Das Rheingold (DVD): James Levine, Otto Schenk, James Morris, Ekkehard Wlaschiha, Heinz Zednik, Siegfried Jerusalem, Christa Ludwig
Conductor: James Levine
Stage director: Otto Schenk
Wotan James Morris
Donner Alan Held
Froh Mark Baker
Loge Siegfried Jerusalem
Alberich Ekkehard Wlaschiha
Mime Heinz Zednik
Fasolt Jan-Hendrik Rootering
Fafner Matti Salminen
Fricka Christa Ludwig
Freia MariAnne Häggander
Erda Birgitta Svendén
Woglinde Kaaren Erickson
Wellgunde Diane Kesling
Flosshilde Meredith Parsons
Filmed March/April, 1990
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus
Stage Design: Günther Schneider-Siemssen
Costumes: Rolf Langenfass
Video director: Brian Large
Buy
Das Rheingold with Levine/Metropolitan on DVD (Amazon)
Other DVDs in this Ring:
Die Walküre
Siegfried
Götterdämmerung
The complete Ring with James Levine conducting the Metropolitan Opera is also available on CD. The cast is slightly different.
Traditional staging of Das Rheingold
Otto Schenk's vision of Das Rheingold may appeal to fresh Wagnerians who just want to try and understand what is happening. For advanced opera goers, this DVD probably will cause a loooong yawn.
Nothing is very exciting on this DVD. The singers are OK, James Levine is faster than could be feared, the costumes and set pieces unimaginative.
James Morris is a good Wotan with much authority, but doesn't quite capture the weaker side of this character. His performance is one-dimensional compared to John Tomlinson's Wotan, filmed and recorded in Bayreuth in 1991/1992. Christa Ludwig a good Fricka (but hear her unsurpassed Fricka on Solti's Walküre 25 years earlier if you want the definitive Fricka!), Heinz Zednik is a good Mime (but a shadow of himself compared to his Loge/Mime in the Chéreau Ring, also on DVD) and Siegfried Jerusalem as Loge is the weak link. Loge should in my opinion be sung by a character tenor to capture the multi layered personality of this fire demigod. Highlights are Fasolt and Fafner, wonderfully sung by Jan-Hendrik Rootering and Matti Salminen.
Buy
Das Rheingold with Levine/Metropolitan on DVD (Amazon)
The Ring on DVD
Chéreau/Boulez Ring -
Kupfer/Barenboim Ring -
The Copenhagen Ring -
Schenk/Levine Ring -
Stuttgart Ring -
Kupfer/de Billy Ring -
Amsterdam Ring
Interviews with: Anne Evans, Graham Clark, Iréne Theorin, Stephen Gould
Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Bayreuth Festival - The Ring on CD -