Your Favourite Wotan?

[Guest]

For most (of for most of a certain age), Hans Hotter reigns supreme. However, I have to say, I've never been entirely convinced by HH's assumption of this role and, until recently, I wasn't quite sure why. Then the penny dropped: I find Hotter's interpretation too high-minded/cerebral. Hotter goes for the nobility and misses the baser aspects of the character: Wotan is, when all is said and done, a selfish sensualist who fathers eleven children by two different women during the course of the operas, while leaving his spouse to grow old and bitter (and, presumably, childless). In this respect, I find Thomas Stewart's far more masculine assumption for Karajan to be superior.

Anyone got any preferences?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Willard White was quite superb in Rattle's Prom performance of Das Rheingold with the OAE at the Proms a few years ago.
Hotter was just too wobbly by the time he recorded the part with Solti, though his interpretation still shone though.

[Mandryka]

Willard White was quite superb in Rattle's Prom performance of Das Rheingold with the OAE at the Proms a few years ago.
Hotter was just too wobbly by the time he recorded the part with Solti, though his interpretation still shone though.

I think Hotter was always at his best as the Wanderer in Siegfried: I believe he was never entirely comfortable with the Rheingold Wotan. And the wobble can be heard on recordings made in the fifties, as well as on the Solti Ring.

[kernelbogey]

I've only once seen the Ring live and that was the Goetz Friedrich production at Covent Garden - that must have been the '70s, and I can't remember who was the Wotan.

I've always found John Tomlinson excellent in the broadcasts I've heard.

But I wonder if the above two posts are referring to recordings - i.e. voice. One of the things IMV that makes Placido Domingo an outstanding operatic artist - I'm not referring to Wagner here - is that he can act as well as he can sing. I've seen him in a number of roles on stage and he is superb.

I don't know whether Hans Hotter and Willard White have sung the role on stage but I'm curious about widening the question posed here. Wotan's deviousness, shame and rage need to be acted.

[Mandryka]

I've only once seen the Ring live and that was the Goetz Friedrich production at Covent Garden - that must have been the '70s, and I can't remember who was the Wotan.

I've always found John Tomlinson excellent in the broadcasts I've heard.

But I wonder if the above two posts are referring to recordings - i.e. voice. One of the things IMV that makes Placido Domingo an outstanding operatic artist - I'm not referring to Wagner here - is that he can act as well as he can sing. I've seen him in a number of roles on stage and he is superb.

I don't know whether Hans Hotter and Willard White have sung the role on stage but I'm curious about widening the question posed here. Wotan's deviousness, shame and rage need to be acted.

Very true. Hotter and White both sang the role many times on stage and I think footage exists of both.

Tomlinson was the reigning Wotan of his day, but that day has now passed: a shame, as he still looks great and has the commanding presence required for the role.

[Richard Tarleton]

Having heard 8 live John Tom Wotans across 2 productions (3 Rheingold, 2 Walkure and 3 Siegfried), for me it will always be Tomlinson. I've recently bought the Barenboim DVDs but have not got round to playing them. In October I'll have to settle for ....no, this is not the place to start that. At least Tomlinson will be singing Hagen.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I think Hotter was always at his best as the Wanderer in Siegfried: I believe he was never entirely comfortable with the Rheingold Wotan. And the wobble can be heard on recordings made in the fifties, as well as on the Solti Ring.

George London was Solti's Wotan for Das Rheingold.

[Mandryka]

George London was Solti's Wotan for Das Rheingold.

Yes, and very fine he was. I've always wondered what went on at Decca/RCA and how London might have felt about being 'dropped' from the rest of the Solti Ring - though he did, of course, feature as Wotan in the excellent Leinsdorf Walkure.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I find Hotter's interpretation too high-minded/cerebral. Hotter goes for the nobility and misses the baser aspects of the character: Wotan is, when all is said and done, a selfish sensualist who fathers eleven children by two different women during the course of the operas, while leaving his spouse to grow old and bitter (and, presumably, childless). In this respect, I find Thomas Stewart's far more masculine assumption for Karajan to be superior.

Anyone got any preferences?

Yes to Thomas Stewart (but isn't DF-D the Wotan in Karajan's Rheingold recording? The same "flaws" as you mention with regard to Hotter, I think.)

Someone who got the seedy Wotan was Donald McIntyre: that grainy snarl in the voice as he forces himself to speak to lesser beings for whom he has nothing but contempt; the bluster as he tries to justify himself to his wife; wheedling self-pity when he talks to his daughter - and the noble generosity of his farewell to her. A superb portrayal.

[BBMmk2]

John Tom li nson has always beewn one of my favourites butanother one to put inb the mix, Bryn Terfel?

[Mandryka]

Yes to Thomas Stewart (but isn't DF-D the Wotan in Karajan's Rheingold recording? The same "flaws" as you mention with regard to Hotter, I think.)

Someone who got the seedy Wotan was Donald McIntyre: that grainy snarl in the voice as he forces himself to speak to lesser beings for whom he has nothing but contempt; the bluster as he tries to justify himself to his wife; wheedling self-pity when he talks to his daughter - and the noble generosity of his farewell to her. A superb portrayal.

I generally like MacIntyre but I'm not familiar with his Wotan: must watch the Chereau Ring again soon!

As to Terfel....well, leaving personal considerations aside, I don't much care for his 'crooning'.

[Mandryka]

DF-D is an interesting Rheingold Wotan for Karajan: this recording dates from around the time D F-D was attempting to sing anything, regardless of how it might sit with his voice (only shortly before, he had been offered the role of Siegmund in the Solti Walkure - !- and had only turned it down after deep consideration). Personally, I quite like it, though I think a weightier and more extroverted voice is needed.

[Petrushka]

A strong welcome back to the boards, Mandryka.

Yes, being of that certain age, Hotter reigns supreme for me - and what a joy it was to meet him after a 1994 Proms Gurrelieder.

As Mandryka indicates, Hotter was never happy with the Rheingold Wotan which is why the role went to the excellent George London for the Solti Ring. I'm not particularly troubled by the wobble in all honesty.

Other notable exponents not yet mentioned include Ferdinand Frantz who recorded the role for Furtwangler, and in more modern times there include James Morris, who sang at the New York Met for many years and Robert Hale whom I saw take the part in a 1990 Berlin Siegfried.

There is a quite wonderful recording of Wotan's Farewell made in the doomed city of Dresden in 1944 by Josef Herrmann and I would have given away the Nibelung Hoard itself for a complete portrayal on disc.

[Belgrove]

Insofar as performances in the theatre are concerned, Tomlinson (in the 90's) had the stamina, could handle the technical vocal challenges, and was supreme in acting the multifaceted aspects that the role presents. Wotan is not just a god (sic), he's Everyman and Tomlinson caught the light, dark, ferocity and tenderness of the character in his portrayals to a greater extent than anyone else I have seen.

Terfel has the makings of an important Wotan. He's now in mid-Wotan career, but has not yet produced a great performance. When in form, he sings the role very beautifully (rare for a Wotan, he can sing quietly when required, and that generates tension in the theatre) but he has not plumbed the depths that the role contains. Maybe this afternoon in New York...?

[Chris Newman]

Hotter in the early fifties was beautiful and made several fine live recordings with Keilberth (1955 Bayreuth), Knappertsbusch (Bayreuth 1956), Krauss (1954), Kempe (Covent Garden 1957) and Fritz Stiedry (NY Met 1951).

Another favourite Wotan of mine is Norman Bailey, probably the most noble, though his anger and deviousness was powerful as well. He never recorded Wotan in German but is found on the Chandos ENO Ring with Goodall and another Opera Depot Ring with Goodall and Mackerras. He can be heard as the Dutchman and Sachs with Solti on Decca and Sachs, live at Bayreuth with Klobucar on Opera Depot. The microphone is not always kind to Bailey's voice in recordings whereas in the flesh he was usually very warm. Donald McIntyre and John Tomlinson were also superb Wotans in their prime. It was wonderful to hear DM sing Act 1 of Die Walkure with the Wiltshire Youth Orchestra in Salisbury.