Best Stereo Wagner : Halfvalue.com

spock2 (NJ USA)
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Wagner: Der fliegende Holländer by Richard Wagner
$23.98 Used & New from: $15.37
The Klemperer is the best overall Hollander. It is Silja's only real, but astounding, success in a Wagner opera.

Wagner: Der Fliegende Holländer Highlites by Richard Wagner
Out of stock
London and Rysanek are intense. Look for the complete version. I think this and the Klemperer are the two best sets.

Der fliegende Holländer / Weikl, Studer, Domingo, Sotin, Seiffert; Sinopoli by Richard Wagner
$33.98 Used & New from: $21.95
The Sinopoli is an interesting recording. Weikl is lyrical (even if lacking weight of voice); Studer sounds gorgeous, as always; Domingo is ardent; and Sotin gives a fine performance as well.

Wagner - Der fliegende Holländer / Morris, Voigt, Heppner, Rootering, Groves, Svendén, MET, Levine by Deborah Voigt
$32.98 Used & New from: $13.78
Rounding out the field is the Levine, with Morris, Voigt, and Heppner. A solid choice for a modern recording. I also would look into the Solti, which I am rather fond ofl.

Wagner: Tannhäuser by Richard Wagner
Used & New from: $34.99
This Solti Wagner recording -- with Kollo, Sotin, Dernesch, Ludwig -- is the best Tannhauser available.

Wagner: Lohengrin by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
$31.48 Used & New from: $27.51
The Kempe is the best overall Lohengrin, tremendous cast: Thomas, Grummer, Fischer-Dieskau, Ludwig, and Frick!!!

Wagner: Lohengrin by Richard Wagner
Used & New from: $35.95
Domingo and Norman are powerful. Domingo is an acquired taste, but this is one of his best, if not his best, Wagner role.

Wagner: Lohengrin by Kurt Moll
$50.98 Used & New from: $36.95
This performance is very good, a strong cast and digital. I still prefer the previous two recordings though.

Tristan Und Isolde by Richard Wagner
$34.98 Used & New from: $20.70
Flagstad's successor Birgit Nilsson is not to be missed. There is no weak link in the cast. Bohm is sometimes criticized for giving a lean reading of the score, but he slows down where necessary.

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner
$67.98 Used & New from: $34.00
Kollo and Price make a good combination; Price is the only feminine Isolde on disc. Kleiber's conducting is excellent. Possibly my favorite recording of this opera.

Richard Wagner: Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner
$43.98 Used & New from: $24.99
Karajan, the ultimate romantic, conducts a moving Tristan. Cast is first-rate. Vickers is great. A good contrast to the Bohm.

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde / Meier, Jerusalem, Lipovsek, Struckmann, Heilmann, Botha; Barenboim by Richard Wagner
$67.98 Used & New from: $23.70
Jurusalem is a true heldentenor. Meier is even more impressive. A good modern (DDD) recording, but I don't rank this as high as the other ones.

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner
$44.98 Used & New from: $37.78
Domingo as Tristan. This is destined to be a classic recording. After a few listenings, I think this is better than the Barenboim and Karajan. The Great sound is a plus as well.

Wagner - Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg / Kollo · Donath · Adam · G. Evans · Schreier · Hesse· Riderbusch · Karajan by Richard Wagner
$42.48 Used & New from: $29.92
Karajan's 1970 die Meistersinger generally is regarded as the reference recording of this opera.

Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg by Richard Wagner
$67.98 Used & New from: $32.22
This recording, Solti's second, also is excellent; it has Van Dam as Hans Sachs.

Wagner: Der Meistersinger von Nurmberg / Kubelik by Richard Wagner
Used & New from: $39.97
The Kubelik with Stewart, Crass, Konya, Janowitz, completes the trinity of great modern die Meistersingers. Hard to say which is a first choice. And don't forget about the Sawallisch.

Wagner - Parsifal / Knappertsbusch by Richard Wagner
Used & New from: $44.88
Knappertsbusch 1962 recording, his best parsifal and in stereo. Cast includes London, Talvela, Hotter (in the performance of a life time), Thomas, and Irene Dalis. Top recommendation for this opera.

Wagner - Parsifal / Meier, Jerusalem, Hölle, van Dam, von Kannen, Tomlinson, Berlin Phil., Barenboim by Richard Wagner
$67.98 Used & New from: $39.99
Cast includes Jerusalem, Van Dam, and Meier, who truly rivals Ludwig's performance of Kundry. Holle is possibly a weak link.

Richard Wagner: Parsifal by Herbert von Karajan
$67.98 Used & New from: $49.30
This version is a real mystical experience under the baton of Karajan. Hoffman is excellent. Vam Dam and Moll, as always, give powerful performances. I really like this one.

Wagner - Parsifal / Kollo, Frick, Fischer-Dieskau, Ludwig, Kélémen, Hotter, Wiener Phil., Solti by Richard Wagner
Used & New from: $39.80
Super cast, Ludwig is a great Kundry. Frick is amazing as Gurnemanz. But I still prefer the Karajan and Knappertsbusch. Also look for the Levine for Domingo and Norman, even if the latter is miscast.

Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sir Georg Solti by Richard Wagner
$163.98 Used & New from: $112.00
A classic, and probably the strongest assembled cast for a Ring cycle (Hotter, London, Nilsson, King, Windgassen, Crespin). If you had to buy one, this may be it.

Der Ring des Nibelungen / Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
$181.98 Used & New from: $115.40
The standouts in this set are Das Rheingold with Fischer-Dieskau (the lyrical noble god) and die Walkure with Vickers, Janowitz, and Crespin. Amazing voices. A beautiful performance.

Richard Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen by Gerd Nienstedt
Out of stock
Bohm's Ring, recorded live at the 1967 Bayreuth Festival, contains the best die Walkure to date (not to be missed). The Cast includes Nilsson, King, Rysanek, and Adam.

Wagner: Der Ring Des Nibelungen by Richard Wagner
Used & New from: $179.99
Levine conducts a modern Ring (all digitial). The Cast, for the most part, is strong. The Gotterdammerung with Behrens, Salminen (a perfect Hagen), Weikl, Studer is the prize of the set.

Solti: The Wagner Opera Collection (Limited Edition) [21-CD Box Set with Bonus Unreleased CD] by Richard Wagner
$239.98 Used & New from: $188.32
A great collection of Solti Wagner Operas. All of the recordings are first-rate (except for the Tristan). The set contains the preferred Chicago Meistersinger and excepts from the Tristan rehearsals.

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