I absolutely loved Chéreau's direction. It was my first whole Ring (former I've listened it only and seen Die Walküre sometimes). It is a very humanly performation. The characters are lovable and believable. Never seen the Wälsungs so hot, Brünnhilde so slim and nice, Wotan so human. The singers are almost all great, especially McIntyre, Jones, Hoffmann, Altmeyer, Zednik. Zednik is a genius! There are only a few problems. 1. Siegfried. Sings well, but doesn't look a young hero. 2. Hagen. Why oh WHY Hübner and not Salminen? (Salminen sings Fasolt/Hunding.) Hübner makes a solid Fafner, but his Hagen isn't important enough. Hagen must be evil incarnate and a sad, cursed man, with a tremendous, black voice. Salminen would be better. Hübner is too gray. 3. Grane. Grane doesn't exists.
But the whole performance is so great that it deserves ten stars. McIntyre, Jones and Zednik are almost stealing the show.
