Search - Richard [Classical] Wagner, Bernard Haitink, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra :: Wagner: Siegfried - Siegfried Jerusalem, Kiri TeKanawa, Theo Adam, Eva Marton, James Morris, Bernard Haitink

Siegfried with Siegfried but no Brunnhilde.

Alan Montgomery | Oberlin, Oh USA | 09/05/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a reissue, at last, of a worthy recording from EMI of this problematic opera. This opera runs about 4 hours and for 3 hours and a half this is a wonderful recording. Haitink recorded it after a run of performances (unlike his Valkyrie which was BEFORE he had actually performed it.) The orchestra and Haitink sound wonderful. To some the voices are a little too far forward, but then I reason it approximates the balance from Bayreuth. With Siegfried Jerusalem we have a tenor who actually could sing the role quite well. He may not eclipse Melchior in our memories, but he sings it with thrust and stamina and, when called on, with poetry. Few make as much of the forest murmers as he does. Peter Haage is a light-ish voice for Mime, but he is terrific as the sniveling dwarf. James Morris is as impressive here as with Levine. The scene with Jerusalem in Act Three has real tension. If Kiri TeKanawa isn't wonderful as the Forest Bird, she still has better diction than Joan Sutherland for Solti. Theo Adam, a former Wotan, is a real surprise as Alberich. He's nasty. His scene with Haage is Haitink's only mis-cue --- it's too fast. But the singers bring it off. Sonically the set is first rate. So why only 4 stars? Well, there is the final scene. Eva Marton is uncomfortable singing Brunnhilde. Her voice is never quite free. She tries hard, and she isn't in as bad a voice as in the Gotterdammerung from the same forces (there she sounds hard-pressed to get through the immolation scene - and it's a studio recording!!!) It just isn't the wonderful climax the scene should be to the most difficult opera in the ring. It is still, along with Rheingold, the parts of this Ring Cycle to own."

Great except for Marton

Mr. Allan K. Steel | Sydney, AUS | 09/19/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I agree with other reviewer on just about everything.



The sound quality and orchestral performance are excellent. All the singers are really good, particularly Jerusalem, except for Marton, who has a terribly wobbly vibrato. It's a real pity (likewise for Goetterdaemmerung); this whole Ring would be one of the best overall if the Bruennhilde had been decent.



Anyway, certainly a very good recording if you concentrate on the orchestra in particular."

Thank God it's called "Siegfried" and not "Brunnhilde"!

Y. Shuster | forest hills, New York United States | 11/20/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"But for the Brunnhilde of Eva Marton, this recording of "Siegfried" would be perfect. Haitink's conducting, and the efforts of the Bavarian Radio Orchestra, are superb, as are Siegfried Jerusalem in the title role, the Wanderer of James Morris, and the Mime of Peter Haage. Kiri Te Kanawa's good German diction and musicality make her contribution as the "Forest Bird" very pleasing, and better than Sutherland's for Solti. Kurt Rydl is frighteningly delicious as the dragon. Again, unfortunately, Marton is dreadful as Brunnhilde, with a vibrato wide enough to drive a truck through. Yet, the Siegfried of Jerusalem, Wanderer of Morris, conducting of Haitink, and playing of the Bavarian forces, make this a recording to own."