Description:

When I had a collection of orphaned Wagner excerpts with no clear purpose, I decided to create a disc from them. The Walküre excerpts showcase a remarkable period at the Bavarian State Opera, when singers like Ingrid Bjoner and Claire Watson were part of the ensemble, and such performances were a regular occurrence. James King lends his considerable talents as Siegmund. The Siegfried excerpts were taken late in the run of the inaugural season of the Chéreau/Boulez Ring Cycle, featuring Roberta Knie stepping in for Gwyneth Jones. Although Knie’s career sadly didn’t reach its full potential, this early glimpse shows remarkable promise. René Kollo adds his voice to the performance, attempting a less-than-successful high C at the end of the night. While it’s easy to forgive that misstep, his singing otherwise demonstrates admirable security and beauty of tone.

BONUS:
Birgit Nilsson sings three excerpts from Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder.

In Mono

OD 11841-1