heinz Zednik, Alfred Sramek
directed by: Adam Fischer, Otto Schenk

Release Date November 13, 2007
Having seen this opera many years ago i was rather hazy on the story line but on viewing i found it most enjoyable, especially seeing two great singers once more Lucia popp and Siegried Jerusalem they bought vitality to the production
This opera is one that you would have to view several times to get all the subilties, it is fun to watch once you have the knack of the story line
Perhaps the most difficult understanding ,is one has the main sections of the opera as a concert piece and you are inclined to forget that the rest of the opera has some charming bits of music in it
The chorus work is superb and rousing over all i thoroughly enjoyed the performance and would without hesitation recomend it and forget the movie version that is doing the rounds ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
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Wagner - Parsifal

starring: Siegfried Jerusalem, Bernd Weikl, Eva Randova, Hans Sotin, Leif Roar
directed by: Horst Stein

Release Date September 11, 2007
The visuals overall are excellent. So is the conducting. If you're only going to see Parsifal once, this is a good one. With two caveats I describe below.

Siegfried Jerusalem is not nearly as bad here as he was later in the same role and also as Siegfried. I actually enjoyed watching him this time. His shiny, almost brassy top suits him well in this role. And you don't need to be big and loud to play it convincingly, his violence all takes place off stage.

There are two great vocalists in the cast and they are Hans Sotin and Matti Salminen. Each a world-class demonstration example of a very different type of bass. Sotin purrs with extraordinary lightness and depth, like a cello but richer, and Salminen booms like the biggest church bell (from under ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
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Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen / Pierre Boulez, Bayreuth Opera (Complete Ring Cycle, Parts 1-4)

starring: Peter Hofmann (II), Matti Salminen, Elisabeth Glauser, Marga Schiml, Carmen Reppel
directed by: Brian Large

Release Date October 11, 2005
This Bayreuth centennial production of Wagner's Ring is historically one of the most celebrated and scandalous in the entire history of the festival. It's strengths and weaknesses have been well documented for over thirty years, from the controversial staging by a young filmmaker to the consistancy (or lack of) of the cast.

Although the cast is a group of some of the best Wagnerians at time, it is sometimes painfully obvious that not every generation has a Nilsson/Flagstad/Melchior caliber of singer, but over all the music is served well. Gwyneth Jones in particle was inconsitant vocally, her upper register at times sounding worn, flapping in the breeze uncontrollably. On a good day however, she could sing like an absolute goddess. Here she is NOT a goddess, but her high notes ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
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Wagner - Parsifal / Levine, Weikl, Mazura, Metropolitan Opera

starring: Bernd Weikl, Jan-Hendrik Rootering, Kurt Moll, Franz Mazura, Siegfried Jerusalem
directed by: Brian Large

Release Date October 29, 2002
As I watched Parsifal I felt grateful to belong to a society which can produce such a performance.

There will always be differences of opinion regarding musical interpretation, stage production, selection of cast, etc., but the number of dedicated (yes, it's still a good word) people involved and the enormous amount of time and resources is stunning to contemplate.

I enjoyed my first viewing/listening and expect to treasure this DVD for a long time. I am quite familiar with the opera, having played it many times (violinist), but seeing it from out front is a completely new experience. Generally it is understood that Wagner was a bit long-winded, and some more judicious cuts could improve the performance. I always thought it was kind of Wagner to write the string parts in the ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
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Wagner - Das Rheingold / Levine, Morris, Jerusalem, Ludwig, Metropolitan Opera (Levine Ring Cycle Part 1)

starring: James Morris (IX), Siegfried Jerusalem, Ekkehard Wlaschiha, Christa Ludwig, MariAnne Häggander
directed by: Brian Large

Release Date November 12, 2002
Das Rheingold is my favorite of all of Wagner's Ring. An opera such as this (especially an opera by Wagner in general) is not meant to be experienced by DVD alone. If one watches this, one has to keep in mind the limits of stage filming and recording. The echo of the singers' voices can be heard a few times, and in some cases they sound as if they're way off into the distance even if they're just barely off of the stage, due to limits of microphones. But I cannot judge them or blame them for this: This was only 1990, recent yet at the same time old for sound quality.

Due to its inferior recording (though it was probably the best available at the time), none of the singers' incredible voices were given justice. Only sometimes did some singers shine due to their location on stage in relation to wherever ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
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Wagner - Siegfried / Siegfried Jerusalem, John Tomlinson, Anne Evans, Graham Clarke, Daniel Barenboim, Bayreuth Opera

starring: Siegfried Jerusalem, Graham Clarke (II), John Tomlinson, Günter von Kannen, Philip Kang
directed by: Horant H. Hohlfeld

Release Date September 12, 2006
Somebody had the bright idea of setting this in a junk yard (yes, a junk yard). And to make matters worse they gave the singers costumes to match. Everyone is undermined by Reinhard Heinrich, Hans Schavernoch, and Harry Kupfer, the three who staged this thing. It's a real shame, too, because the singers sing their hearts out. (I particularly enjoyed Tomlinson's Wotan.) In general, I found this Barenboim Cycle disappointing. The first two installments ("Das Rheingold" and "Die Walkure") are much better than the "Siegfried" and "Gotterdammerung." My favorite Ring Cycle on DVD is the Boulez. The Levine Cycle has some good performances (Jessye Norman, Matti Salminen), but also some poor ones (Sigfried Jerusalem, Hildegard Behrens). Levine's Wagner is too light for my taste, but it has the attraction of being a traditional staging. Barenboim ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
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Wagner - Gotterdammerung

starring: Daniel Barenboim, Siegfried Jerusalem, Anne Evans, Waltraud Meier, Bodo Brinkmann
directed by: Harry Kupfer

Release Date January 09, 2007
Having seen numerous Ring Cycles, live and on video, this set of performances is really one of the best and most satisfying. The singers are superb. The recorded sound could be better, but no real quibbles. Tomlinson and Evans as Wotan and Brunnhilde are magnificent.

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Wagner - Gotterdammerung / Levine, Behrens, Jerusalem, Metropolitan Opera (Levine Ring Cycle Part 4)

starring: Hildegard Behrens, Siegfried Jerusalem, Matti Salminen, Christa Ludwig, Anthony Raffell (II)
directed by: Brian Large

Release Date November 12, 2002
Absolutelly agree with GUNTRAM'S review Behrens and Jerusalem should have been at their homes instead of singing this Ring cycle, the same as Levine. He makes no difference while directing Rossini, Wagner or other composer. After I bought the DVD I thought to throw it away, but I kept it just for the small part where sings Chrtista Ludwig who did it absolutelly great. Do not waste your money in this ring cycle.

Die Walkure worth for the Jessye Norman's Sieglinde and in the second act Christa Ludwig's Fricka....... Buy the Boulez Ring with the Dame Gwyneth Jones' Brunhilde and there you will see what is a real Bunhilde. It is a Pity that Nilsson never was taped in this role.