This performance has almost the same cast like an other Tristan conducting by Knappertsbusch in 1950 also in the Bavarian State Opera. The main difference is Kleiber in the pit. And he leads a magnificient performance with drifting passion. He has an excellent cast. Helena Braun is one of the best Isoldas I have ever heard. She has not a typical Wagner voice, her voice is lighter and more flexible than the usual Wagner voices but due to these talent she is able to give us the fullest character of Isolda. Günther Treptow is not the level of a Melchior or Lorenz but today he would be a superstar. He is one of the last singers he is able to do a perfect job in this difficult role.Margarete Klose is and excellent Brangene and Ferdinand Frantz (one of the best Wotan and Sachs for all time) is a wonderful Marke. Rudolf Grossmann is an acceptable Kurwenal. But the heros are here Kleiber and Braun. Highly recommended.

Towards the end of 'Ring Resounding' John Culshaw is bemoaning the disastrous state of Wagner productions. It's 1966, he's completed Solti's first studio recording of the Ring, being declared a genius as a result. He is wandering up the Green Hill and "takes in" the Third Act of Walküre. He is incredibly scathing about the conducting, the sets and direction. I wanted to hear it for myself because Böhm's celebrated set from 1967 is taken from recordings of this year as well as '67. I found the complete '66 recording. Listening to Walküre Act 3 here which must be just what he heard, I can only conclude that John Culshaw was wrong!!

A fresh unvarnished performance cleaned of high Romantic excess. Swift tempi and transparent textures are part of a flexible woven fabric. The voices are prominent and with excellent diction though Braun and Treptow are both lighter voiced though rarely seem to be vocally overwhelmed due to Kleiber’s sense of balance. The sound is good for the era especially in FLAC.