Album information
In 2010, PENTATONE decided to embark on the ambitious project of recording the ten major Wagner operas with the same musical forces. Never before had a record company recorded all of Wagner’s operas with the same orchestra, choir and conductor, even the same producer, within a period of two and a half years. On top of that, all of the operas, including the Ring Cycle, were recorded for the first time in multi-channel surround sound and — as is customary for PENTATONE — with the highest technical quality.
Each opera was performed only once. All of the performances were recorded live, as well as all prior rehearsals of the choir and orchestra. Conductor Marek Janoswki Janowski explicitly wished to avoid any staging, since this is the best way to allow the music to stay true to its nature. This made it possible to accomplish such a superior recording.
The critics are unanimous in their praise for the entire set of recordings. Not only for Mr. Janowski, but also the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin and Rundfunkchor Berlin have attained international acclaim. And to this day, the soloists who took part in the project are still considered the best interpreters of Wagner.
The box consists of 32 SACDs plus one DVD, which contains an interview with Marek Janowski and some fragments from Götterdämmerung.