Rating: 
Summary: A revelation
Review: I'm not a very enthusiastic opera-goer. Yet, viewing this DVD recording is a revelation for me - I never imagine that the acting in classical opera to be so 'life-like' and that the singing and staging can match the drama to form such a cohesive whole. I suppose that this is the kind of production that, despite its arousing some controversy, can keep the genre thriving in the modern age. It surely makes me reassess my own views (and perhaps prejudicies) of performances of classical opera! I'm no connoisseur of classical singing, but I found the singing here to be thrilling most of the time. It's a very enjoyable viewing/listening experience. I'll certainly try to catch a performance of Wagner's complete Ring in the opera house when I next come across it. In the meantime, I'm sure that this excellent DVD recording will give me many hours of viewing/listening pleasure at home.
Rating:
Summary: Great viewing experience
Review: I've always been more a fan of pop music than classical music. While I do know a few popular classical pieces, I'm almost totally ignorant about opera. A friend of mine gave me this set to try on, and at first I treated it with skepticism. However, having endured the 1st hour, I gradually became more and more interested in this very well directed and staged opera cycle. At the end, I finished the whole thing within a week. What's more, I watched it a 2nd time, and a 3rd! At the end, I liked it so much that I bought my own copy after returning the set to my friend! Those who think (or are taught to think) that opera is static and is populated by over-weight or immovable singers are in for a big and pleasant surprise. For this production is as exciting as any stage work that I've seen. I'm unfamiliar with much of the music, but I won't deny that it has great emotional and dramatic impact. The acting here is so good, and the singers all look their parts. Gwyneth Jones, in particular, makes a big impression with her committed performance and extraordinary vocal powers. A great viewing experience! I'd from now on try to explore if there're more such kinds of exciting and high quality opera production available, both on DVD and on the live stage. Of course, I have to thank my friend for lending me the set in the first place and enabling me to make such a discovery!
Rating: 
Summary: The Best of an Imperfect List
Review: No sound recording of the Ring is perfect, and with filmed recordings, there is even more to object to or defend. For a first ever release of any complete Ring on DVD, this is probably the best compromise of staging, filming, singing, and acting that one could hope for. First some technicalities. These disks (there are seven disks across a four volume set) are NTSC, not PAL. The regional coding is '0' (universal). So your TV and DVD player have to be NTSC compatible (I think most are anyway). The sound quality is superb. It was recorded digitally and remastered for surround sound. I played it on 2-channel, and it sounded fantastic. The balance of voices and orchestra was truly ideal. The picture quality varies. The original was filmed on video, not on 'film', and it was done in 1980 or 81, so the quality of the video is not very high in some places - especially the beginning of Rheingold - but in 85% of the time, the picture quality is very good, though the colour definition could be better. If you buy the whole Ring as a set it's cheaper overall, and you get a nice cardboard sleeve that the four DVD packs all fit into. The singing on this Ring is as good as it gets. Gwyneth Jones sings Brunnhilde wonderfully - one of the half dozen or so singers of the century who could actually sing the role with 100% of the power it needs, and in my opinion the best (and only real) Brunnhilde since Birgit Nilsson; nor does she lack in subtlety and musicality. She is fine to watch as well and seems to take her stage performance as seriously and with as much energy as her singing. It's a wonderful thing to have her Brunnhilde in this DVD format. Donald McIntyre sings Wotan. He has such an incredibly powerful voice, and is an excellent match to Jones's Brunnhilde, though he has moments which are rather unmusical. His acting is pretty good, but not a highlight. All things considered, he does not disappoint at all. Siegfried is sung by Manfred Jung, who both looks and sounds the part to a T. Some of his singing now and then is a bit strident, especially in the prologue to Gotterdammerung where he has to 'match' the HUGE voice of G Jones, but especially in the opera Siegfried (part three of the Ring) he is truly magical. Some people take the opposite of this view and find him a bit silly to watch. Siegfried is a sort of non-character, and what characteristics he does have (of bravery, spontaneity, and imbecilic charm) are portrayed by Jung in such a natural and engaging manner. His singing is no less impressive, and he is one of the few Siegfrieds I've heard who really sings all of the notes well. Siegfieds tend to wail and harp a bit, but Jung is very musical. Peter Hoffmann sings Siegmund with very good voice and tacky 'dramatic' acting which is actually not as irritating as it should be. His Sieglinde is Jeanine Altmayer (of the Janowski Ring) who gives very little of interest as a visual performer, and just manages to do the minimum in terms of singing. Her presence is not a selling point, but it doesn't give too much to object to either. Heinz Zednik sings both Loge and the Mime in Siegfried. This is a stage animal who, especially in Rheingold, always does something good and appropriate to the character, whether he is singing or not. He is fantastic in Rheingold as the clever and disaffected Loge, and some of the time he tends to over-act in Siegfried, a contrast which is stark especially because in the latter he shares the stage with the incredibly naturalistic Manfred Jung. Other roles, such as Fricka, Erda, Hunding, Gunther and Waltraute are all sung by people with great voices and above average acting skill, many of whom were to become famous singers in major roles: Hannah Schwarz, Otrun Wenkl, Matti Salminen among them. Franz Mazura as Gunther is perhaps a little soft of voice (he's a bit old) but it fits the role perfectly, and his wonderful acting of the part shines to create a vibrant portrayal of this key 'minor' character. The orchestral playing is wonderful. Boulez's conducting is full-paced though never lacking in beauty of detail. It never feels rushed, never feels too slow, and he builds climaxes with an exceptionally natural energy. This is conducting of supreme competence. The staging is by the French designer /director Patrice Chereau. It is tied to the industrial revolution. The sets on the whole are very good, the movement of characters about the stage can be rather weak and confusing. The transitions from scene to scene which are supposed to be seamless are done with the curtain dropping and rising again to show a different set. In my opinion this doesn't really work, and there are certain moments in the staging (the funeral march for example) which are just plain embarrassing. However, for a modern production, this one makes more sense than any other I've seen. I'd rather see a traditional production if given the choice, but in broad terms, and in many many details as well, the staging 'works'. You will probably 'have' to admit that, but whether you like it is up to you. All in all, a better first DVD Ring could not be imagined.
Rating:
Summary: Great but.....
Review: Oh I remember watching this Ring Cycle on tv. Unforgettable for its images from Chereau's brilliant concept and Boulez' crisp conducting. The big but however cannot be overlooked: the main roles of Siegfried and Brunnhilde were really not sung as could and should be done. Manfred Jung is simply annoying, nothing is handled convincingly or even 'simply' beautiful and Gwyneth Jones gives us a lot of her wellknown hysterics that have to give the idea that she is being a deep artiste while shrieking to catch some notes somewhere.....
Rating:
Summary: Incredible!
Review: Okay - I feel a bit foolish (see my previous "Buyer Beware"). I have a friend, who has the laser disc, and said this performance is great and worth it. So, I took a chance. I think Rudolph Sabor was a bit misleading on his comments, especially concerning the orchestral and vocal performances. He gives bows to Wotan, Hunding, and Fricka, and completely fails to mention Jones. Her performance, as Brunnhilde, is nothing short of incredible. On par with Nilsson, IMHO! The cast as a whole is great. Both Sigmund and Siegfried are incredible, and the final duet in Siegfried is glorious - completely rivaling Nilsson and Windgassen! Sabor seemed to insinuate that Wotan wears a treach coat instead of carrying a spear. Maybe I miss interpreted what he was saying but Wotan, who does wear an overcoat, does indeed carry a spear. "Wotan's Farewell" and "Magic Fire Music" are sensational. The special effects here are stunning - as they are in the "Immolation Scene". "The Ride of the Valkyries" is very interesting and performed wonderfully. "Wintersturme" is Walkure is wonderful. You can't help but question yourself. Here I am entranced by Siegmund and Sieglinde and then I would remember "they are twins" and question, should I be moved here or grossed out? Same with the ending duet in Siegfried. However the beautiful singing and glorious staging prevents me from feeling anything but entranced. The Dragon is Siegfried is cheesy - but hey - it was the 70's. Yes, this is a more modern approach, but I like it. I could go on and on. Of course, being that I just got it yesterday - I have not seen the whole thing - but I've seen a good six hours of it. Great DVD. It's so great to see this wonderful characters and this fantastic story come to life. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Great Rheingold & Walkure
Review: Rheingold and Walkure are superb in Chereau's illuminating interpretation. Both contain images that one will never forget, such as the Valkyries actually doing what they are supposed to be doing -- lugging dead bodies to Valhalla! And Chereau's Siegmund (Peter Hoffman) and Sieglinde (Jeannine Altmeyer) are beautiful both to look at and listen to, especially compared to the visually unbelievable equivalents in the Met's Walkure (Gary Lakes and Jessye Norman). I much prefer Chereau's Rheingold and Walkure to the Met's. However, Chereau goes rather over-the-top in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung. These become more about his directing than they do about the work Wagner actually wrote. In Siegfried especially he plays right to the inherent dramatic weakness of the work, by emphasizing Siegfried's brutishness, at the expense of any possible sympathy for the character. And the finale of Gotterdammerung simply cannot hold a candle to the stunning stagecraft in the Met's production. Thus, I always switch to the Met's video's for the latter two. Boulez' conduction isn't great -- he seems to blow off many of the big effects, and there is little inner orchestral detail. Levine's for the Met is better, but still falls short to my taste (too slow and ponderous in many places), when compared with the incomparable achievement of Solti on the classic recordings, thankfully still available. Once you have Solti's RING in your ears, nothing else measures up.
Rating: 
Summary: Severe Audio Problems
Review: The audio fluctuates from loud to inaudible - in all four operas. Attempting to keep up with the sound, by using the volume control, is counterproductive because the sound fluctuations are too numerous. This proves that a very beautiful production can be completely messed up by handicapped sound technicians - they turned four masterpieces into garbage...
Rating:
Summary: A classic production re-evaluated
Review: The release on DVD of this controversial Bayreuth production (it was heavily booed during its first run in 1976 but received an ovation lasting for over 90 minutes when it bowed out in 1980) enables one to re-evaluate it afresh, both in relation to the production and the singing. After more than 20 years during which people have become accustomed to some very outrageous production style, Patrice Chereau's attempt seems almost traditional by comparison. (The production here was filmed in 1979 and 1980, when some of the original weaknesses in 1976, both as regards the direction and the sets, had already been ironed out.) Nevertheless, what matters most is that, for most of the time, Chereau's interpretation of the drama is not only workable, it's also coherent and, at times, illuminating. It works extremely well on screen, thanks to the video direction by Brian Large. Some may quibble about the hydro-electric dam in Rheingold, the dinner jackets in Goetterdaemmerung, the pendulum in Walkure and the steam-driven forging machine in Siegfried. Yet, all these have a point in Chereau's pro-Marxist, pro-environmentalist and rather pessimistic approach of the cycle. In fact, such up-dating make the drama even more readily understandable by most. While there are some minor failures in some of the scenes, these are far out-weighed by the many good points. This production indeed deserves its classic status. The quality of singing (but not the acting, which is unanimously considered to be excellent) has also been criticised by some. However, I find it acceptable. There're also some fine performances. The biggest disappointment is perhaps Manfred Jung's Siegfried. But even he isn't unbearable. Jones is vocally erratic, but her dramatic involvement plus quite an amount of simply thrilling singing (as well as her pleasant appearance) more than compensates for some passing tonal unsteadiness. McIntyre's Wotan is authoritative even though the character doesn't attract one's sympathy. (His Wotan DOES carry a spear.) Many of the singers in the other characters (especially the Siegmund, Sieglinde, Fricka, Alberich, Loge, Fasolt, Fafner, Hagen) have also made their mark, and everyone works in close colloboration with each other, making this is genuine team performance. I think this set should appeal to those who're familiar with the Ring as well as those new to Wagner. After all, when this production was serialised on TV 20 years ago, it has attracted a large number of viewers, many of whom had not even heard a note from the Ring before.
Rating:
Summary: Pleasurable viewing experience
Review: The set of DVD gives one a most pleasurable viewing experience. The production is imaginative without being provocative and the brightly lit sets provide good backgrounds for the intense drama. The standard of acting is extremely high as far as opera performances are concerned. The singing is also very good, too. Gwyneth Jones is quite magnificent, especially in Gotterdammerung. Her tone is often rock solid and the high notes are gleaming. Some slight vocal flaws in her Siegfried Brunnhilde can be excused on video in view of her passionate acting. Manfred Jung's Siegfried is vocally a little disappointing, but he looks right in this particular production. The other cast members give above-average vocal performances. It's indeed very enjoyable!
Rating:
Summary: Essential Document - Wonderful Quirky Centennial Production
Review: There have probably been more words about this (in)famous production than about any other production, with the possible exception of the first in 1876. This is the centennial production at Bayreuth, which debuted in 1976. This particular version was made especially for video in 1980. It was made in the Festspielhaus but it is not a recorded live performance. Patrice Chereau had never staged an opera when he was invited to produce the centennial production at Bayreuth. Legend has it that on the opening night in '76, the production was almost booed off the stage; four years later, when the production closed, there was a 45 minute standing ovation. The best thing about this production is that it takes the drama entirely seriously, completely discarding operatic traditions including the ones that Wagner himself was explicit about. The Rhinemaidens are prostitutes, the Rhine is shown as a water processing plant. In Rhinegold, the actors are dressed in 18th century gear - powdered wigs, etc. By the time we get to Gotterdaemmerung, the characters are in early 20th century evening dress. This is an a-historical production, though. There is never any sense of moving forward in time - this is evident from the first two scenes of Rhinegold: The Rhinemaiden scenes are post-industrial; the gods have powdered wigs, while Alberich, et al. look indistinctly late 19th century. Walkure and Siegfried are similarly unanchored in time - it could be the 15th century; it could be the year your mother was born. As to the singing, it ranges from satisfactory to excellent. Without running through the whole cast, suffice it to say that the principles are satisfying. Donald McIntyre's Wotan is not as musically dominating as, say, James Morris's, but Wotan's dilema and his growing desparation are perfectly conveyed by this great singing actor. Gwyneth Jones was past her prime in 1980 (she tends to be a little wild, vocally); but what a great performance! First of all, much of her singing is very fine, and all of it is intensely moving. Peter Hofman is good and good looking, and (can't remember her name) is a soulful Sieglinde. It's a rare treat to see two slim, blond Wolsang twins and find their relationship physically credible (as opposed to the Met production which has a black Sieglinde and a white Siegmund, for example). Matti Salminen's Hunding is surpassed only by his Hagen in the Met production. What a great actor and singer he was/is. This is really an essential DVD set and it comes much cheaper than it ever did on VHS or laser disc. Every Perfect Wagnerite will want this set.
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