Brian Blackwell wrote:

>I'm interested in building up a Ring cycle on the cheap.  Does anyone have
>any opinions on Marek Janowski's budget-price Staatskapelle Dresden cycle
>on RCA?

If it's cheap enough, I think that this is a very recommendable recording
of the cycle.  The sound and orchestral work are first class, and I like
Janowski's straightforward, transparent way with the score.  The singers
are more variable, but this is true of all RING recordings.  If you can
buy the operas separately, you might want to try the DAS RHEINGOLD or
SIEGFRIED, which are, I think, the strongest performances - in fact, the
SIEGFRIED is perhaps my favorite recording of the opera.

BTW, how cheap is this set in Australia? For some reason it hasn't appeared
in the USA since its midprice Eurodisc incarnation about a decade ago.

William D. Kasimer
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