Cycle trailer: https://youtu.be/WQWvSDzdeGA
Well, if this is anything to go by, then the cycle will mark the climax of my coronavirus operatic streamed viewing! It was grippingly stunning – and, incidentally with a very good English translation in the subtitles which managed to keep a very large amount of the almost absurd amount of alliteration that is in Wagner’s original.
The opening was utterly magical. The pedal Eb and the gradual growth as the prelude unfolded was as amazing as I have ever found it – and my excellent soundbar meant that I could really appreciate it. There was TOTAL darkness to begin with – and for a little while too and then gradually light, starting with a brilliant blue spot high up that gradually expanded and changed to reveal the set and giving us the sense of descending to the river.
The set deserves a brief (and hopefully clear) picture. A large platform is angled over the majority of the stage – it seems it can rise and fall although I suspect there is more to it than we saw in this work – and there is a second one which comes down on the side of the stage.
But the most unusual aspect – for Wagner if not for interesting operatic stagings – are the walkways which go from the corner of the stage and meet in front of the stalls just behind the conductor, allowing where dramatically right, a strong sense of two locations and/or dramatic isolation of a character as well as pulling the audience in and allowing for almost cinematic detail of performance to be conveyed – which in the excellent filming was wonderfully shown.
Platforms seem to be something of a Ting staging feature now – I recall Gotz Friedrich at Covent Garden in the 70’s/80’s (?), the ENO – although not a moving one I think and, of course the notorious Robert LePage at the Met
The main platform was transparent with a couple of uprights and one could see the structure beneath and the stage which had an interesting range of objects etc. on it; not quite sure what they were or why but early days yet. The gold was wonderfully shown a glittering crystalline lump, brilliantly illuminated from within and without. The transparent surface of the platform provided an excellent surface for the Rhinemaidens, effectively conveying graceful movement in contrast to Alberich who was clumsily slipping and sliding all over the place; his first appearance was at the apex of the walkways – very effective it was too. The costumes for the Rhinemaidens were red one-piece units with lines suggesting folds and this ‘look’ was also very similar to what the gods were wearing – but theirs were far fuller with many, many folds but still suggesting a connection with the gods. They each had one vivid colour (Wotan red) and I thought it particularly effective the way that for Freia, obviously in yellow, was constantly bathed in a yellow light so that when the gods were near her the acquired that golden glow of youth – a really smart and subtle detail I thought. The giants, on the other hand, being from earth, looked as if they were carved from rock with hard excrescences all over them. A very effective look, clearly visually distinguishing them form everyone else on stage and giving them the greater size and bulk that is necessary. Alberich and Mime, the latter in particular, had something insect like about them. The back end of Mime’s costume was ridged and almost came to a point like that of a beetle. Creepily effective. But it was the Nibelung hordes who were definitely the most disturbing looking – small stooped figures (children?) of more or less human shape but with a sense that they were not fully formed – and their heads were completely covered with a skull shape that very strongly recalled the look of the elephant man.
In the second scene we saw the second platform appear, again angled and it struck me that here the technology was completely at the service of the drama and music; it was not a feature (i.e. distraction) in its own right. Interestingly, Wotan was not carrying a spear but it seems that one massive strut that came down to the edge of the second platform acted as that – interesting.
Loge was excellent – it really is a gift of a part – and the camp element that is a part of him was not overdone as it can be and he had the necessary seductiveness and charm too. Froh and Donner both came across as somewhat ineffective characters – again an interesting idea I thought but am not sure …
The third scene in Nibelheim was effectively hellish (but the anvils were VERY feeble sounding!) and the second platform was now raised a little so that the floor of the stage could be used – and this revealed it looking like the edge of a massive gold ingot. Nice! The transformation into the dragon was wonderful – fire-belching details only seen. But it was the first use of the Ring by Alberich that provided the most spectacular moment with flames erupting all over the stage as he wielded it towards the terrified Nibelheim hordes. Very promising for other scenes in the cycle -and apparently fire is a favoured feature of the director Audi. The Tarnhelm was a larger artefact than is often seen but for me bore a slightly unfortunate resemblance to the sorting hat in the filmed Harry Potter. But it had the ridges and layers that were a feature of the gods and Rhinemaidens costumes which I am sure was deliberate.
The journey up to Valhalla convinced – at one stage we passed through the Rhine, imaginatively done by lighting. In this final scene the arguments between Loge and Wotan were riveting (which is often not the case) as each tried to get the logical and moral upper hand. I found that every aspect of the drama was riveting, moment to moment and I am sure the excellent translation and acting helped. The fight between Wotan and Fafner for the ring was pettily vicious and Wotan’s use of brute force was clearly stressed.
Erda made a striking appearance – in two distinct aspects, shown by her split costume, wig and facial make-up so that when in profile, on one side she was white, on the other black. Beautifully other-worldly and a ‘look’ that was quite unlike anything else we had seen –as it should be given her nature and role.
The entry in Valhalla matched the music (always a major challenge) but it was highly effective to have Fafner remain, gloating in front of the gold with his brother’s body lying on stage – all aspects in place for the next stage of the drama.
So, stunningly exciting, very fine musically (although at times Wotan was a tad underpowered I felt). On to the next stage! Woo! Can’t wait!
Wotan Thomas Johannes Mayer
Donner Vladimir Baykov
Froh Marcel Reijans
Loge Stefan Margita
Alberich Werner Van Mechelen
Mime Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke
Fasolt Stephen Milling
Fafner Jan-Hendrik Rootering
Fricka Doris Soffel
Freia Anna Gabler
Erda Marina Prudenskaja
Woglinde Machteld Baumans
Wellgunde Barbara Senator
Flosshilde Bettina Ranch
Muzikale leiding Hartmut Haenchen