This concluding evening to the second Bayreuth Ring cycle of 1956 began with a little backstage drama. Martha Modl, scheduled to sing the Third Norn, suddenly became indisposed very shortly before the performance was to begin. As there was no understudy available Varnay agreed to step in and sing the role despite the fact that she was to be the Brunnhilde that evening! She had already sung the role in previous seasons so it wasn't that big of a stretch. In any case, this is one of the greatest Gotterdammerungs I've ever heard and, very likely, one of the best heard at Bayreuth. When Knappertsbusch was fully engaged as he is here the standard of everyone involved was raised to the roof and beyond. Varnay and Windgassen are terrific. Listen to the outraged heartbreak Varnay conveys at "Siegfried kennt mich nicht!" in the second act. Or how Windgassen captures Siegfried's naive, doomed happiness in Act Three. The entire cast, chorus, and orchestra are superb.The Pirate Gods smiled happily on this entire cycle. The sound is excellent throughout. All Wagner lovers should hear this Gotterdammerung: it is that good.

As reported by Astrid Varnay in her autobiography.