Die Walküre

Richard Wagner

Gwyneth Jones, Theo Adam, Helga Dernesch,
Peter Hofmann, Christa Ludwig, Kurt Moll
Sir Georg Solti

1976

Paris

OD 10409-3

For Wagner fans this performance has something for everyone!  Certainly one of the biggest draws is Sir Georg Solti in the pit.   Already in his fifties he shows no sign of letting go of the fire of his youth and leads a brisk and sometimes savage performance.  Dame Gwyneth Jones was fresh from graduating from Sieglinde to Brünnhilde.  Her voice is steely and pure.   Theo Adam could sometimes sound a little dry but his years of experience singing this part serve him well and his vocal production never veers into the bark that has ensnared so many of his colleagues.  Helga Dernesch was nearing the end of her soprano days but is comfortable with Sieglinde’s tessitura.  One can hear an added warmth in her singing that was not there in the sixties.  Peter Hofmann is adequate as Siegmund and Christa Ludwig and Kurt Moll make up the icing on this cake as Fricka and Hunding respectively.  The sound is good.