Looks like the first post is at maximum allowable size and can no longer be edited by me. So here, FYI, are the 3 missing reviews from the first posting. Looks like all subsequent reviews will be single listings only after all!!


COMPOSER: Verdi Disc Title: Rigoletto

Disc catalog: ARTHAUS 101 286 Recording Date: 2006 Program Length: 128 mins A live Zurich Opera house Production

Video rating: 5/5 Audio type: DTS HD 5.1, PCM Stereo No mention of bitrates Audio rating: 5/5

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Summary comment: A very very good production without being superb.

Detailed Comment: The artists here are new to me - Elena Musuc as Gilda has a powerful voice but although the quality of singing and acting by Leo Nucci was first rate I thought he was a bit overwhelmed by the volume of the other singers. The orchestral playing is well balanced to the vocals and no negatives are possible with the recording quality. Similarly the sets & costumes are traditional and appropriate so it is hard to nit pick the production. But that said I have seen better, in particular the Covent Garden one with Paolo Gavanelli as Rigoletto and Christine Schafer as Gilda. But this is over 10 years old and certainly does not have the lush audio and first class video of this Bluray production.



COMPOSER: Wagner Disc Title: Das Rheingold

Disc catalog: UNITEL CLASSICS 700604 Recording Date: 2007 Program Length: 167 + 27 mins extras mins A live Valenmciana Opera house Production

Video rating: 5/5 Audio type: DTS HD MA 7.1, PCM Stereo No mention of bitrates Audio rating: 5/5

Overall rating: 5/5

Summary comment: A superb production.

Detailed Comment: This is a highly imaginative production of which Wagner would be proud. It uses technology in this fantasy in a highly effective way to emphasise the otherwise surreal plot in a spellbinding manner. The opening scene with the Rhinemaidens actually frolicking in water on stage inbetween their glorious singing sets the scene for this brilliant production. It would be easy to denigrate the props used if they were not so effective.

Five of us sat down to this opera last night and we were all transfixed. Even my wife, who is generally unmoved by opera and avoids it if possible, found herself immersed in this 2007 Valencia performance. The only minor negative expressed by one was that the oft changing projected background was a little overdone at times. But the symbolism of the gold, the transformer type locomotion of the giants and the effects generally were excellent. Kapellmann`s projection of Alberich was not one of a creature to be despised but rather of someone who was deprived of everything - love, power, wealth, so one actually felt sorry for him!!

Combine the superb singing from a very strong cast with the excellent orchestral playing conducted by Zubin Mehta and you have a performance of Das Rheingold which it would be hard to surpass. Audio & video are similarly technically top notch. A MUST for the library of every Wagner lover. And yes, I have the other 3 Ring operas in this series and we will all be looking at them in the coming months.



COMPOSER: Wagner Disc Title: Die Walkure

Disc catalog: UNITEL CLASSICS 700804 Recording Date: 2007 Program Length: 245 + 27 mins extras mins A live Valenciana Opera house Production

Video rating: 5/5 Audio type: DTS HD MA 7.1, PCM Stereo No mention of bitrates Audio rating: 5/5

Overall rating: 5/5

Summary comment: A brilliant production - even better than Rheingold

Detailed Comment: Wow, what an evening of home entertainment!! Friends came over and being very tired, I was not really looking forward to a 4 hour Wagner opera. But that rapidly changed as we became immersed in this fabulous production. And yes, it is fabulous from all points of view, even better than Rheingold. The staging and special effects were mind boggling, the music itself sublime, the singing and acting sensational, the orchestra brilliant, all combining to keep us riveted to our seats. It was a cold night and I was so engrossed in the opera the fire went out!!!

Special mention needs to be made of the acting and singing of Juha Uusitalo in the role of Wotan. Few male singers move me but his performance was heart wrenching both in the scene where he was forced to decide to have his son Siegmund and daughter Sieglinde murdered and in the final scene with his other daughter Brunnhilde. The rest of the cast was not far behind as all sang and acted their roles passionately and convincingly. And that takes some doing in a storyline involving murder, incest, deception and adultery but fortunately set to glorious music which they all sang beautifully.

Unfortunately (for me) my wife dislikes traditional operas like Traviata, Aidia, La Boheme but she reveled in this Wagner production and loved every minute of it. This was after a bit of moaning at the start about having to sit through a 4 hour opera - she really was not looking forward to it. What better recommendation could a production get?

Yes there were a few odd moments where the symbolism of the scenery escaped us but overall it is one of the most memorable opera videos we have ever experienced. The video quality via Bluray was excellent and the audio of demonstration standards with solid deep bass, great dynamic range and first class clarity overall.

This disc should be in every opera lovers collection and might even convert a few others, like my wife, who are generally negative about the genre. If you do not have it yet, place an order NOW!!!