Contrasting ‘Ring’s: The new Seattle ‘Ring’ recording gives David Breckbill much to enjoy, but a new release of Solti’s Covent Garden ‘Walküre’ from 1961 reminds him of what is missing

Reviews of Der Ring des Nibelungen, conducted Fisch, Seattle, 2013 (Avie, 14 CDs); Die Walküre, conducted Solti, Royal Opera House, London, 1961 (Testament, 4 CDs).

July 2015, Volume 9, Number 2, 82–9.

The Seattle Opera first produced Wagner’s Ring in its entirety as long ago as 1975, and the company has been a leading purveyor of the cycle (generally at several-year gaps) ever since. Stephen Wadsworth’s ‘green Ring’ – Seattle Opera’s third production of the work – first appeared in 2000 and has been much admired during its run. Although I never had an opportunity to see it in the theatre, I’ve known a number of people who have, and I have been consistently impressed by the loyalty the experience elicited from them. Many returned for this production at every revival; those who were additionally part of the globe-trotting Ring audience often had special affection for the Seattle production; and the extent to which discussions concerning cast members, production details, overall impressions, and general excitement about the Seattle Ring made their way into daily conversation with these friends convinced me that this production filled an important niche for (especially American) Wagnerians of recent decades. What Wagnerians are to general opera-goers, so Seattle Ringians are to general Wagnerians. The loyalty this Ring has inspired left me eager to hear this recording of it, made at actual performances, during the Wagner bicentenary year of 2013, in what might be its final revival – and certainly the last with Speight Jenkins as General Director of the company.