ROH: Ring 2018

[Belgrove]

Another strong performance in the cycle. The scene between Wotan and Fricka is one of the most fascinating in the entire work, where the fortunes of both character are reversed between the start and end of the episode, and both Connolly and Lundgren where magnificent here. I liked the touch of Fricka returning to imperiously observe the outcome of the encounter at the act's close. Lundgren was also impressive in the lengthy Narration that followed the initial encounter, the arc being skilfully judged too by Pappano's conducting. Stemme sang accurately, but her acting seemed a bit humdrum - perhaps the production is a fault in preventing her from unleashing the torrents of passion? As for the twins, despite the fine singing of Skelton (Magee less so), the pair did look a bit clumsy - the sense, vividly portrayed in the orchestra, of danger and their panic in being pursued was rather compromised by their cautious lumbering around the cluttered set.

Warner's production does have a principal theme, at least one that occurred to me on seeing it first time around in the theatre. However, it becomes diluted as the cycle progresses, and I wonder whether he chickened out of pursuing it more vigorously- for it is eugenics and its unforeseen consequences. Wotan is a manipulator of DNA, siring two separate races, one as insurance for preserving Valhalla, the other for regaining the Ring via an incestuous union. Alberich, Wotan's alter ego, is also shown conducting abominable and distorted experiments in creation in his laboratory in Nibelheim. A spiral structure dominates the sets throughout (a double helix?), and by the time we get to Götterdämmerung, the other pair of siblings in the work are also hinted as committing incest, but without a purpose other than decadence. Although Warner emphasises this thread, he does not follow it through to a conclusion - perhaps it is a theme that is too hot to handle given Wagner's associations. Another parallel strand is the science and technology (e.g. the Tarnhelm) that is also created in Alberich's laboratory - the aeroplane is there from the start - escaping into the world and complicating it, thwarting Wotan's grand plan.

The broadcast this coming Saturday will be worth listening to, especially for those who object to the production, for its is strongly cast and the orchestra is in fine form and is being conducted with a perspective of the bigger picture.

[gradus]

Another strong performance in the cycle. The scene between Wotan and Fricka is one of the most fascinating in the entire work, where the fortunes of both character are reversed between the start and end of the episode, and both Connolly and Lundgren where magnificent here. I liked the touch of Fricka returning to imperiously observe the outcome of the encounter at the act's close. Lundgren was also impressive in the lengthy Narration that followed the initial encounter, the arc being skilfully judged too by Pappano's conducting. Stemme sang accurately, but her acting seemed a bit humdrum - perhaps the production is a fault in preventing her from unleashing the torrents of passion? As for the twins, despite the fine singing of Skelton (Magee less so), the pair did look a bit clumsy - the sense, vividly portrayed in the orchestra, of danger and their panic in being pursued was rather compromised by their cautious lumbering around the cluttered set.

Warner's production does have a principal theme, at least one that occurred to me on seeing it first time around in the theatre. However, it becomes diluted as the cycle progresses, and I wonder whether he chickened out of pursuing it more vigorously- for it is eugenics and its unforeseen consequences. Wotan is a manipulator of DNA, siring two separate races, one as insurance for preserving Valhalla, the other for regaining the Ring via an incestuous union. Alberich, Wotan's alter ego, is also shown conducting abominable and distorted experiments in creation in his laboratory in Nibelheim. A spiral structure dominates the sets throughout (a double helix?), and by the time we get to Götterdämmerung, the other pair of siblings in the work are also hinted as committing incest, but without a purpose other than decadence. Although Warner emphasises this thread, he does not follow it through to a conclusion - perhaps it is a theme that is too hot to handle given Wagner's associations. Another parallel strand is the science and technology (e.g. the Tarnhelm) that is also created in Alberich's laboratory - the aeroplane is there from the start - escaping into the world and complicating it, thwarting Wotan's grand plan.

The broadcast this coming Saturday will be worth listening to, especially for those who object to the production, for its is strongly cast and the orchestra is in fine form and is being conducted with a perspective of the bigger picture.

For me too the scene between Connolly and Lundgren was riveting, exceptionally good - great singing and acting with staging that served the drama.

[Rcartes]

Apols if it's already been covered, but Rheingold was on Radio 3 last Saturday, Walküre next, but what about Siegfried and Götterdämmerung: are they going to be relayed too? It would seem odd to broadcast only the first two, but I can't find any reference to the others in the R3 schedules.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Apols if it's already been covered, but Rheingold was on Radio 3 last Saturday, Walküre next, but what about Siegfried and Götterdämmerung: are they going to be relayed too? It would seem odd to broadcast only the first two, but I can't find any reference to the others in the R3 schedules.

Belgrove in the OP mentions 17th Nov and 29th Dec as the broadcast dates for the final two parts, Rcartes.

(No - I don't, either! )

[Darkbloom]

Belgrove in the OP mentions 17th Nov and 29th Dec as the broadcast dates for the final two parts, Rcartes.

(No - I don't, either! )

We have to wait almost as long to hear the whole cycle as it took Wagner to write the thing.

[Rcartes]

Belgrove in the OP mentions 17th Nov and 29th Dec as the broadcast dates for the final two parts, Rcartes.

(No - I don't, either! )

Thanks for that, ferneyhough (memo to self: always read the first post in a long thread...)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

We have to wait almost as long to hear the whole cycle as it took Wagner to write the thing.

[Darkbloom]

The 'Opera on 3' section of the R3 website usually lists the broadcasts for the next few months, in case anyone is unaware. I imagine the Ring broadcasts have run into the Met season and been shunted accordingly. It's been so long since I've listened to a whole Met relay that Peter Allen was still doing the announcing.

[Rcartes]

I went to Siegfried last night and although the singing was terrific, otherwise it was an underwhelming performance, particularly that ludicrous production (at least hearing it on the radio we'll be spared that when it's broadcast next month).

Orchestrally, I was a bit disappointed: the forging scene was rather lethargic and the Forest Murmurs seemed to be cut very short. Did others think that, or was it my mistake?

Incidentally, one thing it emphasised for me (again) what a largely unattractive character Siegfried is: viciously bullying Mime one moment, whining for Mummy as soon as things get a bit sticky - and his tedious mansplaining during Brunnhilde's time of doubt at having lost her godhead was something I noticed for the first time (perhaps it was partly the translation: for example, it rendered "Das ist kein mann!" not as "That is no man!" but "That is a woman!" (how would he know anyway?). But again, that won't be noticed on the radio.

[Keraulophone]

I went to Siegfried last night and although the singing was terrific, otherwise it was an underwhelming performance, particularly that ludicrous production (at least hearing it on the radio we'll be spared that when it's broadcast next month).

I was also there, experiencing my first live cycle, and my reaction was a little different. I’m sorry to admit that I nearly fell asleep during the longeurs of the first half hour. Perhaps I was tired and still full of lunch (the excellent pies at the Holborn Rooms Brasserie), but IMVHO this part of the work doesn’t sustain interest as does the rest of Siegfried. I just don’t understand why there has to be a comic element in this most profound of operatic experiences.

My main gripe wasn’t with the production, which has been roundly dismissed in these pages and elsewhere, but with the flat intonation from the main character. There were at least four important moments when Stefan Vinke just couldn’t sustain high passages at the correct pitch. Once he’d cranked his voice up to where he thought it should be, but with approximately a quarter-tone higher still to go, it just remained there uncorrected, painfully (to these ears) out of tune with the orchestra. Surely an artist who has specialised in this role in over 100 performances over twelve years ought to have sorted this out by now. Was he having an ‘off’ night? I can’t tell, because I’m unlikely to hear him again. I realise that repeated exposure to perfected recordings made under studio conditions doesn’t prepare us for what sometimes happens in live performances, but when one is then treated to superlative performances from Lundgren and Stemme, amongst others, SV’s shortcomings are made to seem all too obvious.

The point about prefering to listen at home on the radio raises the point I alluded to in my earlier post, which is that the composer insisted that this work should be experienced in its totality as a Bühnenfestspiel and Gesamtkunstwerk in which all the resources of the arts - music, poetry, drama, architecture - would be ‘combined in a unified presentation of a single intuitive idea, from which no parts may be surrendered without losing their meaning’ (Scruton, 2016). In other words, even if one doesn’t like all or any aspects of a producer’s best efforts, the music ‘must’ be experienced in the theatre and should not be divorced from it if one is to respect Wagner’s intentions (as presented in The Art-Work of the Future, 1849).

I thought the forest scences were done well enough, and the literally acrobatic singing and acting of the Woodbird were excellent, though I am growing tired of the infamous white wall in all its permutations, rotations and angles.

[gurnemanz]

I am growing tired of the infamous white wall in all its permutations, rotations and angles.

I agree. It was mostly just a distraction trying to work out a) why it was there b) how it was working mechanically.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I'm pretty sure that Vinke was reasonably on the note for cycle one . Interestingly he seemed to have less vibrato above G say than mid range. I did think the songbird was sharp though...

[Darkbloom]

Just listening to the Rheingold and it appears Alberich doesn't know all the words. Towards the end of the first scene he was making it up as he went along. Very odd.

[underthecountertenor]

Just listening to the Rheingold and it appears Alberich doesn't know all the words. Towards the end of the first scene he was making it up as he went along. Very odd.

A pretty short-notice replacement, I understand (see above).

[Conchis]

I went to Siegfried last night and although the singing was terrific, otherwise it was an underwhelming performance, particularly that ludicrous production (at least hearing it on the radio we'll be spared that when it's broadcast next month).

Orchestrally, I was a bit disappointed: the forging scene was rather lethargic and the Forest Murmurs seemed to be cut very short. Did others think that, or was it my mistake?

Incidentally, one thing it emphasised for me (again) what a largely unattractive character Siegfried is: viciously bullying Mime one moment, whining for Mummy as soon as things get a bit sticky - and his tedious mansplaining during Brunnhilde's time of doubt at having lost her godhead was something I noticed for the first time (perhaps it was partly the translation: for example, it rendered "Das ist kein mann!" not as "That is no man!" but "That is a woman!" (how would he know anyway?). But again, that won't be noticed on the radio.

This is often cited as the central problem with the Ring as a whole and why Siegfried itself is the least popular of the four parts. Having a 'literal idiot' at the centre of your music drama is not a good idea - but Wagner couldn't really avoid it and the character does develop during Gotterdammerung.


Siegfried may be unsympathetic but the characters surrounding him are mostly even less so. The Waldvogel is the nearest thing to a 'good guy' in the whole opera! :)