Five stars for Die Walküre

“A sterling reading... Gergiev has again turned his attention to Wagner, and to good effect. Surprisingly, and especially from a Russian conductor, Gergiev seems to have a natural affinity for Wagner’s music. The first in a complete Ring cycle, it is off to an excellent start. The orchestra is magnificent; it balances itself properly with an equal strength across all sections, laying down a foundation of sound that is rich and flexible.
The voices are what really win in this production, with not a weak link anywhere. Rene Papé is becoming the Wotan in our day and age, and Jonas Kaufmann truly soars in the role of Siegmund – maybe the defining performance of the modern recording age. Anja Kampe brings an invigoratingly refreshing Sieglinde. Nina Stemme’s Brünnhilde finds new ways to expressively convey the feelings of the punished warrior in a manner not always in your face and confrontational. And the Hunding of Mikhail Petrenko is wonderfully pointed and strong in all aspects.
“These readings are superior in all respects, a model of how surround Wagner should sound. Not to be missed.”
Steven Ritter