May 29, 2008 — Feeling left out when the conversation turns to Richard Wagner? Get to know the controversial composer's stunning music with help from William Berger, author of Wagner Without Fear.
n p r n e w s
on:
NCPR is supported by:
This is a Visitor-Supported website.
More from NPR
May 23, 2013 — Half a dozen temporary shelters have been set up for animals lost when a terrifying tornado hit Moore, Okla. One veterinary technician says, "It's pretty amazing anything could survive what happened, but animals are pretty resilient."
May 24, 2013 — There is some political willingness, but because China is highly decentralized politically, the Communist Party has only limited influence over provincial governments and how they regulate their dirty factories. The powerful state-owned oil companies have also resisted pressure to produce cleaner-burning fuel.
May 24, 2013 — It's the first disclosure of prices in the nation's most populous state for individual health insurance that complies with the Affordable Care Act, and the menu of affordable options surprised some consumer advocates and analysts who had been expecting premiums to be much higher.
May 24, 2013 — After a truck carrying a heavy load struck the side of a bridge that carries Interstate 5 over the Skagit River north of Seattle, the roadway collapsed. No one was killed. Dan Sligh and his wife were in a pickup. "You just hold on as tight as you can," he says of the fall they took.
May 24, 2013 — The Truffaut borrowings are explicit in Noah Baumbach's Frances Ha, while Richard Linklater's Before Midnight takes its cues from Eric Rohmer's gentle but expansive talkfests. In both films, conversation is a centerpiece as characters navigate relationships.
Cover for Wagner: Flying Dutchman ()
Shopping for Wagner: Five Great Recordings
by William Berger
May 29, 2008 — Feeling left out when the conversation turns to Richard Wagner? Get to know the controversial composer's stunning music with help from William Berger, author of Wagner Without Fear.See this
Hear this
This text will be replaced
Explore this
Reported by
William Berger
These days, the Internet is abuzz with newcomers to the world of Richard Wagner asking for advice on which recordings to buy. This is understandable, considering that a new-release CD set of a Wagner opera can put you out as much as $90. Who wouldn't need some guidance?
The debate over which are the best recordings opens up a Pandora's Box of singers and their interpretations of roles. This is a personal matter, and no one can tell you how to react to a certain voice. This doesn't mean people won't try, however, so keep this in mind when someone—like me—is in raptures about a particular work. The list below contains some exceptional recordings no Wagner fan would be ashamed to own.
To learn more about Wagner — the man and his music — click here.
Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.9(MDAxNzgwMTg5MDEyMTQ4Nzc4MjdiNWVmMw004))
William Berger is the author of several books on opera including "Verdi with a Vengeance," "Puccini Without Excuses," and "Wagner Without Fear." Missing some content? Check the source: NPR
Copyright(c) 2013, NPR
