The orchestral playing has absolutely no drama at all! It's like this guy is conducting Bellini or something. He makes that magic fire music sound like ballet music for Tinkerbell.
As a purist I agree. I have heard Pape enough to agree with the adjective "trim" describing his voice. Granted, "Trim" voice is not something regularly associated with Wotan. Here comes the "BUT" But there are so few (if any) "real" Wotans available that having Pape do a handful a year is better than not. He is a thoughtful singer who could do some nice things with the music.
this is one of the best interpretation i´ve ever heared. Pape and tomlinson currently are the best wotan-singers. and i wonder hardly, to call pape a guy!!!!! a little bit more respect!
I think he has a beautiful voice, and as far as I can determine by this performance, he might be a great upcoming Wotan, but (and this is my BUT) IMHO so far nobody in recent years has come even remotely near the capacity of Robert Hale in performing this particular part. Such a pity there are so few recordings around of him. I have had the pleasure of seeing and hearing him perform the role live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin many times, and he is my hero.
Hans Hotter - by a large margin. Voice was the perfect timbre for it. The voice was massive. His artistic attention to nuance was impeccable. There are some Koch live recording that are primal and devastating. Even at his most distressed point of asthmatic problems, he still could tear through every aspect. The Solti Ring is the WORST recording of Wotan I have of Hotter singing it, and it is better than most everyone else regardless. I am a HUGE fan of Hans Hotter in ever aspect of Wotan.
He was great, although a certain hollowness crept-into the voice, later on. I still prefer the Kipnis recordings, few as they are, but Hotter is in the same echelon, easily. Pape deserves to be in the latter, also, judging by this, IMO.
Es ist natürlich wie so oft eine Geschmacksfrage,was die Stimmfärbung und das Timbre betrifft. René singt das sehr anständig, aber es stimmt schon, daß es doch recht hell gesungen ist, aber es klingt gesund und er tut sich damit nicht weh und das ist aus seiner Sicht das wichtigste.
Terfel is certainly not a mediocre Wotan! Sure his voice may not have the darkness that a Wotan needs but having heard Pape and Terfel sing it live Terfel definitely projects it better (Pape is quite light actually). Heck, nobody's perfect, but Terfel is probably the best there is at present and he's not even a deep bass!
Pape has a beautiful creamy voice, the only problem with this version is that the music is far too slow. I guess that is a common fault of Wagner performance these days.
Well, IMO Terfel is not actually getting better at singing. He will most likely make as poor a Wotan tomorrow as today. Much like James Morris' voice has recoiled from it's splendid size and color over the past decades, misuse robbing it. This same thing is happening to Terfel IMO. He has never had a good technique. Stupendous natural voice, but the technique has always been off. Pape yells high notes too, but, though the voice is smaller, he doesnt' beat it up as much. Opinions, of course!
Pape's technique is solid, but overall this does't hold a candle to Levine and Morris at the Met. Seriously. Conductor is uninspired in this performance.
one of the best music ever written. Dramatic, lovely, "fatherfull".
Für mich ist Rene Pape der " Wunsch-Wotan!
Wow, powerful. What a performance!
The orchestral playing has absolutely no drama at all! It's like this guy is conducting Bellini or something. He makes that magic fire music sound like ballet music for Tinkerbell.
C’mon, it’s music of the spheres.
As a purist I agree. I have heard Pape enough to agree with the adjective "trim" describing his voice.
Granted, "Trim" voice is not something regularly associated with Wotan.
Here comes the "BUT"
But there are so few (if any) "real" Wotans available that having Pape do a handful a year is better than not. He is a thoughtful singer who could do some nice things with the music.
I feel so sad that many of my Jewish friends deny themselves such beauty
Superb and transcendent.
this is one of the best interpretation i´ve ever heared. Pape and tomlinson currently are the best wotan-singers. and i wonder hardly, to call pape a guy!!!!! a little bit more respect!
Wow. This guy is incredible. Terfel watch out.
Finally a Wotan with culture and not that ugly, hoarse, wobbly and woofy barking sound offered by so many of today's baritones/basses.
I think its not the orchestra that's tepid, its the conductor. The orchestra is giving the conductor exactly what he's conducting.
I think he has a beautiful voice, and as far as I can determine by this performance, he might be a great upcoming Wotan, but (and this is my BUT) IMHO so far nobody in recent years has come even remotely near the capacity of Robert Hale in performing this particular part. Such a pity there are so few recordings around of him. I have had the pleasure of seeing and hearing him perform the role live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin many times, and he is my hero.
Hans Hotter - by a large margin.
Voice was the perfect timbre for it. The voice was massive. His artistic attention to nuance was impeccable. There are some Koch live recording that are primal and devastating. Even at his most distressed point of asthmatic problems, he still could tear through every aspect.
The Solti Ring is the WORST recording of Wotan I have of Hotter singing it, and it is better than most everyone else regardless.
I am a HUGE fan of Hans Hotter in ever aspect of Wotan.
He was great, although a certain hollowness crept-into the voice, later on. I still prefer the Kipnis recordings, few as they are, but Hotter is in the same echelon, easily. Pape deserves to be in the latter, also, judging by this, IMO.
Ok a little strained at the top but overall the best Wotan by far. What more could anyone ask for in a Wotan?
Wotan to my ears.......
Bravo!!
Es ist natürlich wie so oft eine Geschmacksfrage,was die Stimmfärbung und das Timbre betrifft. René singt das sehr anständig, aber es stimmt schon, daß es doch recht hell gesungen ist, aber es klingt gesund und er tut sich damit nicht weh und das ist aus seiner Sicht das wichtigste.
Hotters interpretation is rly excellent, but i prefer the recording with Theo Adam in the Janowski-Ring ;)
Terfel is certainly not a mediocre Wotan! Sure his voice may not have the darkness that a Wotan needs but having heard Pape and Terfel sing it live Terfel definitely projects it better (Pape is quite light actually). Heck, nobody's perfect, but Terfel is probably the best there is at present and he's not even a deep bass!
What orchestra is this?
NDR Sinfonieorchester, now known as NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester
Musik ist eine heilige Kunst.
Favorite part of Ariadne.
Pape has a beautiful creamy voice, the only problem with this version is that the music is far too slow. I guess that is a common fault of Wagner performance these days.
Rene Pape is fine. The problem is that Alan Gilbert as conductor fails to generate any momentum or tension. I presume the orchestra is NYP
It's the NDR Sinfonieorchester, now known as NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester.
Well, IMO Terfel is not actually getting better at singing. He will most likely make as poor a Wotan tomorrow as today.
Much like James Morris' voice has recoiled from it's splendid size and color over the past decades, misuse robbing it. This same thing is happening to Terfel IMO. He has never had a good technique. Stupendous natural voice, but the technique has always been off.
Pape yells high notes too, but, though the voice is smaller, he doesnt' beat it up as much.
Opinions, of course!
Je le trouve même mieux que Terfel.
What a tepid orchestra.
Pape's technique is solid, but overall this does't hold a candle to Levine and Morris at the Met. Seriously. Conductor is uninspired in this performance.
I’ve heard better. This is strictly middle of the pack for me.
Yes, a very flabby performance, let Eliot Gardiner perform a Ring Cycle, he'd blow away all those worthless cobwebs of 'tradition'!
Yuck.