five stars, if a mixed cast with the stein-ring 1975 could be possible

These recordings of the opening night performances are exceptionally important to me, first I had the privilege of attending the opening nights in the audience and I have never ever before or after witnessed a similar atmosphere. There was a profound change in the air. It has been my third year in Bayreuth and every single year we were sitting at the same seats surrounded by the same people - no more after this year. The old audience left finally and Bayreuth became finally what Wagner called 'Werkstatt'. The performances itself rank for me as one the best ever. The conducting of Boulez is precise, full of emotions, clear, defined, to the point, story telling, not in the least pathetic, strong and deeply emotional. I wish the present conductors in Bayreuth would listen and learn. The cast was not one of the full, sit back and enjoy voices, they forced the audience to listen, to pay attention and to focus. Zoltan Kéléméns curse as Alberich in Rheingold has to my opinion never be reached again in sorrow, pain, hate and despair - not even by himself. The recordings of the followings years and especially the video recording which was made as this production was already a cult do not reach the recordings of this special performances in 1976. - Thank you Andy for making it accessible.

Sensational in every way; sound

Historical recordings.

I was there for the 1978-1980 performances. The 1976 premiere was tremendously exciting and one of the greatest scandals in Bayreuth (or operatic history). The audience was not ready for this production and the booing with whistles and even automobile horns got progressively worse. Fights broke out in the theatre and one woman had her earring torn off. Half of the orchestra left after that summer in protest and Ridderbusch also walked out (Wolfgand then banned him from the Festival.) Of course by the end of the run in 1980 the applause went on forever and it is still the greatest operatic production I have ever seen,.

Gwyneth Jones is my favorite Brunnhilde of all time. On these cds she is in top form. Vocally her voice is as warm, even and expressive as Flagstads.It’s as huge as Nilssons with breathtaking high notes…and she as exciting as Varnay but with a more beautiful and rounded sound..and if you watch the video she is a superb actress filled with rare beauty…

The extracts sound much more gutsy and involving than the rather unemotional and uninteresting performances from TV (1983, was it?), which were filmed without audience. However, perhaps a pity to lose the Siegfried (in both operas, I think) of Manfred Jung. Although less starry than Thomas and Kollo, Jung rose to the occasion and presented a fantastic hero.