When I saw this in Opera Depot's catalog I assumed it was the soundtrack to the film of Karajan's stage version of this opera that's now on DVD. Unfortunately, funds ran out or were not available to film the rest of the cycle. In the event this is NOT the soundtrack of the film, but a live performance (we hear coughs and there is applause at the end). This was probably taken from a broadcast from a performance intended as a dry run for the film - or the other way around. The entire cast is terrific. Kélémen is a magnificent Alberich with his distinctive timbre. Stewart sounds like the young, arrogant God to the life, Fassbaender is a tremendously good Fricka (her Walküre Fricka is on OD #11228), and Altmeyer, Esser, and Roar all surpass their counterparts on the studio set. The two giants sing beautifully with great character (Ridderbusch switched giants, singing Fafner in the earlier recording). Stolze is heard as a deliciously unctuous Mime rather than Loge (probably because he was slated to film Mime in Siegfried later on), and Schreier is a humorous, well-sung Loge. Birgit Finnilä provides a rich, smooth contralto as Erda (acted in the film by Martha Mödl). The three excellent Rhinedaughters are uncredited above; they are sung by Liselotte Rebmann (Woglinde), Edda Moser (Wellgunde), and Eva Randova (Flosshilde). Karajan leads an exciting performance and the orchestra is superb.The sound is excellent although the opening E-flat is irritatingly curtailed.

Absolutely wonderful! Maybe my favorite Rheingold performance! The sonic quality is excellent, and the cast is maybe the best I've heard in this work. Thomas Stewart is very much preferable to Fischer-Dieskau as Wotan since he has a true heroic Wotan voice. My only quibble is that Karajan sometimes could give a bit more momentum to the music. Special kudos to Karl Ridderbusch, who performs a vocally splendid and emotionally affecting performance as Fasolt.

This is the same cast as it is in Karajan´s filmed version of DAS RHEINGOLD, the one and only part of his planned RING-Film. The singing is all the way excellent. Thomas Stewart is a really commanding Wotan, Peter Schreier a brilliant Loge, Fassbaender one of the best Frickas ever. There is no weak part in the whole cast! Karajan conducts the Berlin Philharmonic in his uncomparable way, working out the finest qualities of this music of a real genius.

RECORDING IS GOOD. KARAJAN, THE ORCHESTRA AND IN GENERAL THE SINGERS ARE MAGNIFICENT. THE GERMAN STYLE OF KARAJAN, REMEMBER HANS KNAPPERTSBSCH. THIS VERSION I QUALIFY IT AS EXCELLENT.

GREAT CAST, GREAT CARAVAN! GREAT RECORDING! IT'S VIDEO SOUNDTRACK

Great recording

This soundtrack rivals some commercial CD recordings of "Rheingold" (including Karajan's own) and surpasses most. With one or two exceptions, the cast members were the leading interpreters of these roles at the time and some would continue to be well into the 1980s. The sound has a broad stereo spread and details like the harp parts come through clearly.