Description:

This was the Ring Cycle that finally crystallized why Hans Knappertsbusch achieved the kind of cult status few of his contemporaries have. His brilliance lies not in technical precision—mishaps abound—but in the intricate and rhetorical details he draws from the orchestra and cast. Every phrase has dramatic weight and intention, even when he opts for the slowest possible tempo. The storytelling is paramount, and Knappertsbusch reveals meaning in orchestral gestures that might otherwise go unnoticed.

He finds his ideal collaborator in Astrid Varnay, whose Brünnhilde is a masterclass in stamina, vocal command, and interpretive intelligence. Her synergy with Knappertsbusch is extraordinary—each dynamic shift becomes a narrative gesture. Wolfgang Windgassen may not match that nuance, but his Siegfried is lifted by the freshness of his tone and an appealing, guileless quality. Hans Hotter, as Wotan, delivers a journey that feels decades in the making, full of gravitas and reflection.

The supporting cast is no less exceptional, with Gré Brouwenstijn a luminous Sieglinde, Josef Greindl a thunderous Hagen, and Jean Madeira—in brief but unforgettable appearances as Erda and Waltraute—redefining those roles entirely.

In Mono

OD 11940-13