Four consecutive nights for The Ring on R3

[DracoM]

<< My first experience of opera was Siegfried at ENO, with Alberto Remedios, Norman Bailey and Rita Hunter, conducted by Charles Mackerras.>>

Ditto!

[Ein Heldenleben]

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.

My first was Tristan in 1973 ( I think ) at the ROH with Colin Davis . The stalls ticket was a fiver - about the price of an LP . Wagner wasn’t Colin Davis’s thing really though the music had an overwhelming impact on me . It was swiftly followed by the Ring at ENO with the never- to -be -forgotten cast you mention above . I think over the years I saw that production 3 times with Goodall and Mackerras . Also the Mastersingers there . After a not particularly special Parsifal under Solti at ROH I came to the conclusion that , in essence , when it came to Wagner ENO knocked ROH into a cocked hat...
Oh yes and then there was the WNO Tristan with Linda Esther Gray and Goodall . Great days.....

[Roslynmuse]

I saw the WNO Ring (except for Gotterdammerung) in Cardiff and Liverpool in the mid 80s, an Opera North Meistersinger in 85, ENO Tristan 96 (?), WNO Parsifal 2005 (?) and Meistersinger (2011) but everything else has been in concert performance - the Opera North cycle and Mark Elder's Hallé cycle, plus an Opera North Tristan, the Proms Parsifal in 2013 (which unlike for others on here bowled me over). Tenors do seem to be the limiting factor - the ENO Tristan and most of the Siegfried performances have been let down in those roles. I'm envious of those who have seen such great performances - I'm just grateful to have heard Goodall once, in Walkure.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I saw the WNO Ring (except for Gotterdammerung) in Cardiff and Liverpool in the mid 80s, an Opera North Meistersinger in 85, ENO Tristan 96 (?), WNO Parsifal 2005 (?) and Meistersinger (2011) but everything else has been in concert performance - the Opera North cycle and Mark Elder's Hallé cycle, plus an Opera North Tristan, the Proms Parsifal in 2013 (which unlike for others on here bowled me over). Tenors do seem to be the limiting factor - the ENO Tristan and most of the Siegfried performances have been let down in those roles. I'm envious of those who have seen such great performances - I'm just grateful to have heard Goodall once, in Walkure.

I was lucky enough to see Remedios in Tristan at ENO . His singing and characterisation of the words in Act 3 (like a Lieder singer ) was so magnificent I went to the box office and bought another ticket for the next performance. Mind you I thought Stuart Skelton was pretty good recently in the rather weird production at ENO.

[LHC]

My first was Tristan in 1973 ( I think ) at the ROH with Colin Davis . The stalls ticket was a fiver - about the price of an LP . Wagner wasn’t Colin Davis’s thing really though the music had an overwhelming impact on me . It was swiftly followed by the Ring at ENO with the never- to -be -forgotten cast you mention above . I think over the years I saw that production 3 times with Goodall and Mackerras . Also the Mastersingers there . After a not particularly special Parsifal under Solti at ROH I came to the conclusion that , in essence , when it came to Wagner ENO knocked ROH into a cocked hat...
Oh yes and then there was the WNO Tristan with Linda Esther Gray and Goodall . Great days.....

The ROH Parsifal with Solti was my second foray into opera. I didn’t know what to expect, having never heard it before; I just wanted to see another Wagner opera after my experience with Siegfried. I found it an overwhelming experience, and had the music going around in my head for days afterwards.

I too saw Colin Davis conducting Tristan, with Vickers and Gwyneth Jones in the main roles. This would have been in the early 80s, so a later revival than the performances you attended.

I should also have mentioned the two Proms ring cycles; the first one piecemeal, and the second with Barenboim.

Other Wagner performances include Parsifal at ENO under Goodall, with Siegfried Jerusalem as a super-sub singing Parsifal as Warren Ellsworth was ill. Other Parsifals include Rattle in Concert, Haitink at the ROH twice (Bill Bryden’s village hall production, and the later production with the suspended shark). Best of all was the famous Stefan Herheim production at Bayreuth, conducted by Phillipe Jordan the year we attended.

Other memorable Tristans included Remedios at ENO, and then later David Rendall with Susan Bullock. Less memorable was a concert performance with the LPO under Franz Welser Most taken at a breathless pace.

I’ve seen several performances of Die Meistersinger, but will never forget the unsurpassable Lucia Popp as Eva at the Opera House, with Reiner Goldberg and Norman Bailey, standing in for an indisposed Hans Sotin.

[gradus]

My attachment to Wagner came about because my oldest friend, since primary schooldays, was besotted by the music which for quite a while left me cold and I could never understand why he was so enamoured. Going to see the Klemperer Lohengrin at the ROH in the early sixties perched in the Slips with a partial view of the stage put me off the opera for life and I still don't care for it.
Tristan and Meistersinger converted me and I prefer them as well as Parsifal, to the Ring. Though I've seen Ring performances under a number of conductors imv none equalled Solti and whatever the orchestra may have thought of him their playing under his baton was all that you could wish for.
I haven't heard much of the R3 Ring broadcasts but whilst buying fish and chips last night I happened on Act 2of Gotterdamerung whilst waiting in the car but one singer was seriously vocally stressed by having to compete against the orchestra and the other out of tune, in any case it didn't make me want to listen further.
Best live performances ever for me, Parsifal conducted by Horst Stein at Bayreuth 1978 and Tristan conducted by Goodall in a concert performance at Snape.

[Ein Heldenleben]

The ROH Parsifal with Solti was my second foray into opera. I didn’t know what to expect, having never heard it before; I just wanted to see another Wagner opera after my experience with Siegfried. I found it an overwhelming experience, and had the music going around in my head for days afterwards.

I too saw Colin Davis conducting Tristan, with Vickers and Gwyneth Jones in the main roles. This would have been in the early 80s, so a later revival than the performances you attended.

I should also have mentioned the two Proms ring cycles; the first one piecemeal, and the second with Barenboim.

Other Wagner performances include Parsifal at ENO under Goodall, with Siegfried Jerusalem as a super-sub singing Parsifal as Warren Ellsworth was ill. Other Parsifals include Rattle in Concert, Haitink at the ROH twice (Bill Bryden’s village hall production, and the later production with the suspended shark). Best of all was the famous Stefan Herheim production at Bayreuth, conducted by Phillipe Jordan the year we attended.

Other memorable Tristans included Remedios at ENO, and then later David Rendall with Susan Bullock. Less memorable was a concert performance with the LPO under Franz Welser Most taken at a breathless pace.

I’ve seen several performances of Die Meistersinger, but will never forget the unsurpassable Lucia Popp as Eva at the Opera House, with Reiner Goldberg and Norman Bailey, standing in for an indisposed Hans Sotin.

That 80’s Tristan - I had a ticket for that but I think Vickers went sick the night I went and Gwyneth had that scoop on her voice . I’d forgotten David Rendall - what a great singer. Not sure whether I made the Popp Meistersinger but I definitely heard Goldberg and Bailey ...

[kernelbogey]

Mulling on this thread while doing other things, I recognise that while others (as noted in posts) find performances memorable for the singers; I find that aspects of the drama have stuck in my mind more permanently than who was on stage. For example (in addition to the performances I mentioned above in #5 ) the production - I think at Covent Garden, but can't be sure, maybe late 70s - which was televised (and so how I saw it) in which the singers of Fafner and Fasolt sat on the shoulders of wrestlers - such a brilliant staging idea.

I don't mean that I ignore the singing - more that Wagner's concept of the Gesamtkunstwerk is what has got me every time - singing, acting, the story, the drama, the music, the whole - pulled together by the Leitmotivs.

[LHC]

Mulling on this thread while doing other things, I recognise that while others (as noted in posts) find performances memorable for the singers; I find that aspects of the drama have stuck in my mind more permanently than who was on stage. For example (in addition to the performances I mentioned above in #5 ) the production - I think at Covent Garden, but can't be sure, maybe late 70s - which was televised (and so how I saw it) in which the singers of Fafner and Fasolt sat on the shoulders of wrestlers - such a brilliant staging idea.

I don't mean that I ignore the singing - more that Wagner's concept of the Gesamtkunstwerk is what has got me every time - singing, acting, the story, the drama, the music, the whole - pulled together by the Leitmotivs.

I think the production you recall was the groundbreaking Bayreuth production directed by Patrice Chereau and conducted by Boulez. It was shown on BBC2 in 1982 over 10 weeks, an Act each week, which worked really well as an introduction to Wagner for many of my generation. It was also an ideal production to use for this as the staging was so dynamic and well-acted.

By chance, I see that ENO have announced that they are to begin staging a new Ring cycle in the Autumn, to be directed by Richard Jones.

In a co-production with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the plan is to stage all four parts over five years at ENO’s vast home, the Coliseum, London’s largest theatre. It will begin with the Valkyrie this autumn. Rhinegold will premiere in 2022-23 followed by a reprise of the Valkyrie and new productions of Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods.

It will be directed by the multi-Olivier award winning Richard Jones, behind a famously loved and loathed Ring Cycle featuring Rhinemaidens (water nymphs) in latex nude body suits at Covent Garden in the 1990s.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/feb/24/eno-announces-bold-plan-to-stage-ring-cycle-from-the-autumn

I can’t imagine what the Met audience are going to make of Richard Jones cycle. It will certainly be different to the conservative productions they are used to!

[kernelbogey]

I think the production you recall was the groundbreaking Bayreuth production directed by Patrice Chereau and conducted by Boulez. It was shown on BBC2 in 1982 over 10 weeks, an Act each week, which worked really well as an introduction to Wagner for many of my generation. It was also an ideal production to use for this as the staging was so dynamic and well-acted....

Thanks LHC, I might eventually have recalled that it was Chereau's production, but memory is sometimes slow to come these days! Yes, the feature of it that I remember, and which was much commended at the time was how human all the interactions were, whether by gods, giants, nibelungen or mere humans.

I'm very glad to hear of the Richard Jones cycle:

behind a famously loved and loathed Ring Cycle featuring Rhinemaidens (water nymphs) in latex nude body suits at Covent Garden in the 1990s.

This must refer to the Friedrich production which I referred to in my post #5 above - though what they mean by 'behind' is puzzling!

Let's hope circumstances actually permit it to go ahead.

[LHC]

Thanks LHC, I might eventually have recalled that it was Chereau's production, but memory is sometimes slow to come these days! Yes, the feature of it that I remember, and which was much commended at the time was how human all the interactions were, whether by gods, giants, nibelungen or mere humans.

I'm very glad to hear of the Richard Jones cycle:

This must refer to the Friedrich production which I referred to in my post #5 above - though what they mean by 'behind' is puzzling!

Let's hope circumstances actually permit it to go ahead.

It isn’t a reference to the Friedrich rings at Covent Garden. Richard Jones directed the Ring there in the early 90s, with Haitink conducting. Haitink reportedly hated the production and refused to look at the stage while conducting. It was loathed by many, but I thought it was fantastic.

Jones does appear to have mellowed a bit since then, so his new Ring might not be so iconoclastic.

[kernelbogey]

It isn’t a reference to the Friedrich rings at Covent Garden. Richard Jones directed the Ring there in the early 90s, with Haitink conducting. Haitink reportedly hated the production and refused to look at the stage while conducting. It was loathed by many, but I thought it was fantastic.

Jones does appear to have mellowed a bit since then, so his new Ring might not be so iconoclastic.

Thanks again, LHC, glad of that reference - although Rhinemaidens (water nymphs) in latex nude body suits does accurately describe the closing minutes of Friedrich's Goetterdaemmerung to which I referred earlier.

The ENO website also has an announcement: no singers mentioned, though Martyn Brabbins will conduct.

[LHC]

Thanks again, LHC, glad of that reference - although Rhinemaidens (water nymphs) in latex nude body suits does accurately describe the closing minutes of Friedrich's Goetterdaemmerung to which I referred earlier.

The ENO website also has an announcement: no singers mentioned, though Martyn Brabbins will conduct.

You are quite right that both productions used latex body suits, although the ones used by Richard Jones were visually very different; once seen, never forgotten!

[Ein Heldenleben]

I think the production you recall was the groundbreaking Bayreuth production directed by Patrice Chereau and conducted by Boulez. It was shown on BBC2 in 1982 over 10 weeks, an Act each week, which worked really well as an introduction to Wagner for many of my generation. It was also an ideal production to use for this as the staging was so dynamic and well-acted.

By chance, I see that ENO have announced that they are to begin staging a new Ring cycle in the Autumn, to be directed by Richard Jones.

In a co-production with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the plan is to stage all four parts over five years at ENO’s vast home, the Coliseum, London’s largest theatre. It will begin with the Valkyrie this autumn. Rhinegold will premiere in 2022-23 followed by a reprise of the Valkyrie and new productions of Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods.

It will be directed by the multi-Olivier award winning Richard Jones, behind a famously loved and loathed Ring Cycle featuring Rhinemaidens (water nymphs) in latex nude body suits at Covent Garden in the 1990s.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/feb/24/eno-announces-bold-plan-to-stage-ring-cycle-from-the-autumn

I can’t imagine what the Met audience are going to make of Richard Jones cycle. It will certainly be different to the conservative productions they are used to!

From what I remember the Chereau / Boulez Ring had a terrible reception at Bayreuth and was roundly booed at each performance. I thought it quite intriguing - and pretty pale compared to what directors do now. The nineties Ring at Covent Garden I liked and preferred to the current Keith Warner. It was also very well sung with Tomlinson having much more of a Wotan voice ( and appearance ! ) than Lundgren. Despite his distaste Haitink conducted it superbly.
On a personal note I had a very small hand in one of the BBC 2 relays of the Boulez Ring . It involved keeping the soundtrack ( on a 4 track Studer A80 ) in sync with the video . I think the video was at Telly centre and the audio tape at broadcasting house. To keep it in sync meant listening to the audio feed from TC occasionally and waiting for it to go phasey ( a sort of weird swooshing distortion ) with the audio from the A80 and then nudging it back into sync . I can’t tell you how much that experience ruins listening to 4 hours 30 mins of Gotterdamerung !
Finally great news about the ENO Ring - a real confidence booster for them...

[LHC]

From what I remember the Chereau / Boulez Ring had a terrible reception at Bayreuth and was roundly booed at each performance. I thought it quite intriguing - and pretty pale compared to what directors do now. The nineties Ring at Covent Garden I liked and preferred to the current Keith Warner. It was also very well sung with Tomlinson having much more of a Wotan voice ( and appearance ! ) than Lundgren. Despite his distaste Haitink conducted it superbly.
On a personal note I had a very small hand in one of the BBC 2 relays of the Boulez Ring . It involved keeping the soundtrack ( on a 4 track Studer A80 ) in sync with the video . I think the video was at Telly centre and the audio tape at broadcasting house. To keep it in sync meant listening to the audio feed from TC occasionally and waiting for it to go phasey ( a sort of weird swooshing distortion ) with the audio from the A80 and then nudging it back into sync . I can’t tell you how much that experience ruins listening to 4 hours 30 mins of Gotterdamerung !
Finally great news about the ENO Ring - a real confidence booster for them...

Yes, I believe the first cycle in 1976 provoked a near riot with its few supporters coming to blows with those in the audience who were shocked by its modernity, and its industrial setting. By the time of its final performances in 1980, however, it had been recognized as a great production, with the final performance of Gotterdammerung receiving a 45 minute standing ovation.

Thanks as well for the information about syncing the TV and radio broadcasts. This was before NICAM when TV sound was very poor, and so the only way to improve the sound for concerts and operas was to listen to the radio and watch on TV.

I was at University at the time and in the shared house I lived in we agreed to buy a portable TV just so we could watch the Ring (we didn’t have TV in the house before that), setting the TV up between the stereo speakers so we could listen to the radio 3 broadcast at the same time.