Rating: 
Summary: Uninspiring performance
Review: The best thing of this Metropolitan Opera production is that it is more or less true to the compoer's intention as regards the staging. There're little of those stupid directorial strokes which opera-goers come to expect these days. And that is a great plus.Unfortunately, the performance leaves a lot to be desired. Levine draws great sounds from the Met orchestra. However, Levine's interpretation often lacks direction and at times his slow tempo tested the singers (especially the Brunnhilde). Morris and Ludwig are superb as Wotan and Fricka. Lakes and Norman sound good enough as the pair of Walsung. However, their acting is not convincing. The great drawback of the set is no doubt Behrens' underpowered Brunnhilde. Her vocal production is pretty uneven (she sometimes makes ugly sounds even in the most easy of phrases) and she just can't cope with the slow tempo that Levine imposed on her, thereby resulting in choppy phrasing. Her acting is also less than satisfactory. One can therefore see that, one the whole, it's not a very satisfactory performance. Quite a pity as there're not at present many choices for DVD versions of this opera.
Rating: 
Summary: Good "Traditional" Production
Review: The highlights here are the performances of Jessye Norman as Sieglinde, Christa Ludwig and Fricka and James Levine and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, overall this is a fine performance. Gary Lakes' Siegmund is overwhelmed at times by the orchestra but overall he does a nice job--the first act is the highlight of this performance and it receives a thundering ovation at its conclusion. The production by Otto Schenk is probably the most traditional staging of the "Ring" cycle one is likely to see nowadays--however since modern productions have included such things as bungee-jumping Rhine Maidens and Valkyries riding motorcycles that may not be such a bad thing.
Rating: 
Summary: Mediocre performance
Review: The performance seen on this DVD set is of mediocre quality. The staging is naturalistic, but often tend to be rather rigid from a visual perspective. The orchestral performance is excellent, although I'd prefer a more animated approach by Levine. The singers are, frankly, a tad disappointing. Much that I like Norman and Lakes' singing, they don't look that convincing on the stage as the young lovers. For a DVD production, this is a significant drawback. Morris is a commanding Wotan, and one who sings with authority, even though he cannot rival some of the best interpreters of this great role. Ludwig is welcome as Fricka, even though she is already past her prime. Behrens's Brunnhilde is problematic - one moment she delivers Wagner's notes with a ringing tone; another moment her voice almost disintegrated under pressure. Her voice also doesn't have the heft for a warrior maiden. Never mind, this item is still worth getting. Just note those reservations.
Rating:
Summary: Not at all enjoyable
Review: The traditional staging makes it much easier to understand Wagner's intentions for the opera than the Broulez version. Norman and Lakes are improbable twins, but they can sing. I have the Broulez version and much prefer this version. The Met staging isn't spectacular, but it doesn't get in the way either. The opera moves at a stately pace, but I'm not sure Wager is the man for you if you like short and perky operas. The Met orchestra plays beautifully throughout.
Rating: 
Summary: Understandable and well sung
Review: The traditional staging makes it much easier to understand Wagner's intentions for the opera than the Broulez version. Norman and Lakes are improbable twins, but they can sing. I have the Broulez version and much prefer this version. The Met staging isn't spectacular, but it doesn't get in the way either. The opera moves at a stately pace, but I'm not sure Wager is the man for you if you like short and perky operas. The Met orchestra plays beautifully throughout.
Rating:
Summary: Good music, insipid production
Review: This is the best in all the MET Ring videos. Behrens is in a better element here and the cast is, on the whole, not bad. However, the production is rather boring and insipid but the orchestral playing offers considerable compensation.
Rating:
Summary: First rate in every way
Review: This is what DVD is all about! The best seats in the house - not just front and centre, but in various other positions. And you are taken on stage so close that you feel you can touch the singers. And what superb singers they are! The first part belongs to Gary Lakes as Siegmund, and Jesse Norman as Sieglinde, ably supported by Kurt Moll as Hunding. The second part is dominated by James Morris as Wotan, and the beauteous Hildegard Behrens as Brunhilde, with Christa Ludwig playing a smaller, but nonetheless dramatic part, as Fricka. Wagner's operas are not for the faint of heart, or stamina - hence the expression "with the build of a Wagnerian singer". There are not many tuneful arias that you can sing afterward, as is the case with the operas by such other masters as Verdi and Puccini, but the music is stunning and powerful, and in this presentation, the performers do Wagner's score full justice. The drama is in the singing and in the story line. This is just one of the four operas in The Ring Of The Nibelung series, and it takes all of four hours. A live performance would add another hour, with the various breaks. I did cheat a bit, in that I viewed it over two nights, in my comfortable recliner, with copious draughts of rum and coconut water (milk), but I was totally absorbed until the very end. The staging was superb, with a haunting blue light pervading many scenes, but the spotlights were clear enough, to do justice to the singers' faces, and the rich costumes. This is in line with what you would expect of a Metropolitan Opera production, with a seemingly unlimited financial budget. The orchestra fully supported the singers, and the effect in surround sound, makes an investment in such equipment, worth every dollar. The enclosed booklet was very informative, unlike other DVD productions, where one is forced to take out the booklet that accompanies most CD music versions (assuming one already owns such), to provide an occasional synopsis of the scenes. A well staged, dramatic opera, magnificently sung - what else can one ask for? I just can't wait for other releases in The Ring series.
Rating:
Summary: Best Levine Ring Opera
Review: This opera (and Das Rheingold) is probably the best in the Levine ring video cycle. Unlike "Siegfried" and "Gotterdammerung" where better audio-only versions are available, this recording of the Valkyrie competes favorably with all other available Valkyre recordings, both audio & video. Lakes and Norman are probably without doubt the best Siegmund/Sieglinde pair out there, and Morris (as Wotan) and Behrens (as Brunnhilde) do a fine job too. The video production is excellent, capturing the mood of the score. The fight in Act II is well choreographed, and the final magic fire scene is all everyone could ask for both in terms of music and effects. The biggest flaw is the Act I performance. The stage direction is very static, like a tableau, and the lack of dramatic action makes it boring and stiff and unconvincing. Get the chereau version of the Valkyrie for Act I (the singers in Chereau are just adequate, but the acting is so much more convincing and fluid, that the whole first Act will fly by.) then after watching Chereau Act I, pop in the Levine for Acts II & III.
Rating:
Summary: Best Levine Ring Opera
Review: This opera (and Das Rheingold) is probably the best in the Levine ring video cycle. Unlike "Siegfried" and "Gotterdammerung" where better audio-only versions are available, this recording of the Valkyrie competes favorably with all other available Valkyre recordings, both audio & video. Lakes and Norman are probably without doubt the best Siegmund/Sieglinde pair out there, and Morris (as Wotan) and Behrens (as Brunnhilde) do a fine job too. The video production is excellent, capturing the mood of the score. The fight in Act II is well choreographed, and the final magic fire scene is all everyone could ask for both in terms of music and effects. The biggest flaw is the Act I performance. The stage direction is very static, like a tableau, and the lack of dramatic action makes it boring and stiff and unconvincing. Get the chereau version of the Valkyrie for Act I (the singers in Chereau are just adequate, but the acting is so much more convincing and fluid, that the whole first Act will fly by.) then after watching Chereau Act I, pop in the Levine for Acts II & III.
Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE
Review: This performance is wonderful. It may apparently seem very 'classic' but the emotional involvement of the singers is extraordinary.
The recording is very good and the voices sounds extremely natural (particularly Behrens, usually 'strange sound' in CD, but often very beautiful sound in the real concert hall).
The singers go very deep in their characters.
The Behrens Morris last scene is a marvellous moment.
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