Wagner Season on Sky Arts 2

[Mr Pee]

I'm a bit late flagging this up as Wagner's Dream and the Met's new Das Rheingold were on last week, but as regular viewers will know I don't like to bang on about Sky Arts too much.

Anyhoo, in the same slots this weekend are Die Walkure on Sunday at 8pm, and at the same time on Saturday, the first part (3 hours!) of Tony Palmer's epic film biography of the composer, with Richard Burton as the man himself, part two to follow next week. I'm really looking forward to seeing this, because I have never watched it before, and it seems to be currently unavailable on DVD or Blu-Ray.

The Met Ring I have already seen, but for those of you that haven't, it's well worth catching; I think the production really came into its own with Walkure, and this is the "A" list cast, Kaufmann, Terfel, et al.

Both programmes are of course repeated at various times through the week if you can't catch them at the weekend.

[Richard Tarleton]

Thanks for the heads-up Mr Pee.

I think you'll find the Tony Palmer film is readily available at Amazon - it's been remastered and reissued.

From Wikipedia:
Tony Palmer's original concept of Wagner was as a feature film. It lasted 7 hours 46 minutes, but it was later edited down to a 5-hour version in which some characters disappeared. Later the film was screened in episodes on television. In 2011 it was re-released in a three-DVD set in its full original version as a feature film, in high definition and widescreen.

I watched it on TV (Channel 4?) in the 1980's and recently on DVD. Stunningly filmed, but this time round I have to say it seems far too long and directorially self-indulgent. A lot of scenes of Wagner on the move in snowy landscapes, piano strapped to a cart, passing the same frontier post several times A remarkable cast. Worth a watch but keep a finger on the fast-forward (having recorded it on your Sky+HD box )

[DracoM]

Can anybody explain to me why many of the performers who create the Wagnerian female roles are very often on the larger size?

This is meant as a genuine question:

[Flosshilde]

Are they? & when you say 'larger', do you mean larger than the average singer, or larger than the population average, or something else?

[teamsaint]

here you go.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/06/23/the_odd_body_opera_singers/

scientific facts....ish......

Not man enough for the job?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2293176/Todays-opera-singers-ill-easily-theyre-weak-says-Covent-Garden-boss.html

but the future is stick shaped apparently.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/aug/16/opera-slimline-divas

[DracoM]

here you go.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/06/23/the_odd_body_opera_singers/

scientific facts....ish......

Not man enough for the job?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2293176/Todays-opera-singers-ill-easily-theyre-weak-says-Covent-Garden-boss.html

but the future is stick shaped apparently.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009...slimline-divas

Very many thanks. Extremely helpful.

[teamsaint]

sensible info re your question is hard to come by, DracoM !