A very important document forever, for everyone who loves listening opera , sung by immortal singers !

This is a great Das Rheingold and it's a shame the rest of the cycle was not performed and recorded. One cast correction: Wellgunde is sung by Ilse Koegel, not Erika Koth (who, had she been cast, would've probably sung Woglinde).

Andy (who runs OperaDepot) suggested, in his review, that this recording shows that Ferdinand Frantz may be "one of the finest Wotan's of the 20th Century". Andy is WRONG. In fact, this recording shows that Ferdinand Frantz is UNQUESTIONABLY THE VERY finest Wotan of the 20th Century. The only other possible candidate for the title would be Hans Hotter, and Frantz is better than Hotter in several ways: Frantz' voice is sharper, the tone more resonant and penetrating than Hotter's, his vibrato is tighter and more consistent, and most of all, Franz has more personal discipline--Hotter's performances tend to be quirky, he lets his personality in, so that his Wotan is more Hotter's character than Wagner's. In contrast, Frantz is so faithful and honest that some critics accused him of lacking imagination. In fact he has deep imagination, but less inappropriate flashiness. As another reviewer said, the other singers are all so fantastic that there's really no point in describing them all individually here. I'll just mention the two giants: in other recordings, the characters often seem one-dimensional--Fasolt wants Freia, that's all, and Fafner want's gold, that's all--but here both Gottlob Frick and Josef Greindl act with unusual subtlety and nuance. Both are willing to sing SOFTLY when appropriate. Finally, Schuchter does an excellent job, his conducting is very smart, and he does not drag in the slow seections as many otoher conductors do.Zero flaws. The best.

This is an excellent recording, particularly as to the male voices. It is truly an embarrassment of riches to have Frantz, Greindl, Frick and Metternich in a single performance. Schock and Windgassen are also excellent.

I have recordings of nearly every singer in his or her role in other recordings, so why go for this one? Every member of the cast is in amazingly fresh and easy voice. Windgassen's best Loge without doubt, as the voice is ductile and commanding in a way not found on the Böhm or Furtwängler recordings (he is in tired voice by 1966 and seems less alive in Rome in 1953.) Frantz is his usual self, but perhaps more imposing and much better recorded by Hamburg Radio. Neidlinger remains a non-pareil of an Alberich - saturnine, menacing, vivid. Amazing vocal acting and completely unaffected by being in a studio rather than on a stage. I disagree with the other reviewer about Res Fischer - I find her full of character and her tone is interesting. As far as I know it's the only evidence of her in the role, and she is a rather poorly represented singer in terms of recordings, a dazzling Klytaemnestra a year later with Varnay, Hotter and Rysanek (!!) aside. I love Schüchter's way with the score - a real Schauspiel and well played by the excellent orchestra. The two giants are magnificent and perfectly cast. I always thought it a mistake that Furtwängler cast them in opposite roles in Rome - Frick is much better suited to the gentle Fasolt, and Greindl owned every note Fafner ever has to sing. The only weird thing is that Res Fischer sings Erda as well as Fricka, though some engineering was done to try to distance her voice as Erda. Surely there were plenty of deep voiced contraltos around Hamburg in 1952? Where was Maria von Ilosvay... oh wait, in the Rhine with her sisters!

I think it was the best Rheingold I have ever heard: great performance, great sound.All singers are in top form.