WAGNER: Siegfried – Rotterdam Philharmonic, Hartmut Haenchen, Directed by Pierre Audi (3 DVDs) OPUS ARTE

Wagner: Siegfried
Heinz Kruse (Siegfried); Graham Clark (Mime); John Bröcheler (The Wanderer); Henk Smit (Alberich); Jeannine Altmeyer (Brünnhilde);

Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra; Hartmut Haenchen

Stage Director(s): Pierre Audi

In the third part of the epic cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen, Siegfried pursues his path to manhood. As parental love dissipates and is replaced by romantic love and desire, Wagner reflects on the experience of human life and the fact of mortality. This remarkable production of The Ring, from Het Muziektheater Amsterdam, in which Pierre Audi places the orchestra on the symbolically ring-shaped stage, blends the lyrical, mythical and philosophical qualities of Wagner’s work into a profound unity. Astonishing sets by George Tsypin and fabulous costumes by Oscar-winning Eiko Ishioka, combined with passionate singing from the soloists and dramatic playing from the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra under the rigorous control of Hartmut Haenchen, create an intense and highly memorable experience. This production of The Ring of the Nibelung is based on the new Complete Edition of the works of Richard Wagner.

Number of Discs:
3

Sound:
DTS Surround; LPCM Stereo

Subtitles:
EN, FR, DE, ES, IT, NL, JP

Aspect Ratio:
16:9 Anamorphic

Display:
NTSC

“There may be reservations about Haenchen’s straight, low-profile interpretation of the music (given in the new critical edition, here featuring colourful percussion and sound effects, and some new brass pitches at the opening of Act 3 of Götterdämmerung), or the harshness of Eiko Ishioka’s far from conventionally beautiful Japanese theatrical costumes. But there can surely be few about the freshness of Audi’s theatrical thinking, and his reinvention of ‘deconstructionist’ effects – Fafner as his own mouth; a fierily lit and smoked platform to walk into; or the Wanderer’s spear presented for Siegfried to break as a huge, ceiling-high, world ash tree-like totem…If you’re buying individually, the Audi Götterdämmerung is mandatory.” (Gramophone)

“Pierre Audi’s Ring really shines!” (Wagner Society)

“It is breathtaking to experience how well the technical and spatial possibilities of Het Muziektheater are being used; and even more overwhelming to see the focus on the individual in all this excitement. Het Muziektheater had a premiere without any equal” (Het Financieële Dagblad)

“Hartmut Haenchen builds on the New Wagner Edition and the Orchestra in outstanding form: a leaner, more elegant and ever thundering Wagner sound makes this production a rich experience.” (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)

Extra features
Cast callery and Synopsis. Introduction to Siegfried produced by the Dutch broadcaster VPRO with presenter Michaël Zeeman, composer Peter-Jan Wagemans and pianist Stefan Mickisch.