Placido Domingo: Scenes from Wagner's "Ring"

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Placido Domingo is a phenomenon. He has preserved not only the beauty, flexibility, and flawless production of his voice over a career spanning four decades, but also his eagerness for new adventures and challenges. To several Wagnerian roles he performed recently, he has now added Siegfried, at least on record (having first tried out the role on his successful Wagner Love Duets). This disc proves that his vocal power is undiminished, while his ability to create and project character keeps gaining depth and conviction. That said, it cannot be denied that he is not a true "Heldentenor," vocally or temperamentally. Thus, one misses the unbridled boyish glee in the sword-forging scene, despite the ringing high A's.

However, his response to the Forest Bird is exuberant, his duet with Brünnhilde ardent and ecstatic. The lyrical, introspective passages--like his musings about his mother and his dying farewell--are most moving and persuasive. He is splendidly supported by Violeta Urmana, a dark-voiced, passionate Brünnhilde; Natalie Dessay, whose Forest Bird laughs merrily; and David Cangelosi, who makes Mime's devious villainy a bit too obvious. Since in Wagner the orchestra is almost as important as the singers, the disc includes several instrumental sections, and the playing is wonderful, though almost inaudible in the very soft passages. The wind soloists are grand, the forest murmurs, the Rhine swells and glitters, and the Funeral March is majestic. Since there are no set pieces in these through-composed operas, a feeling of disjointedness is inevitable, and the transitions between scenes do not really work. --Edith Eisler

Placido Domingo: Scenes from Wagner's "Ring", Music, Richard Wagner, Placido Domingo, Violeta Urmana, Natalie Dessay, David Cangelosi, Antonio Pappano, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House - Covent Garden, Classical, Classical Music, German/Austrian Romantic Opera, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Opera/Operetta

Placido Domingo: Scenes from Wagner's "Ring"
Average customer rating:

Like A Fine Wine: Domingo Sings Wagner

Generally excellent (but Dessay WOEFUL)

to the point - BUY IT

Wonderful Domingo

A Wagnerian Feast!

Placido Domingo: Scenes from Wagner's "Ring"
Natalie Dessay , and David Cangelosi
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Wagner | Wagner, Richard | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Wagner, Richard | U to Z | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Tracks:

"Nothung! Nothung" (Siegfried, Act I)
"Was am besten er kann" (Siegfried, Act I)
Forest Murmurs (Siegfried, Act II)
"In der Hohle hier lieg' auf dem Hort!" (Siegfried, Act II)
"Nun sing! Ich lausche dem Gesang" (Siegfried, Act II)
Dawn (Grderung)
"Zu neuen Taten, teurer Held" (Grderung)
Siegfried's Rhine Journey (Grderung)
"Brunnhilde, heilige Braut!" (Grderung, Act III)
Siegfried's Funeral March (Grderung, Act III)

Amazon.com

Placido Domingo is a phenomenon. He has preserved not only the beauty, flexibility, and flawless production of his voice over a career spanning four decades, but also his eagerness for new adventures and challenges. To several Wagnerian roles he performed recently, he has now added Siegfried, at least on record (having first tried out the role on his successful Wagner Love Duets). This disc proves that his vocal power is undiminished, while his ability to create and project character keeps gaining depth and conviction. That said, it cannot be denied that he is not a true "Heldentenor," vocally or temperamentally. Thus, one misses the unbridled boyish glee in the sword-forging scene, despite the ringing high A's.

Customer Reviews:

Like A Fine Wine: Domingo Sings Wagner.......2005-11-09

Even the biggest fan of Placido Domingo in the late 60's, 70's and 80's would have never imagined at that time that Placido Domingo was capable of singing Wagner's Siegfried, or anything by Wagner in general. It is now fall 2005 and by now the vocally gifted, incredibly versatile tenor has sung such diverse roles as Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin and Queen of Spades in Russian, Gounod's Romeo in French, Spanish-sung roles in Zarzuelas of his native homeland, contemporary Spanish romantic songs, Mozart's classical opera seria Idomeneo, Broadway's own Man of La Mancha, and of coure all the juicy tenor roles of the Italian repertoire-Pinkerton, Cavaradossi, Rodolfo, Pagliacci, Alfredo, Radames, Pellione, Edgardo, Otello, Andrea Chenier, Don Carlos and many others. To top off an illustrious and long career, he has sung Wagner heroes. Tannhauser, Lohengrin and the Flying Dutchman he has sung on recording and stage, and Parsifal as well. This year EMI has relesed Domingo's Tristan from Tristan and Isolde. As Tristan he sings gloriously. Siegfried presents no difficulty for him. I don't care for spiteful critics' constant criticism that he has no business sinigng Wagner and adding it to his fach or that he is not real heldentenor. Says who ? Just because most audiences are used to hearing an armored tenor singing fortissimi and using the "Bayreuth bite" invented by Cosima Wagner ? Just because most people associate Wagner heroes with such tenors as Wolfgang Windgassen or Jon Vickers ? Wagner admired and even imitated Italian bel canto styles and specified that some parts of his arias should be sung smoothly, beautifully, with a purity of line and not with excessive melodramatic ardor. Domingo's voice is big enough to essay the role of Siegfried. It is tinged with a sort of grand melancholy and rich with lyric beauty. I have never heard the German language sung more beautifully by a tenor. The magic of a Wagnerian love duet is expressively demonstrated in the scenes with the Brunhilde of Violeta Urmana, who sings both mezzo and soprano roles. Not even Birgit Nilsson and Wolfgang Windgassen sounded as beautiful. They make the lovers sympathetic and makes their tragic demise even grander. Papano does wonders with the score, approaching the music with calculated risk. There is no reason why you should dismiss this recording. This is Domingo's Siegfried and Wagner's vision come to beautiful fruition. Domingo, past 60 proves to the world that his is a voice that, like fine wine, only gets better with age.

Generally excellent (but Dessay WOEFUL).......2004-12-04

Yet another example of Domingo's ability to sing a wide range of opera. Gets a fairly good Heldentenor quality, despite his
very non-Germanic accent. Pity that Domingo probably will never do a full Goetterdaemmerung, but who knows? :-)

Good sound so very good in general.

But except that Natalie Dessay as Woodbird is WOEFUL. Mile-wide vibrato screeching on high notes. A good coloratura singer otherwise, but if only she could sing properly here!

to the point - BUY IT.......2004-07-20

There are good, great, excellent and superb recordings of Wagner with a vast array of wonderful artists spanning many years.
Then, there is this recording, which is exceptional by every possible measure.

If you HATE Wagner, buy this CD - If you ADORE Wagner, buy this CD - this is what a Wagnerian tenor should be, supported by a magnificent orchestra in passionate performances that, for lack of a better word, "soar".

Wagner boring??? Not here!
A complete jewel, do not hesitate one second!
Have you put it in your shopping cart yet??
You aren't listening!
BUY IT!

Wonderful Domingo.......2003-09-11

This is a terrific set of excerpts witt Domingo's golden tone. but the Brunnhilde here is weak compared to the great Brunnhildes. I also very very highly recommend the recent set of 3 CD excerpts by Astrid Varnay released by Deutsche Grammophon. Although it is supposed to be Astrid Varnay's CD, it features Wolfgang Windgassen in his absolute prime!! The exceprts include Walkure: Brunnhilde-Siegmund Death announcement scene, Siegfried: complete final scene between Brunnhilde-Siegfried and Gotterdammerung: opening love duet & Immolation Scene and Tristan & Isolde: Act 1 Isolde's Curse, Act 2 Love Duet and Liebestod. In the 3 CD set costing only 3 dollas more than this 1 CD set, you get Windgassen at the START of his career when his voice was absolutely unspoilt by the wear and tear of constantly singing the heaviest Wagnerian tenor roles. Yes, Windgassen is in glorious form in the 3 CD set MUCH fresher than he was to become in the Solti ring, Bohm ring or Bohm Tristan and Isolde. Added to that you have the glorious Brunnhilde and Isolde of Astrid Varnay in her absolute prime!! Again, this is before her voice became spoilt by the constant singing of heavy Wagnerian roles. All for 3 dollars (and 2 CDs more) more than this set which is only 1 CD. So while you enjoy this set, don't forget the other set which I think is even better.

A Wagnerian Feast!.......2003-08-30

What is left to be said after listening to this magic recording? Once again Placido Domingo proves that he is up to any challenge in the operatic repertoire. Though he has performed Wagner roles before the public on the concert stage, usually as part of an orchestral evening, he here approaches the Ring Siegfried as if to the role born. Hearing his musically focused, golden-hued voice traverse all of the terrifying hurdles inherent in this impossible tenor role leaves the listener aghast that Domingo is now in his 60's! He soars (in the sword forging scene) with ease and yet also communicates the tenderness and vulnerability of Siegfried with equal finesse, as in the heart-rending "Brunnhilde, helige Braut". But all of that aside, listening to this recording is a full experience also because of the wondrous conducting of Antonio Pappano, the earthy Brunnhilde of Violeta Urmana, the soaring Forest Bird of Natalie Dessay, and the smarmy comedy of David Cangelosi's Mime. The solo portions of Domingo's Siegfried are matched by his union in his duets with Brunnhilde and Mime. Then we have the majesty of the orchestra (the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden) in a generous sampling of the Forest Murmurs, the Gotterdammerung 'Daybreak', the 'Rhine Journey', and finally the 'Funeral March'. Antonio Pappano continues to astonish with his conducting, his musicality. Opulent and dramatic and an intensely beautiful experience.

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