The most striking aspect of this live 2011 performance of Siegfried at the Frankfurt Opera is the stellar playing by Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester, led by Sebastian Weigle. The performance is exceptionally colorful, with subtly differentiated textures. The playing frequently has the intimacy and nuance of chamber music, so Wagner's delicate filigrees of sound are finely highlighted. The brass overall, and particularly the horns, sound especially fabulous. When the orchestra is required to pull out all the stops, ...
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The most striking aspect of this live 2011 performance of Siegfried at the Frankfurt Opera is the stellar playing by Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester, led by Sebastian Weigle. The performance is exceptionally colorful, with subtly differentiated textures. The playing frequently has the intimacy and nuance of chamber music, so Wagner's delicate filigrees of sound are finely highlighted. The brass overall, and particularly the horns, sound especially fabulous. When the orchestra is required to pull out all the stops, Weigle draws out a wonderfully powerful surge of sound that fully conveys the emotional intensity of the drama. Terje Stensvold as Der Wanderer stands out among the soloists. His authoritative bearing and resonant, oaken timbre are ideally suited to the role, and he dominates the proceedings whenever he is onstage. Peter Marsh is also very fine as Mime. His is not an especially beautiful voice, but it has plenty of power, and it's perfect for his vivid and memorable portrayal of the...
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