Wagner: Götterdämmerung

01/01/2008
Unknown
Classical CD Review (US)

Melba is to be congratulated for their enterprise in recording Wagner's complete Ring Cycle, a commendable effort distinguished by excellent orchestral playing and a generally high standard of singing, considering the difficulty of casting Wagnerian operas today.

 This Götterdämmerung is the finest overall set of the series. Timothy Mussard, a name new to me, shows great promise as Siegfried, although the role in this opera isn't nearly as challenging as it is in the previous opera. Lisa Gasteen is a fine Brünnhilde; throughout, the singing is of the highest standard. And the sound is magnificent, the first recording of Wagner's masterpiece to be recorded in SACD, produced by Maria Vandamme and Ian Perry and engineered by Phil Rowlands. The sound perspective is that of the live performance. A luxurious booklet and complete text are included in this quality issue.