| Walküre |
Studio recording in stereo |
April, 1987 |
| Conductor: James Levine |
| Siegmund | | Gary Lakes |
| Sieglinde | | Jessye Norman |
| Wotan | | James Morris |
| Brünnhilde | | Hildegard Behrens |
| Hunding | | Kurt Moll |
| Fricka | | Christa Ludwig |
| Gerhilde | | Marita Napier |
| Ortlinde | | Marilyn Mims |
| Waltraute | | Reinhild Runkel |
| Schwertleite | | Ruthild Engert-Ely |
| Helmwige | | Linda Kelm |
| Siegrune | | Diane Kesling |
| Grimgerde | | Meredith Parsons |
| Roßweiße | | Anne Wilkens |
| Metropolitan Opera Orchestra |
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Review by J. C. Wood
While many have stated that the classic Die Walküre of the Solti Cycle
is unsurpassed in its brilliance not only in conducting but also singing,
being possessed of Nilsson, Hotter, Ludwig et. al., the age of the
recording is a slight hinderence to the breathtaking glory of Wagner's
score. The first digital Cycle is not quite up to the same vocal level
of the Solti cycle with one exception: Die Walküre.
Jessye Norman is radiant as Sieglinde, with a young and glorious voiced
Gary Lakes as Siegmund. Hildegarde Behrens' diction is tremendous in her
native German, while the Wotan of James Morris is everything that could
ever be hoped for. The key complaint in this suptuous sounding CD is the
sluggish tempo at which Maestro Levine conducts. There are a few minor
inconsistencies in the Fricka of Christa Ludwig but for a woman who had
been singing for decades she still sounds most authoritative.
It is overall an excellent recording which surpasses the other three
recordings of the cycle led by Levine. Worth purchasing on its own.
This review is from the now closed Wagner on the Web and it is published
without the author's consent. I haven't been able to get in touch with him.
If the author reads this, please contact me as soon as possible. If you
don't want it here, I'll take it of the site immediately. |
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