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Verdi had to change the plot of his opera about the assassination of Sweden's Gustav III significantly to appease the censors. He moved the setting to Boston, and made it into the assassination of the Count of Warwick. Storywise, the rococo story doesn't make any sense in the new setting but the opera remains Verdi's best best mix of comedy and tragedy.

A few great recordings exist - the RCA issue from the '60s with Leinsdorf and a smoky Leontyne Price is almost perfect, were it not for Carlo Bergonzi's overacting. Abbado had Ricciarelli and Domingo, and in Bruson again a perfect foil. But a few years later, Bruson was even better for Solti; Margaret Price proved a superb Amelia, and Pavarotti gave one of his most committed performances on disc.

EJ

This was my introduction to the Ring first on the old vinyl boxed set, then the cd issue and earlier this year I got the Blu-ray release, so it is definitely a favourite of mine.

However I do look at it slightly differently to you in that in that I think it may well have best single opera performance in Gotterdammerung, with a pretty well ideal cast, Birgit Nilsson at her best,  Gottlob Frick perfect as Hagan & a very dramatic reading by Solti.

The Ring Cycle as a whole was recorded over quite an extended period with some inevitable changes in cast & I think Hans Hotter was past his best by the time he recorded Die Walkure.

The Ring I would most like to have been at is the 1955 Bayreuth cycle recorded in very early stereo by Decca with Hans Hotter in his prime. Decca in fact recorded two cycles (both released on the Testament label) that year with slightly different casts; I have the one with Astrid Varney as Brunnhilde.

They were not released at the time due to the planned studio version with Solti.

The recorded sound is excellent, but with a few stages noises.

The Keilberth ring is essential listening for anyone interested in Wagner - that kind of singing isn't coming back any time soon (eternal pity that Hotter takes a shortcut at the end of Act III of Walküre - he actually sounds more committed for Solti). In terms of interpretation, Keilberth isn't the most interesting conductor around, so this Ring definitely is not the one Ring to rule them all - there is a place for Karajan, Levine and Haitink (the latter three plus the 'A' cast Keilberth you listed here are my favorite recordings - never got along with Böhm or Solti for different reasons).

EJ

Forgot how good this was until tried the Hampson version tonight. 

Try Glitter and be Gay and the Auto de Fe

I love Bernstein's über sensual Tristan & Isolde. Thanks EJ for this reco. 

Vivid and extremely visual approach almost like watching a cinema.

1961 was "The Year" for opera, no?

Does anyone know of any good recordings on DSD? I do like choral music on DSD, it has a certain naturalness, so I am hoping Opera would equally benefit?

Simon

Simon,  this is a handy www to find all types of high res music, I have it set to DSD,  but tick (check) the various boxes for selective searching.  It shows the vendors who stock it & with links to each of the vendors.

http://www.findhdmusic.com/alb...ch/?q=&fmt_dsd=1

Thanks Mike, but alas not much in the way of DSD operas there

Simon

.......   agreed Simon,  but I've found if that www doesn't find it,  it probably doesn't exist or at best is with one of the boutique recording co's like Blue Coast  

Being an opera fanatic I've had to get used to the fact there aren't that many of us.  Many more people like classical music as opposed to Opera, and Opera is lumped with classical in most people's minds.

Opera can be hard to find even at normal quality sometimes and is usually a bit more expensive than normal music and MUCH more expensive than classical.

I'd be surprised if you can find HQ opera.

P.S.  Couple of good operas for choral (defined loosely as a bunch of people singing):  Norma, Nabucco, La Traviata has some (group) singing as well.  La Boheme has a bit, as well as Turandot.

For choral music in opera a good choice would be Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg, so I put that in the search & only came up with one result Marek Janowski on PentaTone.

The next surprise was the pricing; Presto Classical CD quality at £38.35 flac at £55.92, HD Tracks had flac at £48.00.

You can get the SACD version for £35.95 & this comes with a libretto and translation.

So very little choice and not very good value as a download, I think I will be sticking to the discs for a while longer yet.

Alternative choices for Meistersinger;

Rafael Kubelik;

And if, like me, you are a fan of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau as Hans Sachs, this one conducted by Eugen Jochum.