Four consecutive nights for The Ring on R3

[ardcarp]

Is there a dedicated thread anywhere about this? I've been fascinated by the Cycle ever since a student. It's been ever-present for the past four days either in the car or about the house...so I've only dipped in and out. But I've loved what I heard and always marvel at Wagner's colossal achievement. Even copying out the score would take me several lifetimes.

The only Wagner opera I ever saw complete and live was Die Meistersinger at Sadlers Wells in the late 60s. It was their policy always to do opera in English...but Walther had been taken ill, and a Walther was flown in from Germany, who of course sang his part in German! A strange experience, but somehow it didn't seem to matter. Especially not for his Preislied.

[bluestateprommer]

Is there a dedicated thread anywhere about this?

Yes, this thread: http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...-ROH-Ring-2018

[kernelbogey]

Yes, this thread: http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...-ROH-Ring-2018

I tried dipping into this thread last night while listening to some of Goetterdaemmerung; but it was hard to locate any useful comments on this performance of this part of the Ring.

I share Ardie's lifetime experience of having heard the four-evening cycle on Radio3, and its predecessors, over the decades, inititally appreciating only the purple passages but eventually developing a real interest in, and appreciation of, the whole four part Gesamtkunstwerk. I would welcome sharing experiences here of getting to know the Ring in the many different ways we all have.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I tried dipping into this thread last night while listening to some of Goetterdaemmerung; but it was hard to locate any useful comments on this performance of this part of the Ring.

I share Ardie's lifetime experience of having heard the four-evening cycle on Radio3, and its predecessors, over the decades, inititally appreciating only the purple passages but eventually developing a real interest in, and appreciation of, the whole four part Gesamtkunstwerk. I would welcome sharing experiences here of getting to know the Ring in the many different ways we all have.

For some reason Wagner doesn’t attract anything like the number of comments as Bruckner or Mahler even though he is IMHO, both a greater composer than either and much more significant in the history and development of 19th (and 20th for that matter ) century music. Not only that he’s also the most significant figure in 19th century drama ,and at a stretch, 19th century culture overall. Until recently he didn’t even have his own thread on the Composer Forums. Amazing to say but some people just don’t like his music!
I went to two parts of this cycle and have heard it on radio twice. I thought overall it was one of the best sung I’ve heard through unfortunately R3 recorded I think cycle 3 when Vinke’s voice was tiring. Stemme was magnificent though her vibrato seemed more prominent on air than in the earlier cycles I went to. Pappano and the orchestra sounded fabulous and were outstandingly well recorded.

[kernelbogey]

I went to two parts of this cycle and have heard it on radio twice. I thought overall it was one of the best sung I’ve heard through unfortunately R3 recorded I think cycle 3 when Vinke’s voice was tiring. Stemme was magnificent though her vibrato seemed more prominent on air than in the earlier cycles I went to. Pappano and the orchestra sounded fabulous and were outstandingly well recorded.

Yes - it was just that point about Vinke's voice for which I searched in the above mentioned thread yesterday, as he did sound under-powered and occasionally off the note; I gave up hunting for useful comment.

I saw the whole of the Covent Garden production with the revolving and tilting platform; irritatingly I cannot remember the producer's name. Permanently memorable moments of this which invariably come to my mind when hearing the relevant passages now are the gods very slowly ascending this platform-as-stairs at the end of Das Rheingold. And - it was a stunning coup-de-theatre - athletes in silvery body stockings gambolling as the Rhine Maidens to the closing pages of Goetterdaemmerung with the final bars sounding to an entirely empty stage.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yes - it was just that point about Vinke's voice for which I searched in the above mentioned thread yesterday, as he did sound under-powered and occasionally off the note; I gave up hunting for useful comment.

I saw the whole of the Covent Garden production with the revolving and tilting platform; irritatingly I cannot remember the producer's name. Permanently memorable moments of this which invariably come to my mind when hearing the relevant passages now are the gods very slowly ascending this platform-as-stairs at the end of Das Rheingold. And - it was a stunning coup-de-theatre - athletes in silvery body stockings gambolling as the Rhine Maidens to the closing pages of Goetterdaemmerung with the final bars sounding to an entirely empty stage.

Götz Friedrich ? ROH 70’s ? Second complete cycle I saw after Goodall at the ENO.

[kernelbogey]

Götz Friedrich ? ROH 70’s ?

Yes, thanks, that's right: i was at the 'Proms' cycle where they took out all the stalls seats and we stood in that space.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yes, thanks, that's right: i was at the 'Proms' cycle where they took out all the stalls seats and we stood in that space.

Yes the much missed Midland Proms ! Happy days...
Though the ones I went to you were asked to sit down which suited me fine...

[kernelbogey]

you were asked to sit down which suited me fine...

I, er, sit corrected!

I hope there might be some thoughtful reminscences here on how our appreciation of the Ring has changed over years of encountering different cycles from different theatres.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I, er, sit corrected!

I hope there might be some thoughtful reminscences here on how our appreciation of the Ring has changed over years of encountering different cycles from different theatres.

Yep the redoubtable Sergeant Martin used to make every one sit down - the exact opposite of the Proms.

It’s a shame the German Lady I sat next to at the ROH for Siegfried isn’t a forum member . She told me this was her 42nd Ring cycle . I’ve only seen a few complete - the Götz Friedrich and the ENO of the 70’s . The Goodall performances were by a country mile the best musically and still stand up well on cd . The problem in one word is Siegfried (the role ) - I’ve only seen a few good ones Remedios , Treleaven at his prime, Andreas Schager for Barenboim at the Proms, and Vinke in the performances I saw . I’ve seen so many crack up, not show up - it’s almost ,how can I put it , cursed !

[gurnemanz]

Yep the redoubtable Sergeant Martin used to make every one sit down - the exact opposite of the Proms.

It’s a shame the German Lady I sat next to at the ROH for Siegfried isn’t a forum member . She told me this was her 42nd Ring cycle . I’ve only seen a few complete - the Götz Friedrich and the ENO of the 70’s . The Goodall performances were by a country mile the best musically and still stand up well on cd . The problem in one word is Siegfried (the role ) - I’ve only seen a few good ones Remedios , Treleaven at his prime, Andreas Schager for Barenboim at the Proms, and Vinke in the performances I saw . I’ve seen so many crack up, not show up - it’s almost ,how can I put it , cursed !

42 Rings is impressive. There are fanatics around. We finally made Bayreuth in 2014. It happened to be what would have been my mother's 100th birthday. A good reason to toast her memory with some bubbly in the interval. Sitting next to us in the sunshine was a couple from Australia whose hobby was touring the world for RW performances.

In the early 70s we saw the famous Joachim Herz Ring Cycle in Leipzig, the birthplace both of the composer and the woman sitting next to me who later became my wife. The 2018 ROH was our second (probably last?) complete cycle.

Our last live opera (hopefully not last ever) was Fidelio just before ROH shut down last year. It was a matinee and a woman sitting next to us in the Amphitheatre was managing to fit it in on a day trip from Dublin.

[DracoM]

Sorry, but I just do NOT get Nina Stemme?
Wobbly vibrato. Non stop. How has she got the reputation? Heard her live at the Met - exactly the same...just do not get it.
'G-dung' One of my very favourite operas and I had to turn off.

[Ein Heldenleben]

42 Rings is impressive. There are fanatics around. We finally made Bayreuth in 2014. It happened to be what would have been my mother's 100th birthday. A good reason to toast her memory with some bubbly in the interval. Sitting next to us in the sunshine was a couple from Australia whose hobby was touring the world for RW performances.

In the early 70s we saw the famous Joachim Herz Ring Cycle in Leipzig, the birthplace both of the composer and the woman sitting next to me who later became my wife. The 2018 was our second (probably last?) complete cycle.

Our last live opera (hopefully not last ever) was Fidelio just before ROH shut down last year. It was a matinee and a woman sitting next to us in the Amphitheatre was managing to fit it in on a day trip from Dublin.

Wonderful memories Gurnemanz. I’ve been researching Bayreuth for the future - there’s always room for one more cycle! Even at €5000 euros for the package .Hmmm...
Talking of long distance opera lovers I once sat next to a lady from Tokyo who’d flown in that day to see Netrebko/Lukic in Macbeth at ROH . Boy was she annoyed at the Russians taking snaps during the end of the second act....

[kernelbogey]

'G-dung' One of my very favourite operas and I had to turn off.

[Thinks] Does G-dung = ?
Ach, nein, he's abbreviating....

[LHC]

My first experience of opera was Siegfried at ENO, with Alberto Remedios, Norman Bailey and Rita Hunter, conducted by Charles Mackerras. What an introduction! We had managed somehow to get stalls seats and were so close to the action. I loved every minute and I can still remember the effect on me of Rita Hunter when she started to sing. I don’t think I had ever heard such a thrilling sound emanating from a human being.

My first complete Ring cycle was the Gotz Friedrich Ring with the revolving stage at Covent Garden, from which many memorable images remain with me. I followed this with the later Friedrich Ring, borrowed from the Deutsche Oper, the Richard Jones Ring (a brilliant staging I thought), and then the Keith Warner Ring twice (but not these particular broadcast cycles sadly).

At ENO, I was bowled over by David Pountney’s production The Valkyrie, and was disappointed the cycle was never completed. I also saw, but never warmed to, Phyllida Lloyd’s Ring cycle, either as a production or musically.

On a visit to New York, we also saw Die Walkure from the old Otto Schenk cycle, conducted by Gergiev. Musically exciting, but dramatically dead in the water.