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On Monday night we sat down with our friends to look at and listen to this last of the ring operas. That was done with some trepidation as 4.5 hours is a LONG time :-(
But wow, was it worth it. Deborah Voigt, Hans-Peter Konig and the rest of the cast had us enthralled with hair raising singing and acting. The volume was set higher than in the previous ring operas and that had a huge impact as Wagner is not meant to be listened to on iPod type systems. The amps and speakers worked full time with the excellent sound tracks to envelope us in this superb Wagnerian fantasy. Yet the fantasy reflected tellingly on the human frailties of avarice, jealousy, loyalty etc using the various ring motifs. I remain in awe at how Deborah Voigt managed her powerful and passionate singing for so long.
Yes I liked the Spanish Ring (although my friend could not get past the Euro trash aspects of it) but must pass the crown to the MET production.
A poster some time ago, who attended the actual performance, was distracted by the moving planks but this was not the case with the recording as it frequently focused on the singers and action so did not allow the staging to dominate.
Bottom line, my hat off to all involved in this MET production and also to the composer. I have never been so frequently moved with Wagnerian music as was the case with this production the other night. It changed me from someone initially not looking forward to a very long opera to someone totally engrossed in Wagner's music. What more can be said?
John
Enjoying 12,000 mostly classical CDs via Sennheiser HD800 headphones & M2TECH Vaughan DAC -> HeadRoom BlockHead headphone amplifier fed from a Meridian (Sooloos) server system.
The main 7.1 MC electrostatic speaker system is for A/V at night.
Follow Ups:
Yup - Götterdämmerung is almost always overwhelming, even when a production/performance doesn't fire on all cylinders. As you know, I've got the Valencia Ring on blu-ray, but I should get this Met blu-ray you're recommending too. (The Met performance might be something I can actually stand to watch, as opposed to just listen to - LOL! As I mentioned before, I've actually seen the MET production via a PBS broadcast, but the TV SQ, as heard via my Comcast cable system, was decidedly lo-fi!)
BTW, I thought I'd update you on my progress of ripping my CD's to disc: I'm almost at the 800 level. (When I get to 1,000, I'll have a mini celebration! I just can't resist listening to at least part of every CD I rip.) I've just started using Audirvana software too, and my "sound quality satisfaction quotient" has improved even more!
I tried Amarra and a few other types of software and for timbre of acoustic instruments Audirvana was way in front. Does it for me.
As I posted before, the MET production moved us all Monday night - my friends emailed back to say they were on a high driving home!!
I just read up about Deborah Voight and had forgotten how she had been sacked by the Royal Opera house for being overwieight. Bypass surgery, although risky, worked for her to lose 100 pounds - she looks as good as she sounds in Gotterdammerung.
That disc has been the highlight musical experience of the year for me so far.
John
Enjoying 12,000 mostly classical CDs via Sennheiser HD800 headphones & M2TECH Vaughan DAC -> HeadRoom BlockHead headphone amplifier fed from a Meridian (Sooloos) server system.
The main 7.1 MC electrostatic speaker system is for A/V at night.
I'm a great admirer of Jane Henschel and she's another big girl. She was dropped from the Met version of Die Frau - don't know if weight was a factor. Great singer.
You would think it would affect the use of their diaphragm, so how would know in advance how it would change one's singing?
Fair comment but I guess Deborah Voigt went ahead because she was not getting work due to her size + personal feelings of frustration when all diet programs failed. She really had little to lose (except weight) and much to gain.
Fortunately the gamble paid off. Her singing is hair raisingly good and she looks attractive into the bargain.John
Enjoying 12,000 mostly classical CDs via Sennheiser HD800 headphones & M2TECH Vaughan DAC -> HeadRoom BlockHead headphone amplifier fed from a Meridian (Sooloos) server system.
The main 7.1 MC electrostatic speaker system is for A/V at night.
Edits: 08/20/14
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