Wagner

Siegfried

Cox, Nilsson, Adam, Zednik, Kélémen, Sotin; Stein
Wien, 1976

Regular price $26.95
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Siegfried

Jean Cox is a sweet-voiced (if somewhat wooden) Siegfried. In many ways, the highlight of the evening is Heinz Zednik as Mime. Zednik manages to lean into the comedy without distorting the role into caricature—part of you even feels bad for the guy when Siegfried finally does him in during Act II. For a woman nearing 60, Birgit Nilsson does remarkably well with the Siegfried Brünnhilde (a big ask for any soprano in their prime). The high Cs are there—rendered with a bit more effort—but that's more than made up for by the warmth in her voice that wasn't as present in her earlier years.

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David R.✓ Top Reviewer

United States

Overall rating

Excellent Performance in Good Sound!

The sound on the first two installments of this Ring cycle is listenable, but mediocre. The sound here is better, less muffled and rough, though the voices can be recessed depending on where they were on stage. Heinz Zednik shows again what a fine, detailed Mime he was, rarely shouting and singing with that distinctive, pointed sound of his. Jean Cox's Siegfried is dependable and steady. He knows how to pace himself in the role by this point and partners Birgit Nilsson well in the last scene.Nilsson has some pitch issues, but never disgraces herself. The high Bs and Cs are all solidly there too though she doesn't hold the final one as long as she normally did. Adam is marvelous as the Wanderer and Lilowa is a strong Erda (it sounds like she is artificially amplified, probably because of the staging). Hans Sotin is one of the most sleekly beautiful Fafners I've ever heard; he is both frightening and vulnerable. Hilda de Groote is a lovely Woodbird who enunciates the text more clearly than many others. Kelemen, like Zednik, is a master of his role.The end of Mime's hysteria just before Siegfried reenters in Act One is missing (the tape probably had to be turned over) and Stein makes the traditional cut in the Wandere-Siegfried scene in Act Three. Onto Götterdämmerung!
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