I love the Ring Cycle and I also appreciate it. I absolutely loved this wonderful if controversial production of such a challenging but worthwhile cycle. What I love about the Ring Cycle are the vivid characters, compelling stories and the magnificent music. The staging and costuming is more modern than other productions I've seen, with Alberich attired more like a tramp than a dwarf, but I for one loved this finding it rather fresh. The set design and camera work are wonderfully evocative as well, and the conducting and orchestra are superb. Likewise with the performances, especially Donald McIntyre, Gwyneth Jones and particularly Heinz Zednik. Siegfried Jerusalem sings beautifully, if not at his best. While Fritz Hubner is a little woolly as Fafner, he is excellent as Hagen, though for a truly evil incarnate performance of Hagen I personally would go for Matti Salminen. Speaking of Salminen, he plays Fasolt and Hunding, and being the fine singing-actor he is he is brilliant in both roles especially as Hunding in one of the finest and unyielding accounts of the role you'll find. Manfred Jung is naturalistic and engaging enough as Siegfried and sings decently if not quite powerful enough and too strident at times, but Peter Hoffmann is much more ideal in voice and a very interesting Siegmund. Overall, brilliantly performed and imaginative, I loved it. 9/10 Bethany Cox
