Re: 'Das Rheingold' DVD

On Oct 26, 8:06 pm, Calvin <cri...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
My God, what a thrill.

But nobody needs this poor schnook's estimation
of grand music drama. A few words about the DG
DVD might be in order, though, and a question.

The DVD I just watched is the 1990 Met production
that was broadcast on TV, though it was a stage
performance with audience, and not broadcast
live, as near as I can tell. I don't know who is
the current Met conductor, but it was James Levine
in 1990.

I don't recognise the singers, but these are the
last names of those listed on the front of the box:
Morris, Ludwig, Jerusalem, Wlaschiha, Zednik,
Rootering, Salminen, Haggander.

It's 2 hr 43 min, including curtain calls, and is
aspect ratio 4:3. Before ordering it I couldn't
find any widescreen version, so apparently it
was filmed in 4:3. It's in German of course, and
has five language choices for subtitles, plus
the usual three audio choices.

The only Wagner I had on LP and CD are music-only
excerpts from several operas and the 'Ring' cycle.
But after seeing Malick's 'The New World', which
used the Rheingold prelude at the beginning and
near the end, I wanted to find CDs of the complete
thing, but found the number of available choices
so daunting that I kept putting off ordering it.
The Solti version seemed to be some sort of modern
standard, but not with the most recent sound, so
I didn't get it.

Then I stumbled onto the DVDs on the internet,
and this Met/Levine version looked very attractive.
I have no regrets for choosing it, but then I have
nothing to compare it with.

Question for opera and music drama lovers: Would
it make more sense to get the version of 'Die Walkure'
that is part of this same Met/Levine 'Ring' cycle, or
would it be better to go for entirely separate productions
of it and 'Siegfried' and 'Gotterdammerung'?

Calvin: Don't think twice about getting the rest of the 'Ring' DVDs
of this production. It's the last time this production of the 'Ring'
was performed at the Met. All the singers are world-class and as good
as you'll ever see or hear in the house. I sang with a number of
them...and they are excellent in the set.

If you want a CD of the 'Ring'...don't hesitate to purchase the Solti
'Ring'. It simply does not get any better than that production
cast...and the sound was years ahead of its time thanks to the
production team under John Culshaw. Trust me...I know from what I
speak. There ARE other excellent 'Ring' recordings as well...but you
won't find anything to surpass this...and in most cases...equal these
recordings.

Jon E. Szostak, Sr.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Das Rheingold DVD
    ... The DVD I just watched is the 1990 Met production ... that was broadcast on TV, ... Chereau's Shavian Ring for Bayreuth in 1976) are somewhat ... There is a Ring on DVD, the Stuttgart one, where they hired ...
    (rec.arts.theatre.musicals)
  • Re: Das Rheingold DVD
    ... DVD might be in order, though, and a question. ... Nowadays Levine shares Ring duties with Valery Gergiev, ... and this Met/Levine version looked very attractive. ... Question for opera and music drama lovers: ...
    (rec.arts.theatre.musicals)
  • Re: Image sequences to Dvd production quality issues.
    ... production companies really are. ... not a DVD authoring app ... Most of the video production shops you'll find are going to use these ... Color correction -- Definitely color check your frames to see how they look ...
    (comp.graphics.apps.lightwave)
  • Re: Met and EMI to release 5 operas on DVD
    ... only to find they didn't have a seat. ... State Opera has a production set in the '70s which blows away what the ... Gardiner did a production set in the period that's on DVD; ...
    (rec.music.classical.recordings)
  • Re: small production price advice
    ... production company did a terrible job on our video and we're sorry we didn't ... taping and editing and doing the DVDs for $200 plus $15 for each DVD ... a better camera now, as well as two camera editing capablitities) ...
    (rec.video.production)