Rating: 
Summary: Not perfect but quite moving
Review: <Die Walkure> has always been my least favorite of the Ring operas, but the recent DVD release of this work on the Deutsche Grammophon label (073 011-9) has done much to change my mind. Recorded at the Metropolitan Opera in 1990, this production (long available on VHS) has James Levine conducting a high-powered cast (and nothing less than that will do for any Wagner opera) and using generally slower tempos than (say) Solti would use. "Walkure" does tend to move like a glacier throughout most of its nearly four hours, and Levine's leisurely approach does not help. On the other hand, his Sieglinde (Jessye Norman) is in great vocal shape, as is her Siegmund (Gary Lakes), and Wotan (James Morris). Kurt Moll's Hunding is well acted and he still has that basso of old to give the character dignity and menace. If you can accept Lakes and Norman as twins (what would John Simon have to say here?), you still have to overlook their somewhat wooden acting. (and tell me if you agree that Norman's costume seems to come from another opera!) But Hildegard Behrens' Brunhilde makes us believe she is a vibrant teenager, although she has to strain to keep her voice from petering out during this difficult role. Christa Ludwig's brief appearance as Fricka tells us she is a bit past her glory days vocally, but still she creates a believable character. It is interesting to note that Norman sits out Act III to take a final curtain call, but Lake and Moll do not. Otherwise engaged? It is good to see an old-fashioned, non-concept, production of this work without Teutonic heroes in tuxedos or scenes acted in hypercubes. One does not really expect horses any more at the start of Act III, a sequence nevertheless done with excitement in this production. This version seems designed to tell the story without forcing 20th century interpretations on Wagner's Romanticism. The two DVDs run at 241 minutes in the 4:3 screen ratio and have subtitles in English, French, Chinese, and (finally!) the original German, an idea that should be used for all operas on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Not perfect but quite moving
Review: has always been my least favorite of the Ring operas, but the recent DVD release of this work on the Deutsche Grammophon label (073 011-9) has done much to change my mind. Recorded at the Metropolitan Opera in 1990, this production (long available on VHS) has James Levine conducting a high-powered cast (and nothing less than that will do for any Wagner opera) and using generally slower tempos than (say) Solti would use. "Walkure" does tend to move like a glacier throughout most of its nearly four hours, and Levine's leisurely approach does not help. On the other hand, his Sieglinde (Jessye Norman) is in great vocal shape, as is her Siegmund (Gary Lakes), and Wotan (James Morris). Kurt Moll's Hunding is well acted and he still has that basso of old to give the character dignity and menace. If you can accept Lakes and Norman as twins (what would John Simon have to say here?), you still have to overlook their somewhat wooden acting. (and tell me if you agree that Norman's costume seems to come from another opera!) But Hildegard Behrens' Brunhilde makes us believe she is a vibrant teenager, although she has to strain to keep her voice from petering out during this difficult role. Christa Ludwig's brief appearance as Fricka tells us she is a bit past her glory days vocally, but still she creates a believable character. It is interesting to note that Norman sits out Act III to take a final curtain call, but Lake and Moll do not. Otherwise engaged? It is good to see an old-fashioned, non-concept, production of this work without Teutonic heroes in tuxedos or scenes acted in hypercubes. One does not really expect horses any more at the start of Act III, a sequence nevertheless done with excitement in this production. This version seems designed to tell the story without forcing 20th century interpretations on Wagner's Romanticism. The two DVDs run at 241 minutes in the 4:3 screen ratio and have subtitles in English, French, Chinese, and (finally!) the original German, an idea that should be used for all operas on DVD.
Rating: 
Summary: An enjoyable performance
Review: After having watched this video twice I couldn't resist an opportunity to offer some comments and observations. People are going to either love the individual singers or hate them. I feel that Gary Lakes as Siegmund was neither a good visual or vocal match for Jessye Norman as Sieglinde, but he acted very well. Kurt Moll as Hunding was for the most part convincing, but he spent too much time in Act I glaring at Siegmund, complete with a raised eyebrow, not unlike a 19th Century version of The Rock. Jessye Norman to most listeners would be the ideal Sieglinde, but on at least two occasions she held high notes (for presumably dramatic effect) longer than stipulated in the score. Her rendering in Act III of O hehrstes Wunder was breathtaking. Christa Ludwig as Fricka was excellent in Act II and it was gratifying to see this veteran mezzo in a live performance, and she deserved her very loud ovation. James Morris as Wotan was vocally good and dramatically perhaps better. Behrens' Brunnhilde lacked power but her voice was accurate. She was a good visual match for Morris. In the Farewell Scene during "Der Augend leuschtendes Paar (sp?)" when he is looking into her eyes, there was an overhead camera shot from the top of the stage which caught a distinctive glistening effect. It was quite touching. The overall stage production by Gunther Schneider-Siemssen was convincing in a traditional manner, and the fire effects at the end were impressive. As for the conducting, although it was a bit of a slow reading at 4 hours and 4 minutes, I did not feel the tempo dragging in the same way that Reginald Goodall's live performance did. The end of Act I had plenty of adrenalin. The Met Orchestra, 101 musicians I believe, played very well and the VHS digital tape had surprisingly crisp and vivid detail. I think the singers were a bit swamped at times by the open orchestra pit, as opposed to the Bayreuth acoustics. For those who like Wagner played to the hilt in the big moments, this performance should be a very satisfying experience. For those who may never have an opportunity to experience a live performance at the Met, this should make a very worthwhile investment.
Rating:
Summary: Levine underlines the psychological intensity of the opera!
Review: I find it very hard to find fault with this Video presentation of Die Walkure. Some have made some very harsh comments here about this performance. Overall though, this DVD has the kind of psychological intensity that Wagner's music requires. It must also be understood just how difficult, if downright impossible it is to stage many of the stage directions Wagner indicated. I think it is really up to our imaginations to fill in the gaps. I'm sure the audience would enjoy seeing real live horses on the stage when the Valkyries sing at the beginning of the third act, not to mention the little present said horses might leave on the stage!
In reality, there is no perfect way to stage the Ring operas. They all ask for incredibe demands in set deasign and the imagination of the audience.
With this performance, the main importance lies in the singing, acting and of course the ability of the conductor to pace everything well. Levine does a stunning job here. Wotan's monologue builds to a stunning climax in the middle of the second act with his own kind of curse against Alberich. Morris never misses the high notes either and has no audible wobble in his voice. His power as a singer is truly evident at the end of the third act during the magic fire music. His chest notes cut over the top of the orchestra with power and majesty. The other cast is all excellent as well. Gary Lakes is another powerful singer who also has power in the high notes with the right amount of pathos. Jessye Norman has excellent expression and beauty of tone in her voice. She also displays wonderful facial expression and conveys the sympathy for Siegmund necessary for the part of Sieglinde. Although Christa Ludwig is past her prime here, she uses her voice intelligently and has the haughtiness of Fricka. Kurt Moll is a dynamic Hunding and his death scene will take your breath away. As for the Valkyries, it seems they could have been miked a little bit better. The video quality is outstanding and watching this in the dark in surround is a real treat. The lighting effects used in the magic fire scene are glorious and Morris as Wotan and Behrens as Brunnhilde are an excellent match on stage. Behrens may not have the power of past singers like Nillson or Flagstad, but she is convincing and has the technical prowess to sing the woops at the beginning of the second act.
This is a DVD I strongly urge any Wagner fan to acquire. Newcomers may want to shy away, since the program is 4 hours long. The picture doesn't seem to have any noticeable aging and the picture is sharp, clean and clear. An excellent transfer of the video element was made to this DVD. Blacks are very black and contrast levels are excellent throughout. The Digital sound is stupendous in a LPCM stereo track at 48KHz. This is worth the price alone. There is no hiss or noise evident in the audio track and sounds clean in surround. Just about any Wagner fan who snaps this up will not be dissapointed. There are no extras on this DVD, except for a series of still shots of other DVD's from DG. The subtitles are available in English, German, French and Chinese. The booklet that is supplied has many nice photos from the production, black and white paintings, as well as a very indepth synopsis for those new to The Ring. A very good booklet. It has a keepcase style case which proved a little difficult for getting the DVD's out so use caution when removing the discs. Perhaps in the future DG will release the other 3 ring operas from this production in the future. Wonderful cast, wonderful singing and a very tasteful original style production make this DVD unbeatable.
Rating:
Summary: The best Walkuere available on DVD
Review: I owned the laserdisc version of this version of "Die Walkuere" and I am happy that it has finally appeared on DVD. Hopefully the other operas of the Ring will be available soon. There are three singers that deserve all the praise for this recording: James Morris makes a simply incredible performance. Not only does he have the size and appearance one would expect for Wotan, his understanding of the psychology of the role is impressive. His monologue in the second act is simply superb. He expresses Wotan's grief in a way probably only Hans Hotter could parallel. His German is also one of the finest, with all the nuances and enunciation where they should be. Kurt Moll shows once again that he is one of the greatest basses of this century. His Hunding is as perfect as it is in Solti's recording. Yet my favorite character in this production is Jessey Norman's Sieglinde. Not only is her German perfect, she shows an almost neverending source of beatiful Wagnerian sounds. "Du bist der Lenz nachdem ich verlangte..." is probably one of the finest pieces she has ever recorded, and it is certainly the best on video. Not so convincing to me are both Gary Lakes and Hildegard Behrens. The first one evidences a stressed voice and a strange sounding accent. Behrens is a fine singer and her physical appearance is well suited to play a Walkuere, but I still don't find her totally convincing - however, this is probably her best recording on Levine's version of the Ring. This is certainly a "must have" for any real Wagnerian fan and also for Jessey Norman's unconditionals (among which I should be included). If you want to try a Wagner opera for the first time, probably you ought to go with Domingo/Solti's Lohengrin.
Rating: 
Summary: Mediocre performance
Review: I was amazed to see that the English subtitles in the third act (the second disk) are garbled. At times they are appropriate, but at other times phrases are jumbled together in a nonsensical manner. (Another person I know who has the set noticed the same problem.) I'd advise you to pass on this set until this problem is fixed.
Rating: 
Summary: garbled English subtitles mar otherwise satisfactory release
Review: I was amazed to see that the English subtitles in the third act (the second disk) are garbled. At times they are appropriate, but at other times phrases are jumbled together in a nonsensical manner. (Another person I know who has the set noticed the same problem.) I'd advise you to pass on this set until this problem is fixed.
Rating:
Summary: A good reading, but....
Review: It could, in my view, be better read by Levine. My personal feelings following the score and looking at the drama, is that Levine rushes through the music with his interpretation. Wagner's music tends to either excite or bore, so I can understand why Levine rushes the score. Were I the conductor, I would have taken the score at a bit slower tempo, but that is just myself. Other than his rushing, I believe that Levine does a beautiful reading of the music and provides a wonderfully dramatic interpretation. Hunding is marvelously cast, as is Siegmund. Sieglinde, took a little getting used to but I feel is a good fit for Ms Norman. Hildegard Behrens gives us a sexy Brynhilde and a superb performance which I feel is the highlight of this performance. Perhaps the weakest link is Wotan--and this is only in light of the fact that his voice was overpowered by the orchestra on several occasions.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Stunning!
Review: Now I can see why tickets to performances at The Met are so expensive. I have seen so many Wagner productions on TV and video, all with modern "deconstructionist" settings, that this DVD is a joy to watch, with a Wagner opera presented as The Master intended - horns, spears and shields aplenty, and rocky mountain crags echoing with the dolcite tones of Valkyries shrieking. Wonderful stuff! And music that would turn the most evil mountain troll into a pussy cat. Wagner's leitmotives swirl around your brain for days after watching it!
Rating: 
Summary: a near travesty that is best avoided
Review: Once again, James Levine proves he has no business conducting this opera. The opera opens with a storm but with Levine it's a stationary front. His tempo after Siegmund's "Ein Schwert" are far too slow. Unlike Goodall's slow reading, Levine lacks any pulse or theatrical feeling.
James Morris' habit of singing out of the side of his mouth and swooping into notes (which has since become more pronounced) hurts the musical flow and the impact of the words. Brain Large's insistance on close ups also robs the presentation of the power it could have (which is typical of Large's stupid video direction). Behrens is a fine Brunnhilde. Norman may be too powerful for some tastes as Sieglinde but I like her even tho she needs a much stronger Siegmund than Gary Lakes (where was Jon Vickers?). The best part of the production is the staging that avoids the idiotic "message" staging of small-minded current stagings in which the directors think they know the work better than Wagner who, like Verdi, left explicit stage instructions. While this performance is hardly moving or even a good example of the riches of this opera, it is better than any other video.
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