Royal Opera's Ring Cycles

[Belgrove]

(you’re not Hugh Canning by any chance are you? )

How flattering (I think!), but no. I'll try and write about what I took to be the themes explored by the Jones Ring once this cycle has finished.

Sorry to learn you could not see the entire show kernelbogey. I share your reservations about Bullock, another reason for my not attending this cycle. Looking forward to hearing the broadcasts though.

[David-G]

I am following this discussion with interest, as I shall be going to the last of the cycles. I am sorry to read of the reservations about Susan Bullock; however, having seen Gwyneth Jones in the role through several Rings, I think I will survive a wobbly Brunnhilde. I have more reservations about the production; but I shall go with an open mind.

[amateur51]

I am following this discussion with interest, as I shall be going to the last of the cycles. I am sorry to read of the reservations about Susan Bullock; however, having seen Gwyneth Jones in the role through several Rings, I think I will survive a wobbly Brunnhilde. I have more reservations about the production; but I shall go with an open mind.

I'd be right behind you if Dame Gwyneth was in her prime

Good luck with Susan Bullock, David-G - please let us know how she does

[Richard Tarleton]

Encouraging review by Hugh Canning () in today's ST. I'm getting nicely excited about the prospect. David-G, will you be in the £1000 seats or in the amphitheatre with the rest of us ?

[David-G]

Encouraging review by Hugh Canning () in today's ST. I'm getting nicely excited about the prospect. David-G, will you be in the £1000 seats or in the amphitheatre with the rest of us ?

£1000 seats? Good Lord! The last ticket that I bought "downstairs" at Covent Garden (standbys excepted) cost about £10. That seemed a lot then. I shall be in the Amphi as always.

[Richard Tarleton]

£1000 seats? Good Lord! The last ticket that I bought "downstairs" at Covent Garden (standbys excepted) cost about £10. That seemed a lot then. I shall be in the Amphi as always.

Yes I remember paying £5 for stalls seats to see Sutherland and Pavarotti in 1973.....

[kernelbogey]

£1000 seats? ... I shall be in the Amphi as always.

£225, I believe - in Walkuere & Siegfried, between a rock and a hard place.

(I'll get me Tarnhelm.)

[Richard Tarleton]

£225, I believe - in Walkuere & Siegfried, between a rock and a hard place.

(I'll get me Tarnhelm.)

Acc. to the ST there were £1k packages for all 4.

I too am sorry you missed it kb. Hope what went wrong is OK now.

[gurnemanz]

The producer was indeed Goetz Friedrich. It was a very fine production; far better than anything we have seen at the ROH since. It did not have any producer's "concept" to obscure the staging and conflict with the music. The tilting platform was used in a most exciting way. I can remember Wotan towering on top of it.

However, I think that perhaps the finest Ring that I have seen was my first; the Goodall Ring at the ENO.

I have been waiting a long time for a Ring to equal these ... and I am still waiting.

Incidentally, Chereau produced the Ring at Bayreuth at this period. I did not think that we have seen his work at Covent Garden. It was set in a power station on the Rhine. Do you think this was the production you were referring to?

I'm due another Ring but won't make it this time. My first and so far only complete Ring cycle was in Leipzig 1973-76. The director, Joachim Herz, had been, along with Götz Friedrich, a student of Walter Felsenstein. I think he was the first to stage a "realistic" Ring, critical of capitalism, certainly ahead of Chereau. It was an impressive staging. I had never seen a traditional Ring and it seemed an entirely plausible interpretation to me at the time. Herz doesn't seem to get the credit he deserves. I suppose that not so many Westerners made it to East Germany to see it. He died two years ago.

http://boulezian.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/rip-joachim-herz-1924-2010.html

[kernelbogey]

It was announced on Music Matters this afternoon that the cycle of the week beginning 15th October will be broadcast live on Radio 3.

Rheingold is broadcast on Tuesday 16th October. That'll be live.

A leader in today's Guardian speaks of a repeat at Christmas.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Encouraging review by Hugh Canning () in today's ST. I'm getting nicely excited about the prospect. David-G, will you be in the £1000 seats or in the amphitheatre with the rest of us ?

It was Paul Driver in the ST, rather than Hugh though... or is this what the wink indicated?

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Rheingold is broadcast on Tuesday 16th October. That'll be live.

A leader in today's Guardian speaks of a repeat at Christmas.

I read somewhere that the Christmas repeat will, after Rheingold, be one act per day.

[Richard Tarleton]

It was Paul Driver in the ST, rather than Hugh though... or is this what the wink indicated?

Sorry, my mistake - I failed to read the byline and assumed it was HC.

The wink a feeble attempt at humour, see #42 .

[Stephen Smith]

Broadcast dates here:
http://www.roh.org.uk/news/bbc-radio...ers-ring-cycle.
I enjoyed the 1st run very much - the performances, including the orchestra were on the whole very good / excellent and overall the reward is from the whole experience. There are a couple of flaws (Susan Bullock's voice under stress, and the vocal quality of Stefan Vinke - not an open sound) but when will I be able to see The Ring in the UK again (avoiding 10 days holiday and hotel bills to match). My 2nd Ring - I saw the first run of this production 5 years ago. More discussion on the Intermezzo Blog:

[Flay]

Aren't those links the same, Stephen?

I wonder if the performances will be available on the iPlayer afterwards?