Negative Positive
Title: Buy it to listen, but forget the production.
Review: I rarely write brief reviews, but this release deserves nothing more. Aurally, it is quite good, without being exceptional. Catherine Foster brings a fine Brunnhilde, and Johnny van Hal a good Siegfried, amongst a cast that, vocally is quite good. Orchestra and chorus also sound well, with the conductor, Carl St. Clair, showing a good grasp of the work.But at this point, they seem to have exhausted their funds. The sets generally appear to have been made by an amateur company, and one is left to wonder if there was a director present at all stages there are so many places where the cast seem to move aimlessly, unsure of where they are supposed to go. The conclusion of Gotterdammerung must represent the worst staging ever presented. Nothing happens.Technically, the sound (PCM Stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1) is fine and the 16:9 1080i image reasonable.In summary: musically quite good, but in no way outstanding; visually, a disaster.
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