"Despite the title, this two-disc set is a collection of bleeding chunks, a veritable abattoir, if you please, taken from the Metropolitan Opera's new Ring cycle ... Terfel is the finest Wotan before us now ... his refulgent tone makes him sound every inch a god ... Jonas Kaufmann is extraordinary as Siegmund ... It's difficult to identify the intended audience for this release. Committed Wagnerites will have their favourite complete cycles on disc and dvd ... Perhaps it's meant to snare new converts to Wagner"