Die Walkure II - Der Ring of the Nibelungs Opera (Original Translation)

[@wotan10950]

I saw this old production at the Met, probably a half-dozen times. Yes, you can pick apart some of the singing (although I think James Morris is beyond reproach), but this is overall the gold standard for The Ring. I’m pretty sure this what Wagner had in mind, not in a bunker, not in space, not at an industrial plant, and on and on.

[@karlammons2200]

Much better than the heresy Bayreuth has now.

[@charlieinslidell]

Nerf guns on stage in place of weapons seems to be today's lame excuse of 'modern' takes on these operas.

[@cameragiocosa6899]

This tenor Gary Lakes is excellent!

[@brutusalwaysminded]

Thanks so much. Hope it stays up! ❤

[@Anicius_]

Just download it

[@Morphdog9819]

I much prefer this over the other performances on KZbin. My only complaint is that its SO GODDAMN SLOW

[@lawrence18uk]

51:34 "Winterstürme wichen den Wonnemond" 1:07:16 Act 2

[@troldhaugen]

Although there are better musical productions, this is the only decent staging and design available on video. All the others are unforgivably awful.

[@sigisings]

I saw this Ring in the 90's, my first. From there I saw the Geotz Friedrich in Berlin, the Kupfer at Bayreuth, then recently the Lepage at the Met. As far musical preferences go, I'd to the Solti first, then to classic Bayreuth recordings, although orchestrally, the Thielemann is very fine. This cast here however is excellent. Jerusalem, Norman, Moll, Ludwig, Behrens (certainly drammatically)! This video recording doesn't do justice however. Try and assemble a cast like that today!

[@troldhaugen]

@@sigisings Solti is my favorite too.

[@AlmavivaOperaReviews]

@@troldhaugen I'm going to review Solti's this week, but I don't really love it that much. This is my favorite ring; on audio I would say Haitink's is good, though it is not by any means perfect.

[@susannevollmer2347]

Try to hear the Ring with Moralt 1994!

[@wolliveryoutube]

Check out the Chinese 2016 Ring. It’s musically over the place, with some phenomenal and some mediocre actors, but the staging is the best in decades, and looks beautiful.

[@swayamnath3853]

Great👍👍. Thanks for uploading

[@maestroclassico5801]

I understand Gary Lakes used to be a bouncer in a bar before he studied voice

[@haroldgarling1063]

HH! Another have this full performance?

[@_arbelas_6578]

"Die Walkure II"? Isn't this the first act?

[@schumaje]

Die Walkure is the second opera in the Ring Cycle. That’s probably what that is referring to.

[@BUBBACRAZY]

Who are the SINGERS? You know, the REAL artists!?

[@sylvestregagnon5681]

Probably the met. Obviously james levines conductor. And obviously Jessy norman as sieglinde.

[@sylvestregagnon5681]

Hildegard behrens as brunnhilde.

[@Jakegothicsnake]

@@sylvestregagnon5681 James Norris as Wotan and Christa Ludwig as Fricka.

[@adamlowe9214]

@@Jakegothicsnake Gary Lakes as Siegmund

[@joemcbob9688]

Kurt Moll as Hunding.

[@ewmbr1164]

Why isn't there more light onstage? One can't see very much.

[@Jakegothicsnake]

I think it’s filtered and the quality decreased so that it’s less likely to be taken off.

[@Blokewood3]

@@Jakegothicsnake I have the DVD, and even without the filter this is a very dark production. Everything is quite difficult to see.

[@christianwouters6764]

Luckily the scene is very dark so the awful costumes and the ridiculous make up don't stand out. The eardrum-piercing shrieking of the Walkure girls confirms the worst prejudices against opera.

[@theonewhoknocks6353]

​@christianwouters6764 What are you talking about? The costumes are beautiful and very accurate. Would you prefer the shitty modernistic versions of the opera that are just awful.

[@laurentdachary]

LIKE 332 😀👍

[@eugenemayburd7728]

Why only two acts are shown? Why all the video lookers are satisfied with sircumsised version? And, last not least, does the video of Act III for the same production exist in the world ? Tom Caprio must have answers.

[@papageno2696]

It does exist. Just scroll down on YT

[@lakkfatt2321]

41:25

[@Quotenwagnerianer]

The only thing that makes Norman and Lakes convincing as twins is their weight... I know this is opera and you want good singers, and they both definately are. But does nobody ever think about the actual plot when they cast their singers? A black woman and white guy as dizygotic twins?

[@Jakegothicsnake]

I think it may have been a case of Ability Over Appearance......In the Chereau production, the singers they got to play Siegmund and Sieglinde actually look more convincing as twins.

[@Quotenwagnerianer]

@@Jakegothicsnake Indeed they are. Not to mention that Peter Hofmann was arguably one of the best looking Siegmund's ever.

[@jackellock7113]

That's a silly thing to let bother you. It's about the voices, not how much they look alike. Wagnerian sopranos are not a dime a dozen.

[@Quotenwagnerianer]

@@jackellock7113 I disagree. If you want it to be about voices let it be a non-staged performance. But as long as it is a stage performance, and you are playing a character, looks are a part of the performance.

[@Blokewood3]

Opera singing is a very specialized skill. It's not like the average play which can have a large casting pool: there are far fewer people capable of singing these roles and there's not always a guarantee that those singers will match the appearance of the character.

[@bencopeland3560]

The production is solid but the stage direction is wooden and Norman/Lakes look absurd and are utterly unconvincing in these rolls. Which is inexcusable since there’s so much in the material for an actor to work with.

[@susannevollmer2347]

This wild twins dont belong together. But the singing is obvious great!💐💐.

[@sabineb.5616]

susannevollmer, I don't think that Jessye Norman and Gary Lakes look totally different. The make-up artists obviously tried to match them as much as possible. And the beautiful Jessye Norman sings like an angel. But Gary Lakes isn't my cup of tea at all, and there's unfortunately no chemistry between him and Jessye Norman. They had also used Peter Hofmann as Siegmund in this production, but while he was one of the best Siegmunds ever 10 years earlier in Bayreuth, he was over the hill in 1990 because of his Parkinson affliction, and his voice had deteriorated. Therefore he wasn't used for the filmed performances.

[@susannevollmer2347]

@@sabineb.5616 Many years ego I saw Jesseye with a great blond Siegmund -a short german name- and they both together: wow most thrilling. The highlight of the Levine Ring!

[@sabineb.5616]

@@susannevollmer2347 , you probably saw the gorgeous Peter Hofmann 😀 He was used as Siegmund in the production of the MET Ring as well. But at the time he had developed Parkinson, and his voice had deteriorated. That was probably the reason why the film was done with Gary Lakes. Ten years earlier Peter Hofmann was one of the greatest Wagner tenors, and he looked great. You can watch him in the Chereau/Boulez Walküre from 1980 in Bayreuth as Siegmund. It's perfection. The whole Chereau/Boulez Ring production has been filmed and it's available on many KZbin channels. It's my favorite Ring production. It's not traditional like the MET Ring, but the story telling and acting is great. Chereau was very inventive and he encouraged the singers to act properly and tell Wagner's story. That was new at the time, but the results are great!

[@sabineb.5616]

@@susannevollmer2347 , another great German Wagner tenor is Siegfried Jerusalem. He has often sung Siegfried and Parsifal. But I cannot remember, though, that he was paired with Jessye Norman. But I know for sure, that Peter Hofmann and Jessye Norman have performed as Siegmund and Sieglinde at the MET. My husband was in one of these performances. I was unfortunately ill, and I gave my ticket away 😞

[@susannevollmer2347]

@@sabineb.5616 It was not the realy great and great Jerusalem. (I know him ) The partner of Norman was no german or Bayreuth singer but his name was german. It was an event !

[@sabineb.5616]

I think that James Levine's conducting is far too slow, and it takes away the dramatic momentum. Siegmund and Sieglinde seem to fall asleep now and then. There isn't enough of Wagner's dramatic urgency at all. It’s a pity because Jessye Norman is a wonderful Sieglinde, although Gary Lakes isn't my cup of tea at all! And why is there hardly anything to see on this dark stage? I like Rheingold, but this Walküre isn't exactly great. It’s actually a bit boring - and Wagner's Walküre should never ever be boring!

[@magicmachine1637]

It's actually brighter, but this video copy has distorted the colors a bit.

[@UlfilasNZ]

I'm not a big fan of the 'chatty' translation.

[@theonewhoknocks6353]

This one is not the most accurate though...

[@lucianopavarotti2843]

Gary Lakes -- how can such a huge body produce such a tiny, nasal sound?

[@AlainArvelo]

bad teaching started much earlier than people care to remember!

[@lucianopavarotti2843]

Exactly. It was the same with another 'heldentenor' Ben Heppner. @@AlainArvelo

[@AlainArvelo]

what you’re hearing exactly is poor chest coordination. usually this occurs with male singers who study with women. they become head voice dominant. listen to Lakes’ Walse here at @ 41:23. he goes very wide and spread rather than achieving a more masculine and virile sound by singing more vertically with chest coordination. The end result being he sounds more Tamino than Siegmund! Do you see how many comments are saying, “What a great tenor!” 😂 this is how this shit festers!

[@lucianopavarotti2843]

"Dies Schwert ist bezaubernd schoen..." lol . Interesting point on women coaching men. @@AlainArvelo

[@AlainArvelo]

@@lucianopavarotti2843 we see a lot of mediocrity on the biggest stages in our art form. I think about quitting every day but inquisitive ears like yours are like a light in a tunnel. continue to be critical and passionate!! we need more audience members like you! 😁🥂