Der Ring des Nibelungen
Live recording in stereo
1998 - 01
Conductor: Gustav Kuhn
Orchestra e Coro del
Teatro di San Carlo, Napoli
Das Rheingold
July 18 & 19, September 18-20, 1998
Wotan Albert Dohmen
Donner Witold Zoladkiewicz
Froh Enrico Facini
Loge Arnold Bezuyen
Alberich Andrea Martin
Mime Krzysztof Kur
Fasolt Xiaoliang Li
Fafner Thomas Hay
Fricka Nadja Michael
Freia Michaela Sburlati
Erda Julia Oesch
Woglinde Hiroko Kouda
Wellgunde Junko Saito
Floßhilde Taeka Hino
Walküre
2001
Siegmund Andrew Brunsdon
Sieglinde Gertrud Ottenthal
Wotan Duccio dal Monte
Brünnhilde Elena Comotti
Hunding Thomas Hay
Fricka Julia Oesch
Gerhilde Junko Saito
Ortlinde Maria Gessler
Waltraute Monika Waeckerle
Schwertleite Barbara Kandler
Helmwige Susanne Geb
Siegrune Anahita Ahsef
Grimgerde Maria Cecilia Toledo
Roßweiße Heidi Jütten
Siegfried
July, 1999
Siegfried Alan Woodrow
Mime Thomas Harper
Brünnhilde Elisabeth-Maria Wachutka
Wanderer Juha Uusitalo
Alberich Andrea Martin
Fafner Xiaoliang Li
Erda Julia Oesch
Waldvogel Hiroko Kouda
Götterdämmerung
July, 2000
Brünnhilde Eva Silberbauer
Siegfried Alan Woodrow
Hagen Duccio dal Monte
Alberich Andrea Martin
Gunther Herbert Adami
Gutrune Gertrud Ottenthal
Waltraute Ewa Wolak
Woglinde Hiroko Kouda
Wellgunde Junko Saito
Floßhilde Taeka Hino
1. Norne Julia Oesch
2. Norne Sabina Willeit
3. Norne Eva Maria Tersson
Arte Nova, 7 4321 87075 2 13 CDs DDD
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Review by Joeri Deleroux

This Ring cycle received positive reviews in Germany. My opinion is that Kuhn focuses on the music itself.

The orchestra is very good, especially in Rheingold and Siegfried. The playing is at some times very fast (the forging scene in 'Siegfried' and the 'Trauermarsch' in 'Götterdämmerung' for example) but keeps the greatness and magic associated with Wagner's universe.

Some singers are excellent. Loge sung by Arnold Bezuyen is one of the finest on record. Thomas Harper is also great as Mime in Siegfried. The Siegfried recording is fascinating. The relationship between Siegfried and Mime is beautifully portrayed by Harper and Woodrow, great singing and acting.

The Wotan interpretations are not always exeptional. Albert Dohmen makes a great impression while Juha Uusitalo has not the deep voice of George London in Solti's 'Rheingold' or Thomas Stewart in Karajan's ring. He brings a different kind of Wotan than what we usually expect.

The female roles are nicely played too. Nadja Michael is a great Fricka and Eva Silberbauer shines as Brünnhilde in 'Götterdämmerung.'

Kuhn is not really the perfectionist that Solti was when he recorded his Ring in studio, this can be noticed during the Niebelheim scene in 'Das Rheingold'. No screaming dwarves are heard when Alberich uses the tarnhelm, neither when he is imprissoned by the Gods and calls for the gold.

Nevertheless this is a real bargain. If you like a nice actual live interpretation of Wagner's masterpiece, then this is it.