Wagner: Die Walküre - Nilsson, Hotter, Rysanek, Windgassen, Resnik; Klobucar. Wien, 1965

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An all-star cast, captured in fine sound, makes this Die Walküre an indispensable performance. From the first meeting of Wolfgang Windgassen and Leonie Rysanek as Siegmund and Sieglinde to the farewell between Hans Hotter and Birgit Nilsson as Wotan and Brünnhilde, this is almost a benchmark recording of Wagnerian singing. It’s rather late in the day for Hotter, who audibly tires in Act III, but no one could perform this role quite like him, especially when paired with Birgit Nilsson, who is in excellent form. Windgassen has less baritonal blasting power than most Siegmunds, but he uses his keenly-edged instrument beautifully in a shimmering Winterstürme. Rysanek’s Sieglinde is often sharp, but her dramatic fire and powerful instrument excuse any errors in pitch. Regina Resnik’s harridan of a Fricka uses her short role for maximum impact, and the Valkyries, lead by Lotte Rysanek (Leonie’s sister) as Helmwige are unusually good. Only Walter Kreppel’s puny Hunding disappoints. Berislav Klobucar gives a taut reading of the score, and the Wiener Philharmoniker is, as usual, peerless. The only serious flaw is a few minutes of missing orchestral music just before the Todesverkündigung.

OD 11282-3

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DR
09/14/2023
David R.

Great Performance, Excellent Sound!

This set recommends itself. All of the principals are well-known in these roles and all are in excellent shape. The Act Three Walküren form one of the strongest ensembles I've heard in their sometimes cacophonous music - look at those names! Klobuchar's conducting is perhaps a little routine, but he knows he has a great cast and let's them do what they do best. All right, Hotter is past his vocal prime, but you won't care so authoritative is he in the role. I'm happy to be able to add that the sound is very good too. The orchestral music just before the Todesverkündigung is missing, but that's the only critical thing to say about this issue. Highly recommended!

MD
08/22/2018
Michael D.
United States

Walkure Vienna 1965

Great historic

MD
07/19/2018
Michael D.
United States

Walküre Vienna 1854

An historic cast in an important performance! You guys have done us a great service — the previous version I had of this was individual tracks with pauses. Now we all have a seamless version at a very reasonable price. (Fun Fact: Ms. Resnik was my mother and I know she would be pleased!) Thanks again, Michael P Davis

DM
12/03/2015
David M.

David McKee

Taking their cue from conductor Berislav Klobucar, a nearly all-star cast gives us a "Walkure" that pulls out all the stops. Leonie Rysanek's Sieglinde is in such fantastic voice that she throws in no fewer than three of her trademark screams. Wolfgang Windgassen was said no to like the role of Siegmund because of its low tessitura but the mood was upon him this night and the Walsung pair enjoys excellent chemistry. (We also get a couple of instances of Windgassen's tendency to jump the beat.) For 1965, Hans Hotter is in very good voice for Wotan, steady for most of the evening and powerful of presence. He meets his match, though, in Regina Resnik's cerebral Fricka, who pulverizes Wotan with her unrelenting intellect, delivered with top-flight vocal quality. Birgit Nilsson is such an ensemble artist on this occasion that one could easily overlook her. Just listen to how sensitively she responds to Hotter in their scenes together. This is an aspect of Nilsson that is rarely emphasized. (One unique aspect of this performance is that it unites Karl Bohm's "Big Six" -- Nilsson, Rysanek & Resnik -- in an opera that is not "Elektra".) Walter Kreppel is a nasty Hunding, if rather a small-scaled one.