Your Favourite Wotan?

[Mandryka]

Yes to Thomas Stewart (but isn't DF-D the Wotan in Karajan's Rheingold recording? The same "flaws" as you mention with regard to Hotter, I think.)

Someone who got the seedy Wotan was Donald McIntyre: that grainy snarl in the voice as he forces himself to speak to lesser beings for whom he has nothing but contempt; the bluster as he tries to justify himself to his wife; wheedling self-pity when he talks to his daughter - and the noble generosity of his farewell to her. A superb portrayal.

I generally like MacIntyre but I'm not familiar with his Wotan: must watch the Chereau Ring again soon!

As to Terfel....well, leaving personal considerations aside, I don't much care for his 'crooning'.

[Mandryka]

DF-D is an interesting Rheingold Wotan for Karajan: this recording dates from around the time D F-D was attempting to sing anything, regardless of how it might sit with his voice (only shortly before, he had been offered the role of Siegmund in the Solti Walkure - !- and had only turned it down after deep consideration). Personally, I quite like it, though I think a weightier and more extroverted voice is needed.

[Petrushka]

A strong welcome back to the boards, Mandryka.

Yes, being of that certain age, Hotter reigns supreme for me - and what a joy it was to meet him after a 1994 Proms Gurrelieder.

As Mandryka indicates, Hotter was never happy with the Rheingold Wotan which is why the role went to the excellent George London for the Solti Ring. I'm not particularly troubled by the wobble in all honesty.

Other notable exponents not yet mentioned include Ferdinand Frantz who recorded the role for Furtwangler, and in more modern times there include James Morris, who sang at the New York Met for many years and Robert Hale whom I saw take the part in a 1990 Berlin Siegfried.

There is a quite wonderful recording of Wotan's Farewell made in the doomed city of Dresden in 1944 by Josef Herrmann and I would have given away the Nibelung Hoard itself for a complete portrayal on disc.

[Belgrove]

Insofar as performances in the theatre are concerned, Tomlinson (in the 90's) had the stamina, could handle the technical vocal challenges, and was supreme in acting the multifaceted aspects that the role presents. Wotan is not just a god (sic), he's Everyman and Tomlinson caught the light, dark, ferocity and tenderness of the character in his portrayals to a greater extent than anyone else I have seen.

Terfel has the makings of an important Wotan. He's now in mid-Wotan career, but has not yet produced a great performance. When in form, he sings the role very beautifully (rare for a Wotan, he can sing quietly when required, and that generates tension in the theatre) but he has not plumbed the depths that the role contains. Maybe this afternoon in New York...?

[Chris Newman]

Hotter in the early fifties was beautiful and made several fine live recordings with Keilberth (1955 Bayreuth), Knappertsbusch (Bayreuth 1956), Krauss (1954), Kempe (Covent Garden 1957) and Fritz Stiedry (NY Met 1951).

Another favourite Wotan of mine is Norman Bailey, probably the most noble, though his anger and deviousness was powerful as well. He never recorded Wotan in German but is found on the Chandos ENO Ring with Goodall and another Opera Depot Ring with Goodall and Mackerras. He can be heard as the Dutchman and Sachs with Solti on Decca and Sachs, live at Bayreuth with Klobucar on Opera Depot. The microphone is not always kind to Bailey's voice in recordings whereas in the flesh he was usually very warm. Donald McIntyre and John Tomlinson were also superb Wotans in their prime. It was wonderful to hear DM sing Act 1 of Die Walkure with the Wiltshire Youth Orchestra in Salisbury.

[kernelbogey]

The St Endellion Festival last year got Tomlinson as a last-minute substitute in Walkuere - and they don't pay their professional soloists! I missed it but it had some terrific reviews.

[Osborn]

{D F-D] had been offered the role of Siegmund in the Solti Walkure - !- and had only turned it down after deep consideration).

I understand that all that happened is that John Culshaw, impressed by his vocal range, commented over a drink or something, that Siegmund lies so low that it was just about within D F-Ds compass. That's all; no 'offer' no 'deep consideration'. Solti would have had a fit.

Anyway, I heard Donald McIntyre in an abridged Walkure at the Longborough Festival a few years ago & he was still (at about 70) in very fine voice; but most of all he knows the character inside out & wonderfully projected Wotan's fury & frustration at being unable to control the uncontrollable & was incredibly moving in voice, gestures, expressions & body movement in the final scene. A great Wotan who needed to be seen not just heard on CD

[Bert Coules]

My first Wotan in the theatre was David Ward in a complete ROH Ring: even allowing for first-time impact it was a tremendous performance. I never saw Hotter on stage but did go to a Winterreise concert he gave very late in life: wonderfully theatrical and mesmerising and you could see how superb his Wotan must have been. Bailey's is the assumption I've seen most and would, I think, rate the highest of all.

Of course an awful lot depends on context: a good Wotan can be pulled down by a poor production, just as a merely competent one can reach unaccustomed heights in a great staging.

Bert

[ARBurton]

There is a quite wonderful recording of Wotan's Farewell made in the doomed city of Dresden in 1944 by Josef Herrmann and I would have given away the Nibelung Hoard itself for a complete portrayal on disc.

Interisting - who`s the conductor?

[Petrushka]

Interisting - who`s the conductor?

Karl Elmendorff and it's available on a fascinating Profil disc that includes a complete Die Walkure Act 1.

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//PH07048.htm