Wagner: Der Ring Des Nibelungen

This 1999 production of The Ring was the first to be based on the definitive complete edition of Wagner's music. Pierre Audi's production for the Netherlands Opera blends the lyrical, mythical and philosophical qualities of Wagner's tetralogy into a profound unity. Amazing sets by George Tsypin and wonderful costumes by Oscar-winning Eiko Ishioka complement singing and playing of great intensity from the cast under the baton of Hartmut Haenchen, who leads an unusually flowing, texturally sensitive interpretation, creating a vigorous yet often intimate impression that comes closer than many modern performances to the scale of Wagner's original conception.