Wagner - Siegfried / Treleaven, Struckmann, Halfvarson, Polaski, Clark, von Kannen, Bonig, Obregon, de Billy, Barcelona Opera

Product Description In the third work of Wagner's epic cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen, Siegmund's shattered sword is forged once again and kills the dragon that guards the ring. When Siegfried seizes the ring, he also receives its curse as he continues his fiery adventure of discovery and love. Filmed at Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu in 2004, Harry Kupfer's stunning production, first staged in Berlin, numbers among the greatest productions of modern times and is recorded in sumptuous surround sound. Press Reviews "With Siegfried (May 16) and Götterdämmerung (May 23), the Liceu crowned the Ring cycle begun last season with complete success at all levels, beginning with Harry Kupfer's clever production from Berlin. Bertrand de Billy, in his last performances as music director of the theatre, enjoyed a well-deserved personal triumph:...he found the grandiosity and nobility inherent in Wagner's music as well as its lyrical qualities, and drew a fine response from the orchestra. Deborah Polaski (Brünnhilde,with a moving Immolation) and Falk Struckmann (Wanderer and also a wonderful Gunther) were the prime assets of the cast, but we should not overlook the vocal endurance of John Treleaven, a lyrical Siegfried, Graham Clark's hyperactive Mime, or the luxury casting of Matti Salminen as Hagen.." (Opera) "…Harry Kupfer's modernistic but clear-sighted staging… confirms Barcelona's Ring as the best recent cycle on DVD. Its darkly gleaming hi-tech settings centre around the massive limbs of the World-Ash, invaded and withered by technology as the curse advances. " (BBC Music Magazine) Cast John Treleaven (Siegfried) Deborah Polaski (Brünnhilde) Falk Struckmann (Wanderer) Graham Clark (Mime) Günter von Kannen (Alberich) Orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu; Bertrand de Billy Production Company: Gran Teatre del Liceu Stage Director: Harry Kupfer Disc Information Catalogue Number: OA0912D Date of Performance: 2004 Running Time: 256 minutes Sound: DTS Surround; LPCM Stereo Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic Subtitles: EN, FR, DE, ES, IT, CA Label: Opus Arte Amazon.com Siegfried, the third opera in Wagner's Ring cycle, picks up about two decades after Die Walküre ends. The promised hero, Siegfried, is a burly innocent living in the forest where his late mother left him in the care of Mime. This crafty creature aims to use Siegfried to gain the gold guarded in the cave of Fafner, the giant of Das Rheingold, now transformed into a dragon. Siegfried forges the invincible sword broken to bits by Wotan in Die Walküre, slays the dragon (and Mime) and now has the gold ring that enables its owner to rule the world if he renounces love. But love is what the hero yearns for. Led by a wood dove he comes to the mountain where Brunnhilde sleeps ringed by fire. Intercepted by Wotan, Siegfried breaks the god's spear, symbol of his mastery and the treaties with which he has sealed his power, and proceeds to discover the sleeping maid. He wakes her and they share a rapturous love duet. As in the previous Ring operas in Harry Kupfer's Barcelona production, there's a grid backdrop upon which projections set the scenic tone along with symbol-laden sets and lighting. The ash tree that dominates the stage is now disintegrating, with gaping holes in which we sometimes see Wotan observing the action. Mime's forest abode is an industrial forest of pipes centered on what looks like an airplane propeller--the triumph of technology over nature that's the subtext of Kupfer's approach to the Ring. No dragon here, just some awkwardly placed log-like tentacles that plop onstage in a dry-ice fog. As before, there are some striking lighting effects, achieved through a red grid backdrop reflected on the mirror-like stage floor. Tenor John Treleaven portrays Siegfried as a clumsy, oafish, naively fearless bully who softens when Mime tells him about his mother. Treleaven sings well enough if without the ringing top we hear from the best Siegfrieds, and we can tell it's a killer role from the voice that's obviously tiring toward the end of the opera. The cycle also takes its toll from the Wotan, here disguised as "the Wanderer," Falk Struckmann, who's strained vocally and has a pronounced wobble at times. Graham Clark, a fine Loge in Das Rheingold, is a wonderful Mime. Almost balletic in his acting, he uses his flexible high tenor to convey the absurdity of this greedy, permanently hysterical character. The other principals range from excellent (Deborah Polaski's warmly sung Brünnhilde) to miscast (Andrea Bönig's lightweight Erda), and Betrand de Billy conducts well, if not with a strong profile. The orchestra gets through the long opera without serious mishaps, but the camera work once more has its hit-or-miss moments. --Dan Davis
ASIN: B0009JVOMA
VSKU: DBV.B0009JVOMA.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Bertrand de Billy|Graham Clark|John Treleaven|Deborah Polaski|Falk Struckmann|Harry Kupfer|Eric Halfvarson
Binding: Dvd
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Condition Notes: Individually inspected: Guaranteed to play perfectly or your money back. Case may show wear and may be in library packaging. Ships Fast!