Richard Wagner

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Siegfried
Live from the Hamburg State Opera

Siegfried: Christian Franz
Mime: Peter Galliard
Der Wanderer: Falk Struckmann
Alberich: Wolfgang Koch
Fafner: Diogenes Randes
Erda: Deborah Humble
Brünnhilde: Catherine Foster
Stimme des Waldvogels: Ha Young Lee

Simone Young
Philharmoniker Hamburg

Of all Hamburg Ring Cycle premieres, the third waystation, “Siegfried”, has received the most applause until now. Audience members were exuberant not only about the singers and orchestra under the direction of Simone Young, but about the production as well. The transparency of the orchestra allowed the singers to really sing, in contrast to many Wagner productions in which they are often in a pure struggle against waves of instrumental force. Director Claus Guth’s finely wrought protagonists were brilliantly brought to life on stage by the excellent cast of soloists. This Ring is lucid and transparent, even when only heard in the living room. The singers, who include experienced Wagner singers like Christian Franz, Falk Struckmann and Wolfgang Koch, guarantee first-class musical standards.
This CD edition of the Hamburg Ring will be completed in fall of this year with release of “Götterdämmerung”.