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"... as strong a lineup of vocal artists for a Wagner opera as I have heard in years." - The New York Times "... Terfel is the finest Wotan before the public today ... Blythe's brief appearances as Fricka find her in superb voice ... Kaufmann is extraordinary as Siegmund; the velvety-chocolate depths of his baritonal-tenor and his aristocratic phrasing ... (are) worth the cost of the set alone ..." - International Record Review "... there are tracks to treasure. Bryn Terfel's singing of Wotan's Farewell and his account of the Wanderer's Dir Unweisen ruf'ich Ins Ohr are moving; Hans-Peter König gives a black, implacable account of Hagen's Watch, while the easy fluency and almost baritonal richness of Jonas Kaufmann's Siegmund (is) a joy ..." - The Guardian Released to celebrate the composer's bicentenary year in 2013, this double album contains highlights of the Metropolitan Opera's ambitious 21st century production of Wagner's Ring cycle, recorded live between 2010 and 2012 and starring some of the greatest Wagnerian singers of today. Bass-baitone Bryn Terfel performs his first complete cycles as the embattled god Wotan and American soprano Deborah Voigt makes her role debut as his disobedient warrior-daughter Brünnhilde, alongside international stars Jonas Kaufmann and Eva-Maria Westbroek. Acclaim was equally enthusiastic for the cycle's two conductors: James Levine, who has conducted 21 complete Ring cycles at the Met, and Fabio Luisi.