Ring of the Nibelung

Any opinions on this production? Is it the kind of thing you can read without the opera playing? The illustrations look beautiful.

>1 RRCBS: It's a great book, but I don't know any non-opera fans who love it. Most of the text is the libretto, side-by-side in the original German and in English translation. I have recently read through it all without the music, but I am familiar with the operas and was approaching it somewhat academically. The essays are insightful.

The libretti are all available online, so you can see if you find it an interesting read. The cycle starts with Das Rheingold, which can, for example, be found here. (Probably not Spencer's translation)

I don't have the Folio copy, so I can't comment on the production. Agree that the illustrations are beautiful, though I would have really liked some photos from historical performances.

>1 RRCBS: I’m quite enamored with it, though the printing on a few pages in my copy looks a bit as though the printer was running out of ink. As far as reading without listening along, I think you absolutely can. The text includes descriptions of the action as well as the translation of the verses so it would be as though reading a play. But I think it would be enhanced by simultaneously listening to one of the productions. Spotify has several versions you can stream (Solti, Bayreuth, etc) so it wouldn’t be too difficult to do.

>2 Yssion: Folio’s edition begins with several pages of photos from various performances (Bayreuth, the Met, etc).