This was a distinguished performance with outstanding contributions from Kaufmann and Westbroek. Indeed, Kaufmann delivered some of the finest Wagner singing and acting I have experienced. One really felt the threat, peril, agony and ecstasy of these ill-fated twins – I was swept away. Terfel has the great virtue of singing the role, and did so with accuracy and authority. But he still has not yet plumbed its depths, primarily portraying Wotan as a god rather than the `everyman’ that lies at the character’s core. However everything is in place for him to eventually become a great Wotan. Voigt let down the side. Her single facial expression comprises an unfortunate rictus. The voice has an unpleasant twang, regrettably I could not get the thought of Lillian Bellamy in the Archer’s out of my mind.
Levine’s conducting is pretty four-square. He does not do the continuous transition that marks great conducting of Wagner, rather one hears the gears changing. The orchestra played beautifully, especially the woodwind section. I thought the balance in the cinema relay better than on the radio.
The production, for all its high-tech stagecraft, is rather traditional and is told straightforwardly and with clarity. There is no over-arching theme informing the action, or being grafted on. In that sense the production is driven by what the protean set is able to do. There is nothing here to scare the conservative Met audience. The eventual DVD will make a good introduction to the work. With Eric Owens’ Alberich, this is shaping up into an impressive achievement. If anyone is thinking of going next year, Kaufmann appears in cycles 2 and 3.
Levine’s conducting is pretty four-square. He does not do the continuous transition that marks great conducting of Wagner, rather one hears the gears changing. The orchestra played beautifully, especially the woodwind section. I thought the balance in the cinema relay better than on the radio.
The production, for all its high-tech stagecraft, is rather traditional and is told straightforwardly and with clarity. There is no over-arching theme informing the action, or being grafted on. In that sense the production is driven by what the protean set is able to do. There is nothing here to scare the conservative Met audience. The eventual DVD will make a good introduction to the work. With Eric Owens’ Alberich, this is shaping up into an impressive achievement. If anyone is thinking of going next year, Kaufmann appears in cycles 2 and 3.
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