Wagner

Die Walküre

Vinzing, Bode, Beirer, Adam, Hoffman, Sotin; Stein
Wien, 1976

Regular price $26.95
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Die Walküre

Although Birgit Nilsson sings Brünnhilde in the other operas of this cycle, the role in Die Walküre is entrusted to Ute Vinzing, perhaps due to Nilsson's reluctance to tackle the punishing Hojotohos at nearly 60. Vinzing rises to the challenge admirably, singing with ease and an impressively even tone throughout her range. As Wotan, Theo Adam is in top form, bringing years of interpretive insight and vocal security to the role. Hannelore Bode's Sieglinde may not be the most memorable interpretation, but her youthful energy is welcome. Hans Beirer, on the other hand, may not embody youth vocally or physically, but his heroic singing more than compensates. The only blemish on the performance is two brief patches of skipping near the end of Act III.

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David R.✓ Top Reviewer

United States

Overall rating

Excellent Performance in Listenable Sound!

This Walküre (and the subsequent Siegfried) were sought after for years so it's great to finally have it in circulation. It seems strange that Nilsson would've opted out of this particular opera. In any case, Vinzing clearly demonstrates why the management thought so highly of her. If you've only heard her in her sometimes wobbly performances from the 80's you're in for a treat. Listen to her pleas to Wotan in the final scene to hear the beauty of her tone and interpretation. I may make some enemies by saying so, but I wish this entire cycle had her as Brünnhilde. Nilsson is marvelous, of course, but her interpretation has been preserved many times. Beirer was 65 when he sang this performance, but you'd never guess it. His voice was never beautiful even decades earlier, but he knew exactly what he was singing about. It's rather strange then that he "goes up" in the middle of "Dich selige Frau" for a few moments. It happens. Bode is a good Sieglinde though her rather anonymous voice isn't always ideally steady. She performs the Rysanek Scream when Siegmund pulls the sword from the tree.The rest of the cast is excellent as are the Valkyries in Act Three. The sound (clearly from an in-house source) is mediocre, but listenable. For some strange reason, the last chords of the first two acts are faded down and out. There is a splice to an inferior source during the middle of Wotan's last line at the end of the opera.Onto Siegfried!
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