Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - Complete Ring Cycle (Levine, Metropolitan Opera)
by Brian Large
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Birgitta Svendén, Heinz Zednik, Hildegard Behrens, James Morris, Siegfried JerusalemDirector: Brian Large
Writer: Richard Wagner
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); German (Original Language), Unknown; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; Chinese (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: Box set, Classical, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 941 unknown-units
Published: 2011-10-24
DVD Release Date: 2002-11-12
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Deutsche Grammophon
Movie Reviews of Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - Complete Ring Cycle (Levine, Metropolitan Opera)
Movie Review: This is the "One" For Traditional Staging
Summary: 5 Stars
Der Ring Des Nibelungen is, in my humble opinion, the greatest work of art in Western history. There is no other work that integrates so many different artistic mediums, characters, and situations into such a cohesive whole. But that's only a small part of its quality. My definition of Art is that it not only inspires, but can actually make a person learn something ABOUT him or herself, and/or the world around.
The main point of the Ring is the music, but the allegorical nature of the characters and situations point toward very deep, self-revelatory archetypes. Like any Art, fully appreciating the Ring takes a conscious, willed effort. One has to actually learn the musical language that Wagner created. But I must emphasize that one's efforts will be rewarded. Just like reading Dickinson, admiring Raphael, listening to late-era Beethoven...Art pays off over and over again as one lives with it, grows with it.
I'm writing this review as a Wagnerian that wants others to discover and enjoy Der Ring Des Nibelungen for the amazing work that it is. I feel that the best way to do this is to first see the opera in its traditional interpretation (or something at least closely approximating such). A dvd can come in handy, as paying to go see the opera itself could be too much for the novice, for many reasons. I had to start out with sequential parts of the opera, otherwise I would have been way too overwhelmed, and would probably have ended up scared off. I was eventually able to watch longer and longer, and found my attention span expanding accordingly. My "bloody chunks" method might not work for some, I just wanted to give an idea of how to approach Wagner without being overwhelmed by the size and length of the operas. With a dvd an initiate always has the option of turning off, tuning in, rewinding, etc. So let's start the actual review:
There are two dvd sets that are generally considered the most valuable among Ring performances: this one and the one conducted by Pierre Boulez. I personally started with this one, and I'm glad that I did. It might just be personal preference, but I think that if I had started my Wagner experience with a non-traditional staging of the Ring, like Boulez's I would have been very put off. Seeing this traditional performance first helped me alot with getting my mind right with the work itself.
This Metropolitan Opera performance of the Ring has its share of problems. The middle section of Das Rheingold, as well as the majority of Act I of Gotterdammerung, are seemingly conducted through molasses. James Levine, obviously a very notable conductor overall, seemed to fall asleep during these sections, which is extremely unfortunate considering the fact that they are two sections most in need of conscientious conducting. The outstanding performances of singers James Morris and Crista Ludwig can only shine so much when led by a sleepwalker.
Overall, Levine seems to get swept up and inspired by the rushing, "heavy metal" parts of the Ring, but he seems just plain disinterested during the parts that require more care, subtlety. The exceptions to this general rule are both the excellent awakening-of-Brunnhilde scene in Act III of Siegfried, as well as the better-than-average Siegmund and Sieglinde scene of Die Walkure.
James Morris' perfomance as Wotan steals the show here, he is by far the most impressive Wotan in recent history. His voice has certain idiosyncracies that refine the role and make it his own, not to mention his tall, imposing physical presence. As a basis of audio/video comparison, Donald McIntyre (from the Boulez Ring) is very close in overall quality to Morris from both a singing and acting standpoint, but the former just can't compete with Morris' less anonymous vocal delivery, not to mention his physical presence. Morris makes the Wotan role HIS in quite the commanding way.
Siegfried Jerusalem makes a very good Siegfried here, though his acting sometimes puts a "duh" veneer to the character that wasn't Wagner's intent. That is, at times Jerusalem's portrayal tends to veer from the "brash, arrogantly ignorant" portrayal of Siegried meant by Wagner, to an outright, unlikably stupid dolt. This applies only to certain points in his performance, Jerusalem mostly does a really good job.
Hildegard Behrens' Brunnhilde is quite good as well, she only falters when she tries too hard. That is, at times she seems to be straining, and not just during the super high notes.
However, both Behrens and Matti Salminen (as an outSTANDING Hagen) make for an powerful Gotterdammerung Act II. In fact, this act is worth the price of the dvd set by itself. One has to see it to believe it. This might just be the best performance of this act in filmed history.
Bottom line, this is the best you can do for traditional staging of the Ring on dvd. I'm personally really grateful I started out with it. Don't hesitate to pick this up if you're new to the Ring, or Wagner. I must reccomend also to the neophyte the Georg Solti-conducted cd set for the best overall studio performace of the Ring. And you'll eventually want the Boulez/Bayreuth Ring dvd set as well, not just because many of the faults existent on the Levine aren't on the Boulez, but because the Boulez is an often superb performance dvd on its own. This multi-experience is important for fully understanding and absorbing Der Ring Des Nibelungen, which in my humble opinion is the the greatest work of art in history.
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