| Götterdämmerung - Review Excerpts |
Diapason (France) (September 2008) "A favourable recording that allows you to enjoy the felicities of an orchestra carried to its highest level... their playing is irreproachable and often very beautiful... fans of multi-channel sound will appreciate this first complete Ring recorded in SACD. Performance: 8/10 Sound 8.5/10" "Thrilling... the boxed CD set is worth the investment for Gasteen alone! **** 4 stars" American Record Guide (USA) (April / May 2008) "In extraordinary recorded sound Fisch unleashes wave after wave, floods of broad, warm orchestral sound... not a weak link in the extensive cast... Gasteen's Brünnhilde is more than a mere mortal - a demi-goddess with human expressiveness." Opus (Canada) (April 2008) "Perhaps the best in terms of sound... Melba's 6-channel 64-track SACD sound has won worldwide recognition for its clarity, fullness and sense of "being there"... The orchestra virtually matches its counterparts in Vienna, Berlin and New York... Conductor Asher Fisch has shown himself to be a Wagnerian of the highest order... Performance: **** 4 stars / Sound: ***** 5 stars" The Age "Green Guide" (Australia) (6 March 2008) "A mighty performance... This superlative recording... combines the ambience of live performance with studio intensity: the blending of voices and orchestra is second-to-none... a glorious end to the first Australian recording of Der Ring... ***** 5 stars" Der Neue Merker (Germany) (March 2008) "From the live performances, recordings are now available on Melba - fourteen sonically excellent CDs. The musical output is remarkable... In his tempos... [Fisch] proves to be quite singer friendly... Wonderfully intense... impressive..." "A handsome addition to the genre of Australian recordings and deserves to be supported... with its consistency of excellent sound and generally good casting it should succeed in the market place here and around the world." Gramophone (UK) (February 2008) "A commanding account... No wonder the audience cheers... inspiring... the Adelaide Ring delivers an unusually powerful punch." Critic Service (Germany) (February 2008) "In many respects a singular milestone. The sound and imaging is once again clear and flawless... Melba deserves the most sincere congratulations - without reservation - for this journey through the Ring." Classic FM Magazine (UK) (February 2008) - OPERA AND VOCAL DISC OF THE MONTH "Superb, live-wire playing from every orchestral department... outstanding... as good as you'll get. The chorus sings out of its collective skin [and] Asher Fisch conducts and shapes the work's huge trajectory with the surest touch. ***** 5 stars" Turok's Choice (USA) (February 2008) "Asher Fisch leads the Adelaide Symphony splendidly ... The sound of this gorgeous music in Melba's superb SACD recording is absolutely stunning." Fanfare (USA) (January / February 2008) "The State Opera of South Australia’s Ring Cycle, conducted by Asher Fisch, finishes strong with this Götterdämmerung... the cast is very strong... The orchestral execution is absolutely world-class... you’d think the Vienna Philharmonic or Royal Concertgebouw had been brought to Adelaide for these performances." Classical CD Review (USA) (January 2008) "The finest overall set of the series... a commendable effort distinguished by excellent orchestral playing... throughout, the singing is of the highest standard. And the sound is magnificent... A luxurious booklet and complete text are included in this quality issue." Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) (29 December 2007) "Epic and historic... a triumphant close... a landmark which stands well in any company." Sydney Morning Herald - Classical Music: Best of 2007 (Australia) (27 December 2007) "For recordings, Melba's historic release of the complete 2004 Adelaide Ring Cycle takes first place..." Herald Sun - Bob Crimeen's Top CDs of 2007 (Australia) (22 December 2007) "Das Rheingold; Siegfried; Götterdämmerung... Triumphant conclusion to Australia's first recorded Wagner Ring Cycle." The Australian - Best Classical CDs of 2007 (Australia) (15 December 2007) "A triumph... the complete audio set is a formidable artistic document... Lisa Gasteen is radiant... The orchestral playing under conductor Asher Fisch is thrilling, and the recorded sound is superb." The Sunday Age (Australia) (9 December 2007) "The magnificent Brünnhilde of Lisa Gasteen, displaying superb vocal control, effortless power and, at times, ravishing beauty. As with the previous three sets, the sound is superb... **** 4 stars" The Canberra Times (Australia) (4 December 2007) "One is struck by the quality of the engineering, first for the spread of sound and the warm realism of the orchestra in the prologue, and then the realism of the voices as they enter, and finally for the excellent balance between orchestra and voices... It makes a gripping conclusion of what has been a notable series of recordings that have placed Australia at the forefront of recording technique for the new century." Positive Feedback Online (USA) (December 2007) - Writer's Choice Awards 2007 "Melba once again gets a nod for their stunning conclusion to the über ambitious recording Cycle of the four Ring operas... Götterdämmerung finished the Cycle in style, with superb sound, great singers and competent orchestral playing... Here's looking forward to more opera from a company who created history!" Musical Criticism (UK) (December 2007) "A highly fluid and convincing account... a very fine achievement... an enjoyable performance that is recommendable for more than its exemplary sound quality." Elusive Disc (USA) (December 2007) "The Ring Cycle for the 21st Century reaches its triumphal conclusion with this magnificent performance, in resplendent surround-sound Super Audio." "This reading is a tour de force... Of the four Götterdämmerung from the 21st century that have come my way... Asher Fisch and his Adelaide forces definitely carry off the palm. Adelaide can be proud!" New Classics (UK) (December 2007) "Splendid... an outstanding cast... captures all the excitement and energy of the acclaimed State Opera of South Australia production in studio-perfect sound" Thomas' Music (Australia) (December 2007) "Inspired performances, incomparable sound (be it in 5.1 SACD or 2 channel stereo playback) and truly lavish packaging. Finish the journey..." Sunday Herald Sun (Australia) (25 November 2007) "In short: Triumphant finale to a monumental undertaking... The quality of singers, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra's luminous accompaniment of the vocal drama, conductor Asher Fisch's mastery of the music's dramatic intensity and the sheer aural thrill of the SACD sound makes this outstanding. **** 4 stars" The Weekend Australian (Australia) (3-4 November 2007) "All up, it is a shining Ring... Duccio dal Monte makes a tremendous Hagen, and Lisa Gasteen is again majestic as Brünnhilde... [Asher Fisch's] pacing and dramatic insights are masterful... The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra plays with remarkably fine composure, concentration and polish. **** 1/2 stars" SA-CD.net (3 November 2007) "The sound stage is perfect, and the multi-channel mix delivers an enveloping sonic spectacle that has lots of depth and substance... Performance/Sonics: 4 stars" Classics Today (USA) (18 October 2007) "Vividly detailed surround sound and sumptuous orchestral playing... Sound Quality 10/10" |
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