Der Ring des Nibelungen

I love the Ring Cycle and I also appreciate it. I absolutely loved this wonderful if controversial production of such a challenging but worthwhile cycle. What I love about the Ring Cycle are the vivid characters, compelling stories and the magnificent music. The staging and costuming is more modern than other productions I've seen, with Alberich attired more like a tramp than a dwarf, but I for one loved this finding it rather fresh. The set design and camera work are wonderfully evocative as well, and the conducting and orchestra are superb. Likewise with the performances, especially Donald McIntyre, Gwyneth Jones and particularly Heinz Zednik. Siegfried Jerusalem sings beautifully, if not at his best. While Fritz Hubner is a little woolly as Fafner, he is excellent as Hagen, though for a truly evil incarnate performance of Hagen I personally would go for Matti Salminen. Speaking of Salminen, he plays Fasolt and Hunding, and being the fine singing-actor he is he is brilliant in both roles especially as Hunding in one of the finest and unyielding accounts of the role you'll find. Manfred Jung is naturalistic and engaging enough as Siegfried and sings decently if not quite powerful enough and too strident at times, but Peter Hoffmann is much more ideal in voice and a very interesting Siegmund. Overall, brilliantly performed and imaginative, I loved it. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I absolutely loved Chéreau's direction. It was my first whole Ring (former I've listened it only and seen Die Walküre sometimes). It is a very humanly performation. The characters are lovable and believable. Never seen the Wälsungs so hot, Brünnhilde so slim and nice, Wotan so human. The singers are almost all great, especially McIntyre, Jones, Hoffmann, Altmeyer, Zednik. Zednik is a genius! There are only a few problems. 1. Siegfried. Sings well, but doesn't look a young hero. 2. Hagen. Why oh WHY Hübner and not Salminen? (Salminen sings Fasolt/Hunding.) Hübner makes a solid Fafner, but his Hagen isn't important enough. Hagen must be evil incarnate and a sad, cursed man, with a tremendous, black voice. Salminen would be better. Hübner is too gray. 3. Grane. Grane doesn't exists.

But the whole performance is so great that it deserves ten stars. McIntyre, Jones and Zednik are almost stealing the show.

Superb, if controversial, reimagining of the Ring Cycle at the centennial of Beyreuth. Minimal staging and modern dress (well, more eighteenth century fripperies, especially for the gods) put Wagner's music foremost.

Performed "live" at Wagner's own theatre, apparently without an audience, since there is no annoying applause or coughing at any point. Anyone who expects Alberich to look like a dwarf, rather than a tramp who blunders upon the gold, will possibly raise an eyebrow. But anyone who remains open to accept the presentation for what it is, rather than shrugging it off as soap operaish (after all, isn't that what it is?) will delight in the fresh approach and the challenging staging. Though a quarter-century old at this writing, it's still imaginatively fresh. The only quibble is the quibble with every presentation of the story: Seigfreid is an idiot. But the romance between Sieglinde and Siegmund is especially hot! The only caveat is that is shouldn't be one's first Ring Cycle. A must for Wagner completists and anyone who loves Wagner's music and story.