Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

Das Rheingold

Hans Hotter (Wotan), Erich Witte (Loge), Otakar Kraus (Alberich), Georgine von Milinkovic (Fricka), Kurt Böhme (Fasolt), Frederick Dalberg (Fafner), Elisabeth Lindermeier (Freia), Robert Allman (Donner), Edgar Evans (Froh), Peter Klein (Mime), Maria von Ilosvay...

In short, Kempe's humane, often poetic Ring nourishes the spirit. — BBC Music Magazine, August 2008, 4 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 28th Apr 2008
Catalogue No: SBT131426
Label: Testament

Gramophone Awards

2008

Finalist - Historic Archive

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Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

[b]Das Rheingold[/b] Hans Hotter (Wotan), Erich Witte (Loge), Otakar Kraus, (Alberich), Georgine von Milinkovic (Fricka), Kurt Böhme (Fasolt), Frederick Dalberg (Fafner), Elisabeth Lindermeier (Freia), Robert Allman (Donner), Edgar Evans (Froh), Peter Klein (Mime), Maria von Ilosvay (Erda), Joan Sutherland (Woglinde), Una Hale (Wellgunde), Marjorie Thomas (Flosshilde) [b] Die Walküre [/b] Ramon Vinay (Siegmund), Sylvia Fisher (Sieglinde), Frederick Dalberg (Hunding), Birgit Nilsson (Brünnhilde), Hans Hotter (Wotan), Georgine von Milinkovic (Fricka), Amy Shuard (Gerhilde), Una Hale (Ortlinde), Edith Coates (Waltraute), Jean Watson (Schwertleite), June Grant (Helmwige), Noreen Berry (Siegrune), Barbara Howitt (Grimgerde), Marjorie Thomas (Rossweisse) [b] Siegfried [/b] Wolfgang Windgassen (Siegfried), Birgit Nilsson (Brünnhilde), Peter Klein (Mime), Hans Hotter (Der Wanderer), Otakar Kraus (Alberich), Frederick Dalberg (Fafner), Maria von Ilosvay (Erda), Jeannette Sinclair
Royal Opera House Covent Garden
Rudolf Kempe

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Wagner’s complete Ring cycle under Rudolf Kempe, recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 1957 is being released shortly by Testament.

The cast is headed by a galaxy of top class singers at the peak of their powers, including Hans Hotter (Wotan/Wanderer), Birgit Nilsson (Brünnhilde), Wolfgang Windgassen (Siegfried), Ramón Vinay (Siegmund) and Sylvia Fisher (Sieglinde).

The supporting singers are equally distinguished and include Otakar Kraus (Alberich), Georgine von Milinkovic? (Fricka), Kurt Böhme (Hagen), Hermann Uhde (Gunther) and Joan Sutherland (Woglinde).

The annual Ring cycle at Covent Garden in the late 1950s was highly regarded by audiences and critics alike for presenting the leading Wagnerian singers of the day in outstanding performances, most of which at that time were conducted by the much admired Rudolf Kempe.

The transfers are being made using high quality source material from Lord Harewood’s collection.

Artists

Das Rheingold

Die Walküre

Ramon Vinay (Siegmund), Sylvia Fisher (Sieglinde), Frederick Dalberg (Hunding), Birgit Nilsson (Brünnhilde), Amy Shuard (Gerhilde), Una Hale (Ortlinde), Edith Coates (Waltraute), Jean Watson (Schwertleite), June Grant (Helmwige), Noreen Berry (Siegrune), Barbara Howitt (Grimgerde), Marjorie Thomas (Rossweisse)

Siegfried

Wolfgang Windgassen (Siegfried), Hans Hotter (Der Wanderer), Jeannette Sinclair (Waldvogel)

Götterdämmerung

Kurt Böhme (Hagen), Hermann Uhde (Gunther), Elisabeth Lindermeier (Gutrune), Maria von Ilosvay (Waltraute), Maria von Ilosvay (1. Norn), Constance Shacklock (2. Norn), Amy Shuard (3. Norn)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Rudolf Kempe

Reviews

August 2008

In short, Kempe's humane, often poetic Ring nourishes the spirit.

29th June 2008

This cast is a mixture of international Wagnerians and Covent Garden residents, with the Wotan (Hotter), Siegfried (Windgassen) and Siegmund (Vinay) common to the 1955 Bayreuth set. The glory here is Birgit Nilsson’s gleaming Brünnhilde, already 39 years old, but sounding youthful, touching and tireless. The set is a reminder of the strengths of the company at this period, with Joan Sutherland leading the Rhinemaidens.

30th May 2008

Perhaps Kempe's lyricism doesn't always measure up completely to the darker moments in the drama. There's more anguish to be found in Walküre, for instance, than he allows, more bleakness in Götterdämmerung, and the recording quality is at best acceptable. But the virtues of this set far outweigh the drawbacks, and the best of it is gloriously compelling.

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

13 CDs

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