The first reviews on Richard Wagner’s opera The Rhinegold conducted by Valery Gergiev and recorded by the Mariinsky label are very favourable.

      Graham Williams writes on the sa-cd.net: “While Gergiev presented an international line-up of the best Wagner singers in The Valkyrie, 12 out of 14 soloists in The Rhinegold are Russians. Nevertheless this “domestic” line-up shows an ultra-high performing level of the Mariinsky opera troupe.

      The most convincing part in this record is Gergiev’s conducting. His confident mastery over the orchestra never loses its dramatic tone”.

      Joseph Newsome from Voix des Arts (the USA) believes that the release conveys singing of the best Wagner voices of Russia, and perfectly balanced acoustics makes it possible to discover all the treasures of Wagner’s score by means of one of the world’s greatest orchestras.

      Andrew Clark points out in Financial Times: “Thanks to Gergiev's intense tours with The Ring of the Nibelung this performance has gained unity and accord worth the level of the first opera in the cycle”.