Ring Cycle for the 21st Century -”Das Rheingold”

Despite on and off rain showers, the Metropolitan Opera went all out for its Opening Night performance of Wagner’s Das Rheingold on September 27. The first opera in Wagner’s four-part “Ring Cycle”, was presented in a new production by Cirque du Soleil creator Robert Le Page. Among the notable guests who attended the performance were actors Patrick Stewart, Meg Ryan, and Patricia Clarkson. Thousands of Wagner-lovers filled the auditorium, and many more opera fans braved the rain to watch a live simulcast in Times Square and Lincoln Center Plaza. The stage was set for a memorable night at the Met!

Meg Ryan poses for photographers at Opening Night at the Met.

Bryn Terfel as his first Met Wotan exuded the masculinity and confidence essential to the character. He sang with his usual intensity – sometimes to the extent that his top notes sounded gravelly. Eric Owens, displayed his powerful bass in the role of Alberich , but  his phrases sounded a bit muddled from where I was seated. Stephanie Blythe portrayed Wotan’s nagging wife, Fricka, and sang with her characteristic, full-bodied mezzo sound. Richard Croft was light and agile in the role of Loge and Patricia Bardon sang a hauntingly beautiful Erda. The other gods – Wendy Bryn Harmer as Freia, Adam Diegel as Froh, and Dwayne Croft as Donner – all sang well in their small but important roles. Lisette Oropesa, Jennifer Johnson, and Tamara Mumford were youthful and carefree Rhinemadiens. Hanz -Peter Koning and Fran-Josef Selig displayed their booming voices as the giants Fafner and  Fasolt. Gerhard Siegel embodied the weak and clumsy character of Mime, without sacrificing anything vocally. This is an exhilarating cast to inaugurate the Met’s newest Ring cycle.

Another star of the evening was the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra under the leadership of Music Director James Levine, celebrating his 40^th anniversary with the company this season. They played magnificently as usual and brought out the brilliance of Wagner’s score. Levine, who hadn’t conducted since February, received a well-deserved standing ovation when he entered the orchestra pit. Hopefully, he will conduct all his performances in this and many more seasons to come.

The Metroplitan Opera lobby filled to capacity on Opening Night.

The set was extraordinarily complex and I was fascinated while watching its fluid motions. The majority of the set decorations were projections that moved when the singers interacted with them, giving the scenes a realistic quality. The opening scene was especially beautiful. The Rhinemadiens where suspended against a cerulean background and their singing caused “bubbles” to ascend. This detail, combined with their swimming-like movements, created the most convincing stage picture of the evening.

Although the set is a technical marvel, it isn’t perfect. The projections limited the production’s dramatic effect during key moments of the plot. The long argument between Wotan and Fricka was played against a flat, gray backdrop, causing this section of the performance to drag. Also, the performer’s shoes squeaked when they walked on the smooth surfaces of the set – like sneakers on a basketball court. And when the set moved, the machines that cause the various planks to turn were loud and sometimes distracting from the music. However, these issues are minor compared to the overall innovation of the staging.

With all the technological advances of the set, it unfortunately malfunctioned in the crucial last moments of the opera. After Froh “creates” a rainbow bridge to Valhalla, presumably all the planks would drop down and the performers  ascend  into the “heavens”. Instead, the planks never moved and the gods never entered Valhalla. It was disappointing to see such a clever aspect of the production fail during the last triumphant moments of the opera.

Another disappointment had nothing to do with the performance, but with the reactions of some audience members. After the curtain came down at the end of the performance, the audience erupted into hearty applause, but when Robert LePage stepped forward for his bow, half of the Family Circle audience let out vociferous boos. I could understand this reaction if the production didn’t resemble Wagner’s original stage directions. However,  LePage and his team modernized the opera’s look while still keeping the essence of the story intact.

The "stage is set" for a new Ring Cycle!

If you want to experience this fascinating production, there are limited ways to do so. All performances are sold out – of course, Rush tickets are available as usual.  However, the “Live in HD” transmission will be presented worldwide on Saturday October 9^th with an encore presentation on Wednesday October 27. Check the Met Opera website, www.metopera.org, for more information.

You can see pictures and learn more about the new production of Das Rheingold at the Met’s Ring mini site…

http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/hd_events_template.aspx?id=12572

…or check out a photo gallery from the production at…

http://archives.metoperafamily.org/Imgs/Rheingold1011.htm

To contact me, send an e-mail to cbrowner@taftschool.org.

<!–[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]–><!–[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]–><!–[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]–> <!–[endif]–>– Wendy Bryn Harmer as Fricka, Adam Diegel as Froh, and Dwayne Croft and Donner – all sang well in their small but important roles. Lisette Oropesa, Jennifer Johnson, and Tamara Mumford were youthful and carefree Rhinemadiens. Gerhard Siegel embodied the weak and clumsy character of Mime, without sacrificing anything vocally. This is an exhilarating cast to inaugurate the Met’s newest Ring Cycle.