1953 was the third year of 'New Bayreuth', with the pattern each year of two cycles of the Ring, several performances of 'Parsifal', and two other dramas, one in a new production, being established.

In 1953 the major crises was the absence of Hans Knappertsbusch, who in the first two years had already come to be the backbone of the musical side. So, rather late in the day, Wieland Wagner summoned to Bayreuth two conductors of the generation after Knappertsbusch: Clemens Krauss to conduct 'Parsifal' and the second cycle of the Ring, and Joseph Keilberth to conduct the first Ring cycle and the new production of 'Lohengrin'.

This was the first year in which Hans Hotter sang all three Wotans, and he is in stupendous form the whole way through. For the first time at Bayreuth Martha Mödl sings Brünnhilde, and she too is at her finest, that unmistakeable voice full and warm. And this was also the first year that Wolfgang Windgassen sang Siegfried, a role he made his own for at least the next 15 years. In 1953 he sings with a volume and energy which has him in line with his predecessors rather than his successors.

This cycle (and the later one under Clemens Krauss) established the major figures for the next five years. No more satisfactory Ring cast has been assembled since, indeed none can touch it, and this release is a fitting tribute to its lasting greatness.

Cast:
Rheingold
- Wotan: Hans Hotter
- Donner: Hermann Uhde
- Froh: Gerhard Stolze
- Loge: Erich Witte
- Alberich: Gustav Neidlinger
- Mime: Paul Kuen
- Fasolt: Ludwig Weber
- Fafner: Josef Greindl
- Fricka: Ira Malaniuk
- Freia: Bruni Falcon
- Erda: Maria von Ilosvay
- Woglinde: Erika Zimmermann
- Wellgunde: Hetty Plümacher
- Floßhilde: Gisela Litz

Walküre
- Siegmund: Ramón Vinay
- Sieglinde: Regina Resnik
- Wotan: Hans Hotter
- Brünnhilde: Martha Mödl
- Hunding: Josef Greindl
- Fricka: Ira Malaniuk
- Gerhilde: Brünnhild Friedland
- Ortlinde: Bruni Falcon
- Waltraute: Lise Sorrell
- Schwertleite: Maria von Ilosvay
- Helmwige: Liselotte Thomamüller
- Siegrune: Gisela Litz
- Grimgerde: Sibylla Plate
- Roßweiße: Erika Schubert

Siegfried
- Siegfried: Wolfgang Windgassen
- Mime: Paul Kuen
- Brünnhilde: Martha Mödl
- Wanderer: Hans Hotter
- Alberich: Gustav Neidlinger
- Fafner: Josef Greindl
- Erda: Maria von Ilosvay
- Waldvogel: Rita Streich

Götterdämmerung
- Brünnhilde: Martha Mödl
- Siegfried: Wolfgang Windgassen
- Hagen: Josef Greindl
- Alberich: Gustav Neidlinger
- Gunther: Hermann Uhde
- Gutrune: Natalie Hinsch-Gröndahl
- Waltraute: Ira Malaniuk
- Woglinde: Erika Zimmermann
- Wellgunde: Hetty Plümacher
- Floßhilde: Gisela Litz
- 1. Norn: Maria von Ilosvay
- 2. Norn: Ira Malaniuk
- 3. Norn: Regina Resnik

Live recording [mono] Bayreuth 25-27, 29 July 1953