Barenboim, Pape, Larsson, Kranzle, Foster - Wagner: Der Ring Des Nibelungen (2015)

Richard Wagner’s “Ring” at the world-famous La Scala in Milan is a first-class musical experience featuring one of the greatest conductors of our time at the podium: Daniel Barenboim. Wagner’s tale about the power of the ring, the reign of gold and the battle between dwarves, giants, gods and mortals is picturesque, complex and deeply psychological. It is a demanding work for musicians, singers and the production team. In his stage production, the Belgian Guy Cassiers conveys the aesthetic quality and musical brilliance of this gesamtkunstwerk in dazzling imagery. The challenges of the music and dramatic performance are admirably mastered by renowned singers including René Pape, Waltraud Meier, Lance Ryan, Nina Stemme, Simon O’Neill, Iréne Theorin and many others. A veritable feast for the senses, a treat for all Wagner aficionados and a wonderful opportunity to revisit the legendary La Scala in Milan.

Composer: Richard Wagner
Performer: Maria Gortsevskaya, Aga Mikolaj, Kwangchul Youn, Timo Riihonen, …
Conductor: Daniel Barenboim
Orchestra/Ensemble: Milan Teatro alla Scala Orchestra, Milan Teatro alla Scala Chorus

Reviews: Richard Wagner’s 7-DVD edition of the “Ring”, featuring one of the greatest conductors of our time at the podium: Daniel Barenboim, is a veritable feast for the senses, a treat for all Wagner aficionados and a wonderful opportunity to revisit the legendary La Scala in Milan.Wagner’s tale about the power of the ring, the reign of gold and the battle between dwarves, giants, gods and mortals is picturesque, complex and deeply psychological. It is a demanding work for musicians, singers and the production team.In his stage production, the Belgian Guy Cassiers conveys the aesthetic quality and musical brilliance of this gesamtkunstwerk in dazzling imagery. The renowned cast of singers includes René Pape, Waltraud Meier, Lance Ryan, Nina Stemme, Simon O’Neill, Iréne Theorin and many others. “This was opera magic where Daniel Barenboim brought out the full depth and passion of Wagner’s music.” (The Telegraph) “The production scores a triumph in the use of light-dark imagery to mirror the archetypal forces at play, underscoring the music rather than overwhelming it with images.”

Tracklisting:

Richard Wagner (1813-1883)
DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN FROM LA SCALA

DISC 1 - DAS RHEINGOLD
Wotan - René Pape
Donner - Jan Buchwald
Froh - Marco Jentzsch
Loge - Stephan Rügamer
Alberich - Johannes Martin Kränzle
Mime - Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke
Fasolt - Kwangchul Youn
Fafner - Timo Riihonen
Fricka - Doris Soffel
Freia - Anna Samuil
Erda - Anna Larsson
Woglinde - Aga Mikolaj
Wellgunde - Maria Gortsevskaya
Flosshilde - Marina Prudenskaya

DISC 2 - DIE WALKÜRE
Siegmund - Simon O’Neill
Hunding - John Tomlinson
Wotan - Vitalij Kowaljow
Sieglinde - Waltraud Meier
Brünnhilde - Nina Stemme
Fricka - Ekaterina Gubanova
Walküren:
Danielle Halbwachs
Carola Höhn
Ivonne Fuchs
Anaik Morel
Susan Foster
Leann Sandel-Pantaleo
Nicole Piccolomini
Simone Schröder

DISC 3 - SIEGFRIED
Siegfried - Lance Ryan
Mime - Peter Bronder
Der Wanderer - Terje Stensvold
Alberich - Johannes Martin Kränzle
Fafner - Alexander Tsymbalyuk
Erda - Anna Larsson
Brünnhilde - Nina Stemme
Stimme des Waldvogels - Rinnat Moriah

DISC 4 - GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
Siegfried - Lance Ryan
Gunther - Gerd Grochowski
Alberich - Johannes Martin Kränzle
Hagen - Mikhail Petrenko
Brünnhilde - Iréne Theorin
Gutrune / Die dritte Norn - Anna Samuil
Waltraute / Die zweite Norn - Waltraud Meier
Die erste Norn - Margarita Nekrasova
Woglinde - Aga Mikolaj
Wellgunde - Maria Gortsevskaya
Flosshilde - Anna Lapkovskaja

Eastman Ballet Company
Milan La Scala Chorus and Orchestra
(chorus master: Bruno Casoni)
Daniel Barenboim, conductor

Guy Cassiers, stage director and set designer
Enrico Bagnoli, set and lighting designer
Tim van Steenbergen, costume designer
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Csilla Lakatos, choreographers

• Recorded live at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, 26 May (Das Rheingold) and 7 December 2010 (Die Walküre), October 2012 (Siegfried) and June 2013 (Götterdämmerung)






Thanks to the original releaser