Met - Wagner Ring in Cinemas

[Dave2002]

I noticed that Die Walküre is on at the cinema in a while (March 30), but it doesn't look as though the whole Ring cycle is going to be available in the UK.

I'm actually rather amazed at how many performances the NY Met is putting on - see https://www.metopera.org/season/2018-19-season/ Obviously they decided not to put out the whole season for worldwide cinema distribution.

I think there have been - or are going to be - complete cycles of the Ring in cinemas, but (a) not necessarily Live, perhaps using recordings from previous seasons, and (b) maybe only in the USA.

https://www.metopera.org/season/tick...-ring-returns/ Details of the current series

It probably doesn't bother me particularly, but I've got friends who are addicted to this sort of thing.

[BBMmk2]

I’d love to see this!

[Conchis]

Good cast. I'm a Georke fan, though I suspect she's going to have a short career.

Hate to say it, but Skelton needs to lose weight - he was morbidly obese for the Covent Garden Ring and it can't be good for his longevity, or his blood pressure. Plus, the days when what Ernest Nemwan described as 'amphora tenors' are long gone.....

[Darkbloom]

Good cast. I'm a Georke fan, though I suspect she's going to have a short career.

Hate to say it, but Skelton needs to lose weight - he was morbidly obese for the Covent Garden Ring and it can't be good for his longevity, or his blood pressure. Plus, the days when what Ernest Nemwan described as 'amphora tenors' are long gone.....

I think they worry about the effect that losing weight will have on their voice. Deborah Voigt certainly didn't sound better once she slimmed down. Or Ben Heppner either. I'm sure it's more complicated than I make it sound but tenors are always going to worry about their voice above all else, and if they're good enough (or in the case of Wagner tenors, just about adequate and reasonably durable) the fact that they're about as manoeuverable as an ocean liner isn't going to worry them much.
Being overweight didn't stop Johan Botha, after all.

Edit: I forgot, he's dead. Bad example.

[Conchis]

I think they worry about the effect that losing weight will have on their voice. Deborah Voigt certainly didn't sound better once she slimmed down. Or Ben Heppner either. I'm sure it's more complicated than I make it sound but tenors are always going to worry about their voice above all else, and if they're good enough (or in the case of Wagner tenors, just about adequate and reasonably durable) the fact that they're about as manoeuverable as an ocean liner isn't going to worry them much.
Being overweight didn't stop Johan Botha, after all.

Edit: I forgot, he's dead. Bad example.

I think latterly Botha had mobility problems. When I saw him in Die Frau....at CG a few years ago, parts of the production seemed to have been adapted to suit his limitations.

Remember Gary Lakes? American tenor, Siegmund in Levine's Ring cycle. He was a former American football player: bulky, but he looked convincing in costume.

[Darkbloom]

I think latterly Botha had mobility problems. When I saw him in Die Frau....at CG a few years ago, parts of the production seemed to have been adapted to suit his limitations.

Remember Gary Lakes? American tenor, Siegmund in Levine's Ring cycle. He was a former American football player: bulky, but he looked convincing in costume.

I think I saw Botha at CG in that too. Dohnanyi conducting, and very impressively as far as I recall, although it must be around 15 years ago. I find that opera a struggle, though. Great moments interspersed with note-spinning.

I'm familiar with Lakes's name and I've probably heard him but I don't recall very much. He sounds like a lot singers (many, although not exclusively, in Wagner) who pop up for a while only to disappear.

[Conchis]

I think I saw Botha at CG in that too. Dohnanyi conducting, and very impressively as far as I recall, although it must be around 15 years ago. I find that opera a struggle, though. Great moments interspersed with note-spinning.

I'm familiar with Lakes's name and I've probably heard him but I don't recall very much. He sounds like a lot singers (many, although not exclusively, in Wagner) who pop up for a while only to disappear.

Botha was in both the John Cox production you describe above and in the production that replaced it a couple of years ago (can't recall director or conductor). The first was one of his earliest international appearances, the second one of his last.

Lakes was actually a pretty good tenor - I know it sounds like damning with faint praise when I say this, but he was a good 'substitute heldentenor' without being either the thing itself, or a 'baritone with a bit on top'. Not as lyrical as Siegfried Jerusalem. Charles Dutoit evidently thought well enough of him to cast him as Enee in his recording of Les Troyens.

https://youtu.be/1CkJjrC_3BI

[Howdenite]

Botha was in both the John Cox production you describe above and in the production that replaced it a couple of years ago (can't recall director or conductor). The first was one of his earliest international appearances, the second one of his last.


https://youtu.be/1CkJjrC_3BI

The last was 2014. Semyon Bychkov conducted. Claus Guth directed. Botha, the rest of the cast and the orchestra were phenomenal. Production forgetable (for me, at least). He wasn't easy to watch but was wonderful to hear.

[Conchis]

The last was 2014. Semyon Bychkov conducted. Claus Guth directed. Botha, the rest of the cast and the orchestra were phenomenal. Production forgetable (for me, at least). He wasn't easy to watch but was wonderful to hear.

The only thing I can remember about that production was the animal heads.

I'd agree: the cast was phenomenal.

[Darkbloom]

Botha was in both the John Cox production you describe above and in the production that replaced it a couple of years ago (can't recall director or conductor). The first was one of his earliest international appearances, the second one of his last.

Lakes was actually a pretty good tenor - I know it sounds like damning with faint praise when I say this, but he was a good 'substitute heldentenor' without being either the thing itself, or a 'baritone with a bit on top'. Not as lyrical as Siegfried Jerusalem. Charles Dutoit evidently thought well enough of him to cast him as Enee in his recording of Les Troyens.


https://youtu.be/1CkJjrC_3BI

The word 'heldentenor' really gets thrown around far too often. I can only think of a few like Melchior, Vinay and Vickers, while the rest are 'make-do' singers, often very good ones like Jerusalem and Windgassen, but not ideal. The same goes for bass-baritones in my opinion, a true one may be even rarer than a heldentenor.

It can't be easy arranging insurance if you're a tenor in the German repertoire, they seem to drop like flies. It was only recently I found out that Endrik Wottrich died too. I only saw him once, in Fidelio, where he murdered the role of Florestan more effectively than Don Pizarro ever could. Another of those singers who you wonder how they ever had a career.

[Conchis]

The word 'heldentenor' really gets thrown around far too often. I can only think of a few like Melchior, Vinay and Vickers, while the rest are 'make-do' singers, often very good ones like Jerusalem and Windgassen, but not ideal. The same goes for bass-baritones in my opinion, a true one may be even rarer than a heldentenor.

It can't be easy arranging insurance if you're a tenor in the German repertoire, they seem to drop like flies. It was only recently I found out that Endrik Wottrich died too. I only saw him once, in Fidelio, where he murdered the role of Florestan more effectively than Don Pizarro ever could. Another of those singers who you wonder how they ever had a career.

Actually, I think Melchior may be the only heldentenor who ever lived, based on recorded evidence. I don't think Vickers quite fit the bill and he limited his Wagner roles to three (only one of which - Tristan - is considered a true heldentenor role). He famously (and controversially) shied off from Tannhauser.

I've never thought of Vinay as a heldentenor or even as a tenor, really - though I know some will disagree.

Others - like Max Lorenz - remain disputed.

Jean de Reske is the other name that pops up here, but he - perhaps cannily - demanded that the masters of the recordings he made in the 00s be destroyed. I think he had a Nijinksy-like eye on protecting his legend. You can, supposedly, make out his faint echo on this dodgy excerpt: https://youtu.be/YVmDitn0zVw

[DracoM]

Might be able to listen to it, but WATCH it?..................brrr!

[underthecountertenor]

I think they worry about the effect that losing weight will have on their voice. Deborah Voigt certainly didn't sound better once she slimmed down. Or Ben Heppner either. I'm sure it's more complicated than I make it sound but tenors are always going to worry about their voice above all else, and if they're good enough (or in the case of Wagner tenors, just about adequate and reasonably durable) the fact that they're about as manoeuverable as an ocean liner isn't going to worry them much.
Being overweight didn't stop Johan Botha, after all.

Edit: I forgot, he's dead. Bad example.

In terms of overweight tenors, nobody seems to have mentioned the dead elephant in the room.

[Darkbloom]

In terms of overweight tenors, nobody seems to have mentioned the dead elephant in the room.

He managed to waddle into his 70s, though, which isn't bad for a man of his surplus tonnage.