First performed as a cycle of four operas in 1876, Wagner’s visionary Der Ring des Nibelungen(The Ring of the Nibelung) is one of the greatest works of art. Centred around a ring which offers itsbearer ultimate power and the attempts of various people to acquire it, the Ring cycle explores therelationship between love and earthly power and the themes of yearning and loss, all within a setting ofmedieval legend. The Prologue Das Rheingold depicts the theft and subsequent surrender of the ringforged from the Rhinemaidens’ gold by the Nibelung dwarf Alberich. DDD

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Richard

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Das Rheingold

CD 1 74:451 Prelude 5:032-8 Scene 1 22:42

9-¡ Scene 2 46:14™ Scene 3 0:46

CD 2 78:501-6 Scene 3 (contd.) 27:107-™ Scene 4 51:40

Wotan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthias Goerne, BaritoneFricka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michelle DeYoung, Mezzo-sopranoLoge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kim Begley, TenorDonner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oleksandr Pushniak, BaritoneFroh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles Reid, TenorFreia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna Samuil, SopranoErda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deborah Humble, Mezzo-sopranoAlberich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Sidhom, BaritoneMime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Cangelosi, TenorFasolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kwangchul Youn, BassFafner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephen Milling, BassWoglinde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eri Nakamura, SopranoWellgunde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aurhelia Varak, Mezzo-sopranoFloßhilde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hermine Haselböck, Mezzo-soprano

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra • Jaap van Zweden

A full track listing can be found on pages 3 and 4 of the bookletThe German libretto and an English translation can be found at www.naxos.com/libretti/660374.htm

Recorded live at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall, on 22nd and 24th January, 2015Producer and engineer: Phil Rowlands • Booklet notes: Keith Anderson

Cover art by Kevin Lo (Southgate Design)

Playing Time2:33:35

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