The quest for the Ring continues. Siegmund and Sieglinde conceive a child. Brunnhilde defies Wotan, and is banished to a circle of fire.The quest for the Ring continues. Siegmund and Sieglinde conceive a child. Brunnhilde defies Wotan, and is banished to a circle of fire.The quest for the Ring continues. Siegmund and Sieglinde conceive a child. Brunnhilde defies Wotan, and is banished to a circle of fire.
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- ConnectionsRemake of The Metropolitan Opera HD Live: Wagner: Die Walküre (2011)
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Riding with excitement
Have always gotten immense pleasure watching the Metropolitan Opera HD Live cinema broadcasts. Not all the productions are winners ('Hansel and Gretel' and 2009's 'Tosca' especially, due to them being done in great distaste visually and in terms of staging), but it has been fascinating seeing productions of long-time favourites and of new discoveries. There have been times where an opera is not my cup of tea, but there has always been the effort to appreciate it.
What has also been great about the cinema broadcasts is as has been said more than once before, but it is worth re-iterating, one sees it for much cheaper and in a more accessible location than an opera house. Yet it feels like the real thing, like you're there, speaking as someone who has seen operas in the opera house and sung in many (chorus and main roles). Have always had a high appreciation for Wagner, and 'Die Die Walküre' is one of my favourites of his with my favourite of the monumental Ring Cycle having always been a toss up being it and 'Siegfried' (like all four, the others being 'Das Rheingold' and 'Gotterdammerung', very much though).
Robert Lepage's production was seen before at the Met in 2011, with a cast featuring Jonas Kaufmann, Deborah Voigt and Bryn Terfel when Lepage took on the Herculean task, and mostly succeeding in my opinion, of staging productions of the whole Ring Cycle. All four broadcasted as part of the series in 2010-2012. Found the production to be hugely impressive back then, find a good deal to admire about it now. Same with this 2019 production, not quite as much as 2011's which for me was more consistent musically. When at its best though, it really did ride with excitement.
As far as the HD goes, it was splendid, had no problems with it on a technical level. The sets have atmosphere, especially the rocky landscape for Act 2 (as does the lighting, again especially Act 2) as well as the scene with the Valkyries (the most well received in terms of the audience reaction), And the costumes while not lavish (not a bad thing) serve their purpose well and didn't come over as ugly. Lepage's very ambitious technical wizardy didn't overshadow the drama or music, some may disagree on this, but the most visually interesting aspect were the video projections. One worries about them being distracting, but to me they were very striking to look at and didn't distract if anything it enhanced. The machinery aspect of Lepage's staging continues to be fascinating and a thing of wonder, the transitions not flowing clunkily or bogging the pace down. Was there anything that could have been done better staging wise? For my tastes, some of Act 1 was a bit static and Siegmund and Sieglinde's relationship at times could have been explored more.
Musically, again an awful lot to like. Was particularly taken by the thrilling brass section, far superior to the one in the 2011 production, that really let rip in the "Walkürenritt". Overall though, there is a lovely rich sound throughout that got even more so as the production progressed. Their rendition of "Walkürenritt" was also superior here, the tempo was far more assured and the staging is less claustrophobic. This couldn't have been possible without the characterful, precisely detailed, passionate and sympathetic, all in equal measure, conducting of Phillippe Jordan, nothing is routine here.
On the most part, the performances are fine. Only really had small reservations with Christine Goerke's Brünnhilde. Had no problem with her dramatically, it is an interpretation that is both fearless and interesting a little more vulnerable than your usual Brünnhilde. The singing was a little more inconsistent, mostly strong but wiry at times at the time. Eva Marie Westbroek makes for a radiant and poignant Sieglinde. Have also not heard a more thrilling Fricka than Jamie Barton in a long time, the best singing of the production generally coming from her, and dominated the stage with abandon whenever she appeared.
Greer Gimsley made for a noble, authoritative and deeply felt Wotan, singing with richness and nuance that is especially noticeable in his long Act 2 monologue. Stuart Skelton's Siegmund was heroic, yet not without tenderness when necessary. The voice didn't sound strained and he didn't sound like he was shouting. Günther Groissböck's Hunding is menacingly unyielding and vocally sonorous.
In summary, not perfect but very well done. 8/10
What has also been great about the cinema broadcasts is as has been said more than once before, but it is worth re-iterating, one sees it for much cheaper and in a more accessible location than an opera house. Yet it feels like the real thing, like you're there, speaking as someone who has seen operas in the opera house and sung in many (chorus and main roles). Have always had a high appreciation for Wagner, and 'Die Die Walküre' is one of my favourites of his with my favourite of the monumental Ring Cycle having always been a toss up being it and 'Siegfried' (like all four, the others being 'Das Rheingold' and 'Gotterdammerung', very much though).
Robert Lepage's production was seen before at the Met in 2011, with a cast featuring Jonas Kaufmann, Deborah Voigt and Bryn Terfel when Lepage took on the Herculean task, and mostly succeeding in my opinion, of staging productions of the whole Ring Cycle. All four broadcasted as part of the series in 2010-2012. Found the production to be hugely impressive back then, find a good deal to admire about it now. Same with this 2019 production, not quite as much as 2011's which for me was more consistent musically. When at its best though, it really did ride with excitement.
As far as the HD goes, it was splendid, had no problems with it on a technical level. The sets have atmosphere, especially the rocky landscape for Act 2 (as does the lighting, again especially Act 2) as well as the scene with the Valkyries (the most well received in terms of the audience reaction), And the costumes while not lavish (not a bad thing) serve their purpose well and didn't come over as ugly. Lepage's very ambitious technical wizardy didn't overshadow the drama or music, some may disagree on this, but the most visually interesting aspect were the video projections. One worries about them being distracting, but to me they were very striking to look at and didn't distract if anything it enhanced. The machinery aspect of Lepage's staging continues to be fascinating and a thing of wonder, the transitions not flowing clunkily or bogging the pace down. Was there anything that could have been done better staging wise? For my tastes, some of Act 1 was a bit static and Siegmund and Sieglinde's relationship at times could have been explored more.
Musically, again an awful lot to like. Was particularly taken by the thrilling brass section, far superior to the one in the 2011 production, that really let rip in the "Walkürenritt". Overall though, there is a lovely rich sound throughout that got even more so as the production progressed. Their rendition of "Walkürenritt" was also superior here, the tempo was far more assured and the staging is less claustrophobic. This couldn't have been possible without the characterful, precisely detailed, passionate and sympathetic, all in equal measure, conducting of Phillippe Jordan, nothing is routine here.
On the most part, the performances are fine. Only really had small reservations with Christine Goerke's Brünnhilde. Had no problem with her dramatically, it is an interpretation that is both fearless and interesting a little more vulnerable than your usual Brünnhilde. The singing was a little more inconsistent, mostly strong but wiry at times at the time. Eva Marie Westbroek makes for a radiant and poignant Sieglinde. Have also not heard a more thrilling Fricka than Jamie Barton in a long time, the best singing of the production generally coming from her, and dominated the stage with abandon whenever she appeared.
Greer Gimsley made for a noble, authoritative and deeply felt Wotan, singing with richness and nuance that is especially noticeable in his long Act 2 monologue. Stuart Skelton's Siegmund was heroic, yet not without tenderness when necessary. The voice didn't sound strained and he didn't sound like he was shouting. Günther Groissböck's Hunding is menacingly unyielding and vocally sonorous.
In summary, not perfect but very well done. 8/10
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- TheLittleSongbird
- Apr 11, 2019
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