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This is the latest and, they tell us, the last of EMI’s Simon Rattle Edition, gathering together the conductor’s complete forays into certain composers and repertoire. As with any such project the sets hitherto released have contained both treasures and duds. Even though not everything here is perfect, this set sends the series out on a high with his complete Vienna recording of the Beethoven symphonies.

Richard Jones’s radical new production of Lohengrin was the talk of the 2009 Munich Festival. It was also a triumph for Jonas Kaufmann in the title role — “the finest heldentenor since Jon Vickers” (La Scena Musicale). Die Welt added that they “could not think of any cast more perfectly matched, so youthfully enthralling, in short: so wonderful …”. With striking costumes and designs by Ultz —and directed by Maestro Kent Nagano — it represents a bold new Lohengrin for today’s world.

Richard Wagner - Lohengrin
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin / Rundfunkchor Berlin / Marek Janowski
3xSACD ISO (2.0/MCH): 9,24 GB | 3x24B/88,2kHz Stereo FLAC: 3,25 GB | Full Artwork
Label/Cat#: Pentatone # PTC 5186 403 | Country/Year: Netherlands 2012 | 5% Recovery Info
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic, Opera

"PentaTone have definitely established a winning formula for success with the ten Wagner operas they are currently recording in association with Deutschlandradio Kultur in Berlin. (…) The presentation of this set is excellent. Thankfully, it includes a well translated German/ English libretto (unlike the travesty supplied with the Bychkov version), a thought provoking essay on the opera by Steffen Georgi and full artist biographies. Though my own allegiance to the Bychkov version among recent recordings remains steadfast this Janowski account is unlikely to disappoint. It will surely be welcomed by avid Wagnerites and makes one eager for the next issue in what is proving to be a superlative series." ~sa-cd.net

Richard Wagner - Lohengrin
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin / Rundfunkchor Berlin / Marek Janowski
3xCD | EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 843 MB | Full Artwork: 512 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Pentatone # PTC 5186 403 | Country/Year: Netherlands 2012
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic, Opera

"PentaTone have definitely established a winning formula for success with the ten Wagner operas they are currently recording in association with Deutschlandradio Kultur in Berlin. (…) The presentation of this set is excellent. Thankfully, it includes a well translated German/ English libretto (unlike the travesty supplied with the Bychkov version), a thought provoking essay on the opera by Steffen Georgi and full artist biographies. Though my own allegiance to the Bychkov version among recent recordings remains steadfast this Janowski account is unlikely to disappoint. It will surely be welcomed by avid Wagnerites and makes one eager for the next issue in what is proving to be a superlative series." ~sa-cd.net