Whoever recorded this either came into the performance late or something happened to the tape with the opening Norn scene. Otherwise all the vocal music is here. This sounds like it was recorded from the audience - the voices are a little recessed, but audible. Stein was an excellent, underrated conductor who could keep things moving while supporting his singers with strength and conviction. Ligendza sings very well though without a lot of individuality. There's never any doubt though that she can get through the music. I recall she was more vivid at the Bayreuth Festival as the three Brunnhildes this same year so it may be the recording does her less than justice. Beirer's vibrato is rather like that of Bernd Aldenhoff's: noisy, but sturdy. He certainly knows what's expected of him and does it very professionally. He'd be better known today. Ridderbusch, Stewart, Janowitz,and Hoffman are all very good (some of Hoffman's low notes get lost a bit in the recording). The Rhinemaidens are excellent (Lotte, Leonie's sister, completes her Woglinde here; the Rheingold is also available from Opera Depot). Too bad about the loss of the Norn scene, one of my favorites in the Ring.Not an indispensable performance, but of interest to anyone who likes these singers or Gotterdammerung in particular.

This is billed as excerpts from Götterdämmerung, but the performance is heard nearly complete. Act I is missing the Norn Scene, the Rhine Journey and the orchestral interlude between the Gibichung Hall scene and the Brünnhilde-Waltraute duet, but the rest is all there and Acts II and III are complete except for minor bits of music lost when the original recordist changed cassette tapes. It's also a surprisingly good performance given that neither the leads nor the conductor have great reputations. Stein wasn't one of those maddening Wagner conductors for whom Slow = Serious and Ponderous = Profound'; he moves the big score along at a good clip and plays to the strengths of his cast. Definitely worth hearing if you can stomach the big cuts in Act I.

Eine ausgezeichnete Aufführung unter Horst Stein aus Wien mit Hans Beirer, der unübertroffen in dieser Rolle ist, ein echter Heldentenor - der Siegfried!!!. Wunderbar ihm zur Seite auch Catarina Ligendza als Brünnhilde. Technisch ist es halt eine Live-Aufnahme, aber sind wir froh, daß es sie gibt.