Wagner - Der Ring Des Nibelungen (Box Set) (DVD)

The Ring in today's world

Advantages: The ultimate operatic experience
Disadvantages: It's complicated, but so was Wagner

To the uninitiated, listening to the Ring Cycle first is not the best way to try and understand the world of Richard Wagner and his romantic notion of life on earth as we know it today. Something like reading Herman Hesse's Glass Bead Game first, then exploring his earlier works. That's a back-to-front approach. Likewise with Wagner. You need to start at the beginning and work your way through the elements of his creativity and composition. When you finally reach the Ring cycle, your love of the music will be enhanced and your understanding about a musical genius fully appreciated. So, let's take a tour of Wagner's operas and try to build a foundation of understanding of his operas from our listening point of view. Some commentators believe the Ring Cycle was clear in Wagner's mind before he started writing any operas ...

falstaff88 30.12.2004 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Met

Horns, Helmets, and Heiajotoho

Advantages: Music to my ears
Disadvantages: Novocaine for my backside

I'm sitting here about to write an opinion on Wagner's Ring and wondering seriously if a) I'm mad b) if I'll finish it before the end of my life, and c) whether it will be of any use to anyone else whatsoever. Nevertheless, my Ciao motto is "write what you know", and I know Wagner's Ring, and especially Solti's first, and benchmark, recording at least as well as the back of my hand. I recommend this glorious early sixties boxed-set over and above any other, since you have some of the last links here with singers that studied with those who had worked with Wagner. The glorious Norwegian soprano Kirsten Flagstad appears in one of her final recordings as Fricka in Das Rheingold (when she sat quietly knitting at a piano rehearsal, the general concensus was that "the old girl's past it" until she began to sing...), Hans Hotter turns in ...

Zoe_South 15.09.2002 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Met

My Precious ( lord of the rings trilogy)

Advantages: best dvd collection you can own,
Disadvantages: need plenty of time to see the film

Pretty sure that this film "LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY " have been reviewed many times. But I would still like to share my experience with this brilliant film by Peter Jackson. Everything about this film is perfect! I would suggest you to sit tight and don't let anyone disturb you while watching it, you will definitely miss something important if you did. Actually it happened to me so i just warn you! Don't make the same mistake as i did. Luckily i have the DVD set and i can watch it anytime i want to. Anyways here are some briefing on what to expect. The Lord of the Rings film trilogy consists of three live action fantasy epic films: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002) and The Return of the King (2003). The trilogy is based on the three-volume book The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. While they follow ...

xmen109 10.10.2009 (11.11.2009) · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (Box Set) (DVD)