The Domingo Walkuere.... in DC in March? I was nearly IN that, but alas, not to be this time....
Recommendations from my in-house Wagner expert:
Levine: Note perfect but somewhat heartless; decent recording quality - 1980's DG digital at its best. [
edited to add: it appears there are TWO Levine recordings - the earlier one mentioned with Christa Ludwig - isn't that on DVD? - and the DG one referred to here, with Behrens et al, recorded somewhat more recently]
Solti: This Ring Cycle considered by many to be THE cycle, and a pinnacle of pioneering stereo recording - that said a great recording, but not necessarily a great PERFORMANCE. Culshaw's stereo effects and tricks, but the singing not as good as you'd expect.
Karajan: Superbly conducted, but somehow sounds like chamber music - some weird recording things in that it's overmiked (so that instruments are WAY clearer than normallyin the texture) and Dietrich Fischer Dieskau as Wotan sounds like he has his own personal echo chamber (ie TOTALLY different acoustic)
Fuertwaengler (two different recordings, 1 La Scala, 1 RAI - both live): musically a revelation, however the sound is acceptable at best and the Italian orchestra doesn't really "get" Wagner... and in some cases can't play it terribly well!! (Some brass whoopsies - eek!)
Knappertsbusch (Live) -hard to find but INCREDIBLE. Ca 1956. I'm just not in the Wagner cult (I probably SHOULD sing it, but haven't yet) and this recording sets me alight and makes me WANT to learn it. It's amaaaazzzinnnggg.
HTH - post back or PM if there's any other info you'd like (about this or any other matters operatic