Wagner: Das Rheingold

09/12/2006
Murray Black
The Australian (Australia)
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Die Walküre, the first release in Melba's Ring series, was an outstanding achievement. With Das Rheingold, the second release but the opening opera of Wagner's Cycle, the production team has again done a fine job, creating an acoustic that is clear, detailed and warm while preserving the live performance atmosphere ...  the sound quality is as good as Die Walküre ... John Wegner's vibrant, dark-hued, malevolent Alberich and the craven, whining Mime of Richard Greager are the standout performances ... the rest of the Rheingold cast is in good voice. From the spacious opening prelude, conductor Asher Fisch sustains orchestral playing of supple beauty and power from the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra ... a fine recording. We await the arrival of Siegfried and Götterdämmerung with interest..