Wagner: (Der) Fliegende Holländer

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

Hollands Pies Are Pleasing

Advantages: Tasty, traditional, Aroma and looks
Disadvantages: nothing

Holland's pies are produced in their North of England Bakery at Baxenden Lancashire, I'm Midlands girl brought up in Stoke-on-Trent, and have been brought up on a rival local Bakery pies and pasties, but over the past few years Holland's have been slowly but surely creeping into our store's and chip shops. I was a bit hesitant to try them at first, scared of change etc, but I should never of worried. Their pies are really tasty from the pastry exterior through to their superbly filling interior. Very traditional looking products, I've yet to have one badly baked, they always look pleasing to the eye, and smell like fresh home cooked baking should do. The fillings regardless of what you choose, from Meat and Potato, Steak, or Meat puddings etc, are always full of tasty succulent meats, rich gravy and soft potato that melts ...

dreamscancometrue 21.02.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Hollands Pies

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