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Wagner - Das Rheingold McIntyre, Zednik, Jerusalem, Salminen, Becht, Schwarz, Boulez, Bayreuth... |
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Wagner - Das Rheingold McIntyre, Zednik, Jerusalem, Salminen, Becht, Schwarz, Boulez, Bayreuth...
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by Deutsche Grammophon
Sales Rank: 37359
Price: $19.97
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This is a beautifully conducted and thoughtfully staged performance of the first opera (the prologue) in Wagner's <I>Ring</I> Cycle. As soon as the clouds of mist have dissipated, while the daring, long-held opening chord is still reverberating, the screen clears to show not only the River Rhine and the three maidens (dressed like prostitutes in this production) assigned to guard the gold hidden there. It also shows an enormous dam (not mentioned in Wagner's text). This is the underwater base of a hydroelectric plant, and its presence tells us two things immediately: that this production takes the story out of the vaguely medieval fantasy world in which Wagner had placed it, and that a basic theme of the four-opera cycle would be power. Alberich, the Nibelung, is willing to renounce the love of women, after stealing the gold from the Rhine, to become the ruler of the world. Another basic theme is greed. <p> The cast is uniformly excellent. The approach of stage director Patrice Chereau carefully balances realism, symbolism, and fantasy. The two giants (Matti Salminen and Fritz Hübner) tower over the gods who are waiting to enter the newly constructed Valhalla; Loge (brilliantly played by Heinz Zednick) appears in a burst of flame; the subterranean lair of the Nibelungs looks something like a prison and something like a mass-production sweatshop. In contrast, the gods look like members of a rather aimless leisure class. Freia, the goddess of youth (Carmen Reppel), whose fate is one of the basic items in the plot, is presented as a lovely but helpless beauty queen. Pierre Boulez conducts this episode. like the entire cycle, with power and precision. <I>--Joe McLellan</I>
Viewer Reviews
I've seen the Met version and EuroArts version, too, and while all three of these DVDs offer a different view, this is the one I actually sit down and watch again and again. It's also the one on my mp3.
If you've been inundated with the popular culture versions and other parodies of Wagner's ring, as most mature US viewers have been, this production will reset all your expectations and anticipations from the Bugs Bunny and Anna Russell flavor to the Adult/Growed Up kind. All the cliches that trigger the satires are gone.
The music is unsurpassed in the others. The Met version seems to me to have too many scenes where the orchestra intrudes on the pacing of the voices; this version just has both overwhelming you at the proper moments, with no seam between the two that even makes you notice instrument and voice are not being used together to tell the story.
The production on stage has human 'gods', without fake armor or other such silly appurtenances. The Rhinemaidens are obviously Sirens and not some silly sprites on a Sponge-Bob Square-Pants set. Valhalla is an imposing structure with both 'classical' decoration and commercial concrete structures visible.
The lack of tinny flash is reflected in the earth tones and subdues lighting. No over-elaboration, just what is needed.
No fairy story pretense, just the facts. A Hamlet in music instead of a Disney Narnia musical.
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Wagner - Das Rheingold McIntyre, Zednik, Jerusalem, Salminen, Becht, Schwarz, Boulez, Bayreuth...
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