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I worked with Simone Young several years ago on a production of Verdi's "Macbeth," and she was electrifying to both the orchestra and all us singers. Since then she has obviously grown in authority and sensitivity, as shows in the truly astounding playing on this Ring. Though it's all live performances, one would swear it was a studio recording. The acoustics of the theatre are virtually perfect. You can hear every single consonant, an awesome feat. I heard many parts of the score distinctly for the first time. In my opinion, this Ring and that of Bernard Haitink are the finest for orchestral beauty, unity and melifluous sonority that can be had. And Haitink's is a studio recording. This one being live is a truly great achievement.
If I have a criticism, it's that there is a little high-end distortion on one of the Rhinemaidens' high notes at the opening of "Das Rheingold," and that the orchestra occasionally plays louder than the singers. The singers, however, never resort to bellowing, and it works as a gorgeous mix. Ms. Young is totally immersed in the work, always feeling what the characters feel in their singing. And it shows in her wonderful ability to weave the orchestra, singers and story into one seamless whole.
None of the singing in this Ring is harsh, woofy, or ugly, as happens in the best of Rings. The singing is beautiful in line and tone, even Hunding, which adds to the humanity of the relationships. The same applies to Wotan and Brunhilde in the second act of "Die Walkure." In fact, though I'm a huge Flagstad/Melchior fan, and my favorite Ring is Haitink's, I must say that the whole first act of this "Die Walkure" between Siegmund and Sieglinde is beautifully melodic, sensitive, flowing, and yes, romantic, in all the best terms of the word. I've never heard better once my ear learned just how lovely this music can be when not being oversung or overplayed. Even the Valkyries are beautifully clear, youthful sounding, balanced and sung in an ensemble mode.
Of course one can't expect the same mood in all of "Siegfried," it being complicated by the inevitable plethora of noisy stage business, but Mime and Siegfried are both strong, and one can read Mime's mind by the way he sings, without understanding a word of what he says. Alberich possesses a beautiful, expressive voice instead of an ugly instrument, and his evil is therefore married to his humanity.
Almost no other Siegfried, in my opinion, has had so beautiful, high pianissimos as Christian Franz. One can easily believe that he's young and naive when he sings so sensitively instead of straining - which all Siegfrieds must resort to at times. Catherine Foster as Brunhilde in "Siegfried" is really lovely, a sensitive singer as is Deborah Polaski, the difference being that Foster's is a more human, womanly Brunhilde in "Siegfried" than Deborah Polaski, which is very much what is called for. The final scene of "Siegfried" is a thing of great beauty all around. Polaski's return as Brunhilde in "Gotterdammerung" doesn't sound as secure as her Valkyrie until the end of the Immolation Scene, which is unfortunate, but as in every instance in this Ring, the orchestra is so gorgeous and sumptuous that it makes every performer sound glorious. Truly, the orchestral playing in this Ring is simply astounding, thanks I'm sure to Ms Young.
I've fallen in love with this set, as will anyone who truly loves the Ring and this one's myriad of beautiful facets. I daresay that this is the way Wagner intended the Ring to be sung and played - and experienced.
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LutzReviewed in Germany on June 22, 2019
Falk Struckmann und Catherine Foster als ideales Paar!
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- z24069Reviewed in Germany on March 27, 2015
Great transaction, excellent seller, prompt shipment, item arrived as advertised
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