As stated in Monday's introductory post, in May I attended Edmonton Opera's production of Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold), the first opera in Wagner's Ring Cycle.
The Plot:
An angry Nibelung dwarf named Alberich steals magical gold guarded by water nymphs known as the Rhinemaidens. He renounces Love so that he can forge a Ring of Power from the gold and rule over others. By trickery and deception, the Ring is stolen by Wotan, King of the Gods. Alberich retaliates by putting a major curse on the Ring and on whoever possesses it.
Wotan reluctantly gives up the Ring as payment to two Giants he had hired to build Valhalla, so as to avoid giving them the Goddess Freia as payment instead, which he had foolishly agreed to do under the construction contract. Freia's magical Apples of Youth are needed to keep the Gods young and healthy, so it would be disastrous to part with her. Once the Giants have the Ring, the curse kicks in and one kills the other in order to possess the Ring by himself.
The opera ends with all the Gods and Goddesses entering Valhalla, their new home in the heavens. Much to Wotan's annoyance, the Rhinemaidens can still be distantly heard far below, crying and calling for the return of their stolen Rhinegold.
[Production photo by Nanc Price]
The Staging:
Wagner's Ring Cycle has always been notoriously difficult to stage because of its many magical and mythological elements. Edmonton Opera used a modern set, contemporary costumes and giant symbolic air-filled bubbles to represent the Rhinegold. A scaled-down Edmonton Symphony Orchestra played on an elevated bridge above the set. The opera's English subtitles appeared electronically beneath the ESO's bridge, but were sometimes obscured by the giant bubbles. Innovative lighting was used to represent other magical elements. For me, the staging's effectiveness was uneven and the least satisfactory part of the production.
The Music and Singing:
I was pleased by the quality of both. An especially powerful performance was given by the singer who portrayed Alberich the Nibelung dwarf.
A number of secondary characters, arias and recitatives were omitted, bringing the length of the opera down from 2.5 hours to a little over 1.5 hours. But all the big musical moments and characters were present and accounted for!
The Ring Cycle's second opera a year from now will be Die Walküre (The Valkyrie).
36 comments:
Sounds a bit like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, and very epic!
The can hear the music in my head.
The staging looks very interesting, but I can see the "bubbles' being bothersome.
...I'm glad that you had a wonderful time.
Looks like a great production. Glad you enjoyed Part 1 of your bucket list.
wow the story through your narration sounds intriguing dear Debra
i am sorry that side effects created by modern technology seemed less powerful than expected .reminds me hubby's arguments over historic shows in which the art of setting the scene lacks strength which affects the show negatively .we both loved the Vikings and Spartacus most because they seemed flawless (though i would like to avoid the much bloody sights often)
i am glad you liked the quality of music at least
hope next part will be more interesting for you
Dear Debra, I only know the opera from excerpts that I saw on TV (unlike my husband, I'm not a Wagner fan) and from a computer game that we played together. I have absolutely positive memories of the erotic Rhine Maidens from that game
;-D
What always bothers me about modern productions of all kinds are the sets and costumes. It gets on my nerves that everything is deliberately trimmed to be "modern". The creator of the operas or plays had an image in mind - and I would like to see that image as accurately as possible. With Wagner, it is definitely ALWAYS opulent. (I once saw part of the "Ring" on TV. Wotan looked like a Lower Austrian forester and his sword like a cheese grater... That was just ridiculous.)
All the best, Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2024/07/weltreise-2024-neuseeland-von-nord-nach.html
You weren't kidding. Wagner really did rip off Tolkien, didn't he? Renouncing Love for Power doesn't seem like such a bad tradeoff, tho.
Were you satisfied at the opera despite the shorter length? Or would you have preferred more subplots?
@ Old Lurker -- Actually, Tolkien ripped off Wagner, not vice versa. And yes, I am okay with the shorter version. All those subplots and minor characters are expendable.
The production shot shows a compelling sight! How wonderful that you are able to cross this one off the old bucket list. Toll!
did you know, in june 1985, the grateful dead rescheduled two of their show in the bay area because so the band could attend Wagner's Ring Cycle at the San Francisco Opera.
Oh, Tolkien literally stole EVERYTHING.
And I love the name Alberich. So... strong!
I love live opera. I love the staging and the way the music just sweeps you....
XOXO
@ Gidget Blue Sky -- I did not know that! So the Grateful Dead were Ringheads, were they? Cool!
It sounds wonderful…in every way!
I'm glad you were able to tick the one item off your bucket list, and that you enjoyed it. Your post is so good it has made me want to see it too!
Looks like a good show to watch. Your story vividly tells me the show is a traffic stopper
Ride of The Valkyries - one of my favorite classical songs. I learned of it from the movie "Apocalypse Now" which might be a weirder story than Wagner's Rings
Thanks for educating me on the Wagner opera.
It sounds exquisite! Glad you got to attend!
I'd like to defend Tolkien just a little bit. I think his hobbit characters were really Everymen who just kind of get dragged into those Wagnerian adventures and always are quite relieved to get back to their normal lives once those adventures are over and done with. Stop and smell the roses, that's what Tolkien was really trying to say.
As for the opera you attended, you liked the music but were a bit put off by the special effects, which you felt were unnecessary. There might be a Tolkien moral there!
@ Kirk -- A very able and thoughtful defence of Tolkien. Bilbo and Frodo would both be proud of you!
I wonder if I would adjust to the modern set and contemporary costumes. The bubbles are an interesting idea. It would be nice if they would work out the flawed set and the obscured subtitles. Still, what an experience.
Wow. What a production. I love that they gave you all the elements that you enjoyed. Bravo!
In my experience knowing the story of the opera beforehand makes the performance enjoyable and understandable. Subtitles don't hurt either!
Having the orchestra (or part of it) above the stage is a great alternative to the pit. The heavenly music!
I understand from the story and the orchestra on stage that you had a great time!
It's a shame that the setting didn't work as it should,
but let's not forget that this particular opera had quite a few difficulties!!
Glad you enjoyed part one of the Opera.. Not sure if I would like the orchestra above the stage... I guess it must have worked. Enjoy the rest of your week Deb.
Glad you enjoyed Das Rheingold. Ignorant hick that I am, I thought Rheingold was an American beer brand, LOL! Opera music is not my thing at all, but your description of the actual story makes it more interesting.
Hello Debra, I'm glad you got your wish to see this opera. Regarding my previous comment, I have no problem with Wagner's music, it is the horrible Wagner himself I can't stand, especially in these days when extreme monsters of his ilk seem to be running rampant.
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I'm surprised that a dozen people didn't mention it, but seeing the Ring cycle directly is hardly necessary when there is Anna Russell's (perhaps sometimes silly) classic explanation of it:
https://youtu.be/aiFLj5RK6yQ?t=36
Stick with it; there are a lot of good bits.
--Jim
@ Parnassus (Jim) -- Yes, I know Anna Russell's tour de force synopsis of the Ring Cycle -- hilarious and classic!
And yes, Richard Wagner was a terrible antisemite in a Europe that was positively steeped in antisemitism. Mercifully, there is no overt antisemitism in the Ring Cycle.
Hitler and the Nazis appropriated Wagner's music and imagery for their own evil purposes and some of Wagner's descendants were certainly Nazi sympathizers if not outright collaborators (Wagner himself died in 1883, long before Hitler came along or was even born.) I know many Jews, Israelis and Holocaust survivors will not listen to performances of his music and of course I respect that.
Others, like the Jewish-Israeli conductor and performer Daniel Barenboim, perform Wagner regularly. Barenboim has even done the Ring Cycle and other Wagnerian operas at the Wagner Family's Bayreuth Festival itself.
Some are able to separate Wagner's musical genius from his loathsome personal antisemitism, and some are not. Both viewpoints are supportable, it seems to me. If Richard Wagner had personally collaborated with the Nazi Regime, I would not be so forgiving, but the truth of the matter is, he did not. His reputation was ruined by the Nazis just like they ruined the original peaceful Buddhist meaning of the swastika and the integrity of Norse mythology and symbolism.
Awesome. Glad you had a great time, Debra.
It's like The Lord of the Rings gone Norse. I like!
I must confess, I mostly used Wagner for D&Dr ambience music. Otherwise, I remember my professor of Aesthetic who told us: "Wagner, it's unlistenable." I cannot say I completely disagree.
Oh and on a side note, I once read a solid comic book adaptation of Rhinegold.
It sounds like a wonderful experience, Debra. I've only seen a few operas in my life, and I'd like to see more.
Gosh, that's a complicated plot! Still not sure it's for me.
Did you know every morning my phone alarm clock wakes me by playing the prelude to Das Rheingold?
Tomorrow I will send you a link to a friends essay on this topic
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