| Wagner - Gotterdammerung / Levine, Behrens, Jerusalem, Metropolitan Opera (Levine Ring Cycle Part 4) | 
| Director: Brian Large
Actors: Hildegard Behrens, Siegfried Jerusalem, Matti Salminen, Christa Ludwig, Anthony Raffell
Studio: Deutsche Grammophon
Category: DVD
List Price: $39.98
Buy New: $27.96
You Save: $12.02 (30%)
Buy New/Used/Collectible from $20.99
Avg. Customer Rating:   (8 reviews)
Sales Rank: 42818
Format: Classical, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Languages: German (Original Language), German (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 281 minutes
Number Of Items: 2
Discs: 2
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.5 x 0.6
MPN: 073040
UPC: 044007304099
EAN: 0044007304099
ASIN: B00006L9ZY
Release Date: November 12, 2002
Theatrical Release Date: 1990
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Similar Items:
| • | Wagner - Siegfried / Levine, Jerusalem, Behrens, Morris, Metropolitan Opera (Levine Ring Cycle Part 3) | | • | Wagner - Das Rheingold / Levine, Morris, Jerusalem, Ludwig, Metropolitan Opera (Levine Ring Cycle Part 1) | | • | Wagner - Die Walkure / Levine, Behrens, Norman, Metropolitan Opera (Levine Ring Cycle Part 2) | | • | Puccini - Turandot / Franco Zeffirelli - Marton, Domingo, Mitchell, Plishka, Cuenod - James Levine, MET (1988) | | • | Wagner - Tristan und Isolde |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 UUUUGGGHHHH AWFUL November 4, 2007
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Absolutelly agree with GUNTRAM'S review Behrens and Jerusalem should have been at their homes instead of singing this Ring cycle, the same as Levine. He makes no difference while directing Rossini, Wagner or other composer. After I bought the DVD I thought to throw it away, but I kept it just for the small part where sings Chrtista Ludwig who did it absolutelly great. Do not waste your money in this ring cycle.
Die Walkure worth for the Jessye Norman's Sieglinde and in the second act Christa Ludwig's Fricka....... Buy the Boulez Ring with the Dame Gwyneth Jones' Brunhilde and there you will see what is a real Bunhilde. It is a Pity that Nilsson never was taped in this role.
 the best available July 29, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I have watched the three major options of the ring on dvd (kupfer,schenk,chereau). Chereau's gotterdammerung is very good with its beautiful staging and imaginative approach supported by fine singers save for hagen! I didn't like Hubner's presence nor his rendition was impressive.. As for Kupfer's gotterdammerung all works nicely even if the very end destroys the whole magic imho. I have nothing to say about the acting and vocal renditions of the singers, but a modern setting is never my first choice. Now, gotterdammerung of the met.. is certainly the best production with heavily realistic sets and lavish traditional staging. Salminen and Ludwig are simply magnificent. As for the "problematic" couple (jerusalem and behrens), it's true that this is not their finest moment on stage (they have bot sang these parts in bayreuth in a much better form) but I have to admit that the most beautiful (technically flawed maybe, especially for the chest register) voice of these three brunnhildes on dvd belongs to behrens. her elegant phrasing and ringing top notes are simply electrfying! one can say that she is not very wagnerian yes I agree, but she is not unsuccesful. Actually I've cried at the immolation scene she had such a strong presence on stage.. Jerusalem is a good actor (for an opera singer anyway) and even if he has some problems with high notes, the phrases made with his middle tones are very sophisticated and musical.. I mean they may not be compared to the great wagner singers like nilsson, varnay, flagstad or, windgassen, melchior, kollo... but they are not bad enough to ruin this magnificent production. You will never find a most thrilling immolation scene anywhere else! Everything written on the libretto can be seen on stage: the gibichung castle falling in ruins, river rhein covering all things, walhalla in flames!...
Levine and met orch & choir are no match to the bayreuth team, however they are very good indeed, considering the length and high demands of this great work, especially the dts sound is simply brilliant!
In short, this is not a perfect production (none of the others is), but is the strongest gotterdammerung production considering that it's the only one which is the closest to fulfill wagner's visions and dreams with a very fine cast for its time (today you can't even dream a cast like that!)and with a technically well presentation on dvd (masterful video direction by brian large and superior sound transfer)
"Not Up ToThe Task" January 30, 2005
3 out of 6 found this review helpful
The Met Opera orchestra is phenomenal as always.Gotterdammerung calls for a vocal powerhouse in its Brunnhilde. It is the pivotal role for the success of this opera. Ms. Behrens was not that Brunnhilde.You've read the other reviewers assessments of her deficiencies. Was there something political involved in her getting the role? Waltraud Meier would have been a better choice.I was particularly impressed with the vocal dynamics of 1St Norn Gweneth Bean. I also enjoyed her as Dryade in the Met production of Strauss' Ariadne Auf Naxos.I'd like to see what she could do with bigger roles.Behrens truly was the weakest link.Bye-Bye.
A lame effort July 9, 2004
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
The opera is supposed to be the climax of Wagner's Ring cycle. Unfortunately, the performance here is rather inadequate, which detracts from the majesty of the opera. The production is traditional (which is good) but badly directed. The singers are either left with no direction to hang onto, or they are merely able to fill the acting requirements with half-hearted stock gestures. Their singing is unremarkable, in particular Hildegard Behrens's strained Brunnhilde. Levine and his orchestra are quite admirable, although I've heard them on better forms. All in all, it's quite a lame effort.
 Salminen!!! April 26, 2004
I don't know about the rest, but man was Matti Salminen something else! He absolutely dominated, looming over (especially) Gunther and the rest. And when he called the vassals together to greet Gunther and Brunhilde, I worried that he would falter because I didn't think that kind of output was humanly possible.I do have to mention that Jerusalem wasn't bad, although the acting seemed exaggerated and forced, much like Behrens' acting. Behrens was okay but she did falter a bit here and there and I am willing to concede that (listening to Karajan's Ring as well) Wagner places a lot of demands on the singers and only Salminen was really up for the challenge, with the rest being adequate. I think I may have to go for Solti where Birgit Nilsson sings Brunhilde. Lastly, Gutrune was okay because her role is not to be a force like Hagen and Brunhilde, but more subtle.
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