Georg Solti's recordings of the Richard Wagner operas are celebrated as among the greatest performances ever put to disc.

Introducing Parsifal to a new generation of Wagnerian's, this performance with the Vienna Philharmonic and vocalists Christa Ludwig, Rene Kollo and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is presented here on 4CD + High Fidelity Pure Audio Blu-ray disc containing the complete opera in 24-bit audio, remastered in 96kHz/24-bit audio from original analogue sources and housed in deluxe hardback packaging with the original cover.

For those not in the know about the players here on this simply wondrous recording, well, Christa Ludwig is a retired German dramatic mezzo-soprano, distinguished for her performances of opera, Lieder, oratorio, and other major religious works like masses and passions, and solos contained in symphonic literature.

Her career spanned from the late 1940s until the early 1990s. She is widely recognized as one of the most significant and distinguished singers of the 20th century.

René Kollo is a German tenor, especially known for his Wagnerian parts. In addition to Heldentenor roles, he performed in a wide variety of operas and operettas during his career and has also made several operatic recordings.

The late Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau was a German lyric baritone and conductor of classical music, one of the most famous Lieder (art song) performers of the post-war period, best known as a singer of Franz Schubert's Lieder, particularly "Winterreise" of which his recordings with accompanist Gerald Moore and Jörg Demus are still critically acclaimed half a century after their release.

The late Gottlob Frick was a German bass who sang in opera. He was known for his wide repertory including Wagner and Mozart roles, as well as those of Nicolai and Lortzing.

The late Zoltán Kelemen was a Hungarian bass-baritone. He was born in Budapest and died in Zurich. He began studying music at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music before leaving Hungary in order to study in Rome. When he left Rome in 1959, he established himself in Germany, first in Augsburg and later in Cologne.

Lastly, the late Hans Hotter was a German operatic bass-baritone. He was extremely tall and his appearance was striking. His voice and diction were equally recognizable.

CD 1: Wagner: Parsifal
Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883)
Parsifal, WWV 111
1. Prelude (12:35)

Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
Act 1
2. "He! Ho! Waldhüter ihr" (5:18) - Gottlob Frick, Robert Tear, Herbert Lackner, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
3. "Seht dort, die wilde Reiterin" (2:49) - Marga Schiml, Rotraud Hansmann, Robert Tear, Herbert Lackner, Christa Ludwig, Gottlob Frick, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
4. "Recht so! Habt Dank! Ein wenig Rast!" - "Gawan! - Herr! Gawan weilte nicht!" (7:52) - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Herbert Lackner, Gottlob Frick, Christa Ludwig, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
5. "He! Du da! Was liegst du dort wie ein wildes Tier?" (6:53) - Gottlob Frick, Heinz Zednik, Rotraud Hansmann, Marga Schiml, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
6. Das ist ein andres... O wunden-wundervollen heiliger (4:29) - Heinz Zednik, Christa Ludwig, Ewald Aichberger, Gottlob Frick, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
7. "Titurel, der fromme Held" (8:20) - Gottlob Frick, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
8. Vor allem nun: die Speer kehr' uns zurück (3:01) - Ewald Aichberger, Heinz Zednik, Gottlob Frick, Rotraud Hansmann, Marga Schiml, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
9. "Weh! - Hoho! - Auf! - Wer ist der Frevler?" (1:26) - Gottlob Frick, Marga Schiml, Heinz Zednik, Ewald Aichberger, Rotraud Hansmann, Robert Tear, Herbert Lackner, René Kollo, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
10. Du konntest morden, hier, im heil'gen Walde (3:42)
11. Wo bist du her? (3:18) - Gottlob Frick, René Kollo, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
12. Den Vaterlosen gebar die Mutter (2:58) - Christa Ludwig, René Kollo, Gottlob Frick, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
13. So recht! So nach des Grales Gnade (2:43) - Gottlob Frick, Christa Ludwig, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti

Total Playing Time: 1:05:24

CD 2: Wagner: Parsifal
Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883)
Parsifal, WWV 111
Act 1
1. "Vom Bade kehrt der König heim" (2:14) - Gottlob Frick, René Kollo, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
2. "Nun achte wohl und laß mich seh'n" - "Zum letzten Liebesmahle" (12:14) - Gottlob Frick, Wiener Sängerknaben, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
3. "Mein Sohn Amfortas, bist du am Amt?" (2:40) - Hans Hotter, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
4. Nein! Lasst ihn unenthüllt (9:42) - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Hans Hotter, Wiener Sängerknaben, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
5. Nehmet hin meinen Leib (17:03) - Hans Hotter, Wiener Sängerknaben, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
6. Was stehest du noch da? (2:27) - Gottlob Frick, Birgit Finnilä, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti

Act 2
7. Vorspiel (Prelude) (2:18) - Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
8. "Die Zeit ist da" (2:26) - Zoltan Kelemen, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
9. "Erwachst du? Ha!" (8:50)
10. Jetzt schon erklimmt er die Burg (3:37) - Zoltan Kelemen, Christa Ludwig, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
11. "Hier war das Tosen!" (2:13) - Lucia Popp, Alison Hargan, Anne Howells, Kiri Te Kanawa, Gillian Knight, Margarita Lilowa, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
12. Ihr schönen Kinder (2:32) - René Kollo, Lucia Popp, Alison Hargan, Anne Howells, Kiri Te Kanawa, Gillian Knight, Margarita Lilowa, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti

Total Playing Time: 1:08:16

CD 3: Wagner: Parsifal
Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883)
Parsifal, WWV 111
Act 2
1. "Komm, holder Knabe!" (5:53) - René Kollo, Lucia Popp, Alison Hargan, Anne Howells, Kiri Te Kanawa, Gillian Knight, Margarita Lilowa, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
2. "Parsifal! Weile!" (7:03) - Christa Ludwig, René Kollo, Lucia Popp, Alison Hargan, Anne Howells, Kiri Te Kanawa, Gillian Knight, Margarita Lilowa, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
3. "Ich sah das Kind an seiner Mutter Brust" (5:16) - Christa Ludwig, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
4. "Wehe! Was tat ich? Wo war ich?" - "Bekenntnis wird Schuld in Reueenden" (4:50)
5. "Amfortas! Die Wunde!" (8:42) - René Kollo, Christa Ludwig, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
6. "Grausamer! Fühlst du im Herzen" - "Ich sah ihn" - "Nun such' ich ihn von Welt zu Welt" (6:50) - Christa Ludwig, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
7. Auf Ewigkeit wärst du verdammt (5:59)
8. "Vergeh, unseliges Weib!" (1:24) - René Kollo, Christa Ludwig, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
9. Halt da! Dich bann' ich mit der rechten Wehr! (2:36) - Zoltan Kelemen, René Kollo, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti

Act 3
10. Prelude (5:04) - Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
11. "Von dorther kam das Stöhnen" (4:18) - Gottlob Frick, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
12. Du tolles Weib! Hast du kein Wort für mich? (3:18) - Gottlob Frick, Christa Ludwig, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti

Total Playing Time: 1:01:13

CD 4: Wagner: Parsifal
Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883)
Parsifal, WWV 111
Act 3
1. In düstrem Waffenschmucke? (7:51) - Gottlob Frick, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
2. "Heil mir, daß ich dich wiederfinde!" (3:39) - René Kollo, Gottlob Frick, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
3. O Gnade! Höchstes Heil! (7:26)
4. "Nicht so! Die heil'ge Quelle selbst" (4:03) - Gottlob Frick, René Kollo, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
5. Du wuchsest mir die Füsse (6:25)
6. "Wie dünkt mich doch die Aue heut so schön" - Karfreitagszauber (9:48) - René Kollo, Gottlob Frick, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
7. "Mittag. Die Stund' ist da" - Verwandlungsmusik (5:00) - Gottlob Frick, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
8. "Geleiten wir im bergenden Schrein" (4:18) - Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
9. "Ja, Wehe! Wehe! Weh' über mich!" (7:45) - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
10. "Nur eine Waffe taugt" (9:24) - René Kollo, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti

Total Playing Time: 1:05:39

Of all the celebrated recordings of Parsifal, this 1972 Solti version must boast the most distinguished cast – all delivering fine expressive and technically polished performances; the principals especially well controlled in their long paragraphs. The playing of the Vienna Philharmonic is glorious.

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau captures Amfortas’s anguished impotence, and his defiance exceedingly well. René Kollo as the innocent fool, the redeemer, Parsifal, once again proves himself to be the ideal noble Wagnerian hero. Christa Ludwig is a vibrant, and corruptly sensual Kundry in her attempts to seduce Parsifal, in Klingsor’s garden – first in motherly, then more voluptuous, tones.

Gottlob Frick as Gurnemanz, whose role is to relate so much of the historical narrative is steadily noble and dignified. Zoltan Kélémen is a sinister and malevolent Klingsor.

Indeed, it is interesting to note as Klingsor’s flower maidens so many up-and-coming voices who would later distinguish themselves including Anne Howells, Kiri Te Kanawa, Gillian Knight and Lucia Popp.

Aside from the 4 CDs, I also listened to the Blu-ray High Fidelity Pure Audio disc that comes in this package; and of which I hope you do also. Wow, does the crustal clarity of it jump out at you. What a pleasure it was to be able to hear the opera straight through, with only short gaps between the acts.

Remastered in 2017, the sound is incredible and I can hardly wait until TANNHAUSER gets this treatment; as is advertised in the back of the booklet. Highest recommendation!

On a final note, the original cover art of this recording tells you everything you need to know about what awaits inside. The cold silver chalice shimmering in the dark surroundings, that is the ultimate effect of Solti's Parsifal. Not very warm and loving, but towering and Medieval.

4CD+Blu-ray Purchase Link