Der Ring Des Nibelungen
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: WagnerBrand: WEA HOME VIDEO
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: German (Original Language), DTS 5.1
Format: Box set, Classical, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 917 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-12-04
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Rhino / Wea
Product features:
- The simple remit for this performance of Wagner's DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN was to produce four operas from four stage directors. Staged in 1999 and 2000, the directors were allowed free range with their productions, and didn't have to include elements to tie the four productions together. Staged in the Staatsoper in Stuttgart, the performances won critical and public acclaim all over the wo
Movie Reviews of Der Ring Des Nibelungen
Movie Review: Hideous production, excellent musicians.
Summary: 3 Stars
Let's face it. If you're going to spend 15+ hours planted in front of your television set watching Wagner's epic Ring cycle you're going to want some visual pleasures to rest your eyes upon. You won't find them in Harry Kupfer's production.
This is a most soul crushingly, ugly, depressing and often vapid production as only Harry Kupfer could dream up.
Here you will find his trademarks on full display. Gods in raincoats, lucite suitcases, malfunctioning lasers, cement time tunnels, low life heroes and heroines and, generally, a depressive Communist Germany viewpoint of the world at large.
At least we are spared his other best known trademark, tv sets scattered all over the floor, though he gives us a sea of antennas in the Norn scene.
He presents us with a world devoid of beauty, nobility and redemption. Yes, redemption. Kupfer's vision of Br?nnhilde's Immolation does not give humanity a ray of hope, just a repeat of more of the same, rather like the famous nightmare film 'Dead of Night'. Humanity is doomed to reiterate the same deb?cles over and over ad infinitum. I don't think this is what Wagner had in mind. But that isn't important. What matters is that the granddaddy of regietheater has splashed his nihilistic vision, once again, all over the screen for our supposed edification and has spawned and encouraged the army of wunderkind regietheatremaniacs who seem determined to destroy all that is good and great in their quest to make their mark on opera production history textbooks. They are self-ordained educators to the idiot masses and if you don't like what they are doing you are labeled a reactionary philistine.
Thanks, Harry. The spirit of Ruth Berghaus is now extinct.
I don't mind being edified if the professor is truly interested in the advancement of my soul but not when he is more-or-less spitting in my face, which is what I feel has happened when I watch these operas from Bayreuth. And it's getting worse on the Green Hill, note the new 'M'singer' and 'Tristan' and, too a lesser degree Herheim's 'Parsifal' which the trendies so adored when it premiered in 2008.
I like modern interpretations of Wagner, in fact, I prefer them over things like the Schenk/Levine production from the Met.
But the only filmed version of the Ring in modern dress that I have found continuous and repeated pleasure in is the Pierre Audi/Harmut Haenchen cycle from Amsterdam. It's marvellous and way off the map in terms of inventiveness and imagination.
This diss of Kupfer is all the more saddening because Barenboim is an excellent Wagnerian who excels at the late masterpieces, like the Ring, Tristan and Parsifal. And he has at his command the magnificent Bayreuth Orchestra and even more astounding Bayreuth chorus. Is there a better chorus on earth in this repertory? No, not the hammy ragtag wobblers and bleaters at The Met, sorry.
His soloists are, generally, excellent, a few misfires notwithstanding. None of these singers are what I consider to be the 'best' in their roles, with the exception of Birgitta Svend?n's marvellous Erda, but they are all top drawer and memorable.
John Tomlinson was, in the early days, the finest Hunding/Hagen I'd seen in the opera house, then he moved into Wotan/Hans Sachs territory and was less successful, though still formidable and not to be dismissed out of hand.
His voice is very dark and gravelly, but highly expressive. Where he meets his limits is at the top of the range, notably the second scene of Rheingold and the end of Walk?re. He is stretched almost to cracking point, but he gets through because he knows his own instrument so well and commands complete control of his resources. He never disappoints, so is a major plus in this film. G?nter von Kannen's Alberich is also very compelling. He's a little wobbly but his is a powerful, menacing performance, and he's a great actor, like Tomlinson.
I like Nadine Secunde and Poul Elming as the twins, Sieglinde and Siegmund. I suppose they can be likened to French resistance fighters, given their battle-gear and head scarves etc. Within this context these two excellent performers create a vivid frisson of thwarted passion and tragedy. And they are both very good looking people into the bargain, which is always an advantage in filmed opera. Certainly they are far more plausible than were Gary Lakes and Jessye Norman for Levine's cycle. Matthias H?lle is an unusually handsome and suave Hunding, which I think is preferable to his being some hairy, filthy operatic Fred Flintstone. He's almost as seductive sounding as the late, great Gottlob Frick in this part.
Anne Evans is a lovely Br?nnhilde with a beautiful voice, but it's one size too small for Br?nnhilde. Fortunately she marshalls her resources and doesn't do any damage to her vocal chords, and she is a decent actress. But I prefer Gwyneth Jones' wild, balls to the wall performance for Boulez.
Siegfried Jerusalem is on better form for Barenboim than he was for Levine. And he looks very sexy, all sweaty with messy hair. He's far too neat and clean in Otto Schenk's production.
Graham Clark's Loge and 'Siegfried' Mime are famous and need no recommending. But don't miss him as Mime The Fly in the Audi production of 'Siegfried', it is unforgettable! Waltraud Meier is her usual high octane self as Waltraute in G?tterd?mmerung. The voice was, and always has been, slightly vinegary. But as this isn't Isolde or Sieglinde the strained top notes are not in evidence and she turns in one of the better Waltrautes on record and film. And she is SO beautiful and such a great actress.
The minor gods, Freia, Froh and Donner are rather outstanding as far as these three small parts go. Eva Johansson is one of the few non-screamers who've performed Freia, though she's a bit bug-eyed she's quite lovely. And Kurt Schreibmayer seems the perfect embodiment of an Adonis-like Froh, and he sings very well indeed. Bodo Brinkmann is less attractive, both vocally and physically, but his brutal voice suits Donner and he acts very well as Gunther. Eva-Maria Bundschuh made a career of performing Gutrune and this is her best outing in the part.
The rest of Barenboim's cast is adequate, though why Uta Priew, a low mezzo, was assigned the part of the Third Norn, a dramatic soprano role, is utterly baffling. Surely one of the other Valkyrie singers, like Eva Johansson or Ruth Floeren would have been more vocally comfortable and effective in this part. Philip Kang is a bit of a washout as Fafner and Hagen, his voice being too soft grained and inexpressive. This is too bad because his lack of vocal charisma has a muting effect on 'G?tterd?mmerung'.
The Rhine Maidens get lost in the flickering laser lights in Rheingold so one hardly notices how they're singing. Jane Turner is especially good as Flo?hilde. They are better tuned in 'G?tterd?mmerung' however as they don't have any of Kupfer's technical deb?cles to contend with.
So, buy it? No. Get the audio recordings if you can still find them. I expect Amazon can scrounge up the original Teldec sets, they are worth looking for. But the Kupfer production was not worth preserving on film. If it's a modern version of these operas you seek get the Audi/Haenchen set, I can't say it enough times. With Audi the spirit of true imaginative insight married to visual beauty possessed by the late, great Ruth Berghaus lives again.
Summary of Der Ring Des Nibelungen
The simple remit for this performance of Wagner's DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN was to produce four operas from four stage directors. Staged in 1999 and 2000 the directors were allowed free range with their productions and didn't have to include elements to tie the four productions together. Staged in the Staatsoper in Stuttgart the performances won critical and public acclaim all over the world.Format: DVD AUDIO Genre:?MUSIC DVD/LIVE PERFORMANCES UPC:?825646231720 Manufacturer No:?330556Art House & International DVD Video
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