Blu-ray
Wagner: Rienzi (Théâtre du Capitole, Toulouse)
Torsten Kerl (Rienzi); Marika Schönberg (Irene); Daniela Sindram (Adriano); Richard Wiegold (Colonna); Stefan Heidemann (Orsini); Robert Bork (Cardinal Orvieto ); Marc Heller (Baroncelli );
"[Steinberg's] reading of Rienzi, too, was full of energy and vitality, well suited to what this music needs. He got a great performance from the Capitole’s orchestra, which is the best in some 400 miles around. The Choirs were also excellent in a very demanding opera for them. [Torsten Kerl] was excellent all along and it can be considered a luxury to have him as Rienzi in Toulouse." (Seen and Heard International)
Wagner: Tannhäuser (Bayreuth Festival)
Torsten Kerl (Tannhäuser); Kwangchul Youn (Landgraf Hermann); Markus Eiche (Wolfram von Eschenbach); Lothar Odinius (Walther von der Vogelweide); Thomas Jesatko (Biterolf); Stefan Heibach (Heinrich der Schreiber); Rainer Zaun (Reinmar von Zweter); Camilla Nylund (Elisabeth, Nichte des Landgrafen);
"Camilla Nylund’s Elisabeth and Kwangchul Youn’s Landgraf deservedly received the most applause at the curtain calls" (Bachtrack)
Wagner: The Bayreuth Edition (Box Set)
Kwangchul Youn (Hermann (Tannhäuser)); Torsten Kerl (Tannhäuser (Tannhäuser)); Georg Zeppenfeld (König Heinrich (Lohengrin)); Klaus Florian Vogt (Lohengrin (Lohengrin); Walther von Stolzing (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg)); Annette Dasch (Elsa of Brabant (Lohengrin)); Johan Botha (Siegmund (Die Walküre)); Albert Dohmen (Wotan (Die Walküre)); Edith Haller (Sieglinde (Die Walküre)); Linda Watson (Brünnhilde (Die Walküre)); Robert Dean Smith (Tristan (Tristan und Isolde)); Iréne Theorin (Isolde (Tristan und Isolde)); Franz Hawlata (Hans Sachs (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg));
"Thielemann and the Bayreuth Orchestra create a ravishing wall of sound and not a moment is less that aurally stunning: one listens, agape." (International Record Review - Die Walküre)
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (Bayreuth Festival)
Robert Dean Smith (Tristan); Iréne Theorin (Isolde);
"Peter Schneider conducted with real feeling for the score and the prelude to the first act stole upon the ear with the magic of Bayreuths amazing acoustics. Robert Dean Smith is now a fine Tristan with a really beautiful voice...Robert Holl made a moving King Marke, his magnificent bass nobly used. Some of the most beautiful singing came from Clemens Biebers Young Seaman at the beginning." (The Stage)
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (Glyndebourne)
Nina Stemme (Isolde); Robert Gambill (Tristan); Katarina Karnéus (Brangäne); Bo Skovhus (Kurwenal); René Papa (King Marke); Stephen Gadd (Melot);
"I dont think that I have ever witnessed a more perfectrealisation of a Wagner opera than this superb Tristanund Isolde...[Ji?í B?lohlávek] is scrupulous with the score, and takes his time over it: the pauses and silences are immense and there is no factitious attempt to whip up excitement by speeding...a great and unforgettableoccasion." (The Daily Telegraph)