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Benchmark Editor Wagneriana Fall 2012/Winter 2013 Volume 9, Number 4 Das Einz’ge nur, nach dem ich brenne, Ich find’ es nicht; mein Heimatland! — Der fliegende Holländer From the President The fall brought three equally wonderful events in close succession. We were fortunate to host the supremely talented dramaturg Cori Ellison, who frequently appears on the Metropolitan Opera’s Quiz Show. Ms. Ellison highlighted many little-known facts about Brünnhilde and her mythic origins. The following In This Issue week the excellent Wagnerian conductor and pianist Asher Fisch presented ■■ Die Walküre 2 a fascinating lecture on Wagner and Liszt’s close and fruitful collaboration. ■■ Wagner and Maestro Fisch also performed many of Liszt’s piano transcriptions of Wagner’s Buddha: Legend operas. His playing was gorgeous and lush. And on October 16 the world- versus History in renowned Wagnerian soprano Jane Eaglen honored us with a question-and- Die Sieger 5 answer session masterminded by WGBH Radio host Ron Della Chiesa. We ■■ Der Ring des couldn’t have asked for a better lineup of programs! For photos, see page 16. Nibelungen 10 The bicentennial year will bring us many other exciting events. The ■■ That Old Black distinguished Wagnerian scholar Barry Millington will give a talk on March 17 Magic 13 and sign copies of his recently published book The Sorcerer of Bayreuth (Oxford University Press). On April 13 Jeannie Williams, the author of Jon Vickers: ■■ Upcoming Events, A Hero’s Life and one of the founders of USA Today, will present her exhibit 2013 15 on Jon Vickers in a PowerPoint demonstration. For more information on this ■■ Fall 2012 presentation, go to http://www.jonvickers.org/aboutus.html. On May 11 bass- Events 16 baritone Greer Grimsley, soprano Joanna Porackova, contralto Marion Dry, and pianist Jeffrey Brody will regale us with live Wagnerian music, followed by a question-and-answer session. We may add other events. In addition to these activities of the Society, we look forward with anticipation to the Boston Lyric Opera’s new production, opening on April 26, 2013, of Der fliegende Holländer. This issue of Wagneriana inaugurates a new design by Susan Robertson, a graphic artist and a new board member. This issue was edited by Donald Rosenthal, member of the newly formed advisory committee. — Dalia Geffen Review sufficient, and above all, he sounded strong and fresh. Problematic low notes in Act 2 were handled well and Die Walküre he was clearly audible from my Row 3 seat. Vogt’s Sieg- Munich — March 15, 2012 mund is at once lyrical and powerful, touching in its with Klaus Florian Vogt as Siegmund emotional depth; every note was beautifully sung and enunciated. The “Winterstürme” scene, unlike many The stage curtain opens shortly after the prelude productions I have seen before with the tenor stand- begins. There is a figure of Siegmund, his head partly ing alone in the back of the stage, was conceived as an covered by a hood, with a sword and shield, surround- intimate talk between the twins in front of the stage, ed by a group of men. Several times the men converge with Siegmund and Sieglinde holding onto each other on Siegmund with their weapons, and several times he and with a group of young women illuminating them fights them off. This is all elegantly choreographed (it from above with some kind of lighting devices attached was not so elegant in July 2012, probably due to lack of to their fingers. rehearsal time for Vogt). Finally, Siegmund breaks free There are many interesting and sometimes rather and stumbles alone to the foreground. In the back- distracting directorial touches. The lights on the wom- ground appears a scene filled with young women in en’s hands; the way a growing mutual attraction of the simple white dresses, two long tables on each side of the twins is illustrated as they exchange a cup of drinks; stage, both topped with food, and in the center of the the two never touch each other nor even approach stage a large tree with dead bodies like rag dolls hang- one another initially. They stand facing each other on ing from its branches. In the back of the stage are two opposite sides of the stage with their arms extended beds with men being treated as in hospital. towards each other. Sieglinde offers a cup in her hand, As much as I admired and enjoyed Klaus Florian one of the women scurries to get it and runs across Vogt in my previous hearings of such Wagnerian roles the stage to hand it to Siegmund. He drinks from the as Lohengrin, Walther, and Parsifal, I had misgivings cup, the cup is returned to Sieglinde in the same way. about his taking up Siegmund - the role sits low for a As the orchestra plays to show their growing intimacy, tenor, and Vogt’s low notes are not his strongest. When the number of women intervening between the pair Vogt uttered his first notes, “Wess’ Herd dies auch sei, increases, as if their distance is being reduced. hier muss ich rasten,” however, any concern or fear was A strong tendency in this production is to have dispelled. The voice was clear, the volume more than whoever is singing be the dominant person on stage, often in front and facing the audience while other character(s) stay towards the back of the stage. This was most pronounced in Acts 1 and 3, when only two principal singers are on stage. This helps to focus the audience’s attention to the central figure of the moment. The production is stark, with Act 1 being the most crowded and busy. Act 2 starts (somewhat reminiscent of the “American Ring” performed in Washington, DC, and San Francisco the last several years) in what looks like an office with a table and a lamp on top. Anje Kampe as Sieglinde and Klaus Florian Vogt as Wotan is portrayed as a beleaguered CEO or leader of Siegmund in Die Walküre. sorts, with his minions asking for his signature on vari- Courtesy of Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich. – 2 – ous papers, which he eventually throws up in the air. dancing goes on a bit too long, and after a few minutes Fricka’s entrance makes it clear that by this time their a single boo came from a balcony section, followed love has become nothing but formal, as she first extends by clapping by the production’s supporters, with still her arms for an embrace but then brushes Wotan away others booing and shouting. What is unfortunate is as they are about to touch. A group of men in tuxedos, this got some in the audience to talk, laugh, and in lined up on each side of the stage facing each other, general created a bit of chaos when the music finally serve drinks to Wotan and Fricka as well as becoming began. The stage has ten or so poles, on top of which a human chairs for them. The back wall of the room has dead male body (a dummy) is hoisted. Eventually, the a painting of naturalistic scenery, as well as Wotan’s dancing women/horses take the bodies away as Wotan spear on a hook, and it moves back and forth during the comes on scene and starts almost manhandling each act. When Fricka confronts Wotan, the wall is in the of the Walküre women. The confrontation and recon- back. As Wotan shares his thoughts with Brünnhilde, ciliation of Wotan and Brünnhilde is played out on an the wall is more in the foreground to create an intimate empty stage with the two characters engaged in a tug space. As Wotan’s office recedes and a platform comes of war of words to convince the other of his/her point down, it is littered with piles of men lying in the center of view. The final fire scene reintroduces women again, as Siegmund and Sieglinde enter the scene. Brünnhilde bearing a large coil and lying down below it, assum- appears in the back of the stage much earlier than her ing a crouching, sleeping position similar to that of customary entrance just before the death annunciation Brünnhilde, who is on top of the coil as the fire burns scene and observes the twins as Siegmund tries to calm below. Sieglinde. As Siegmund sits with sleeping Sieglinde on The singing overall was strong, committed, and his lap, Brünnhilde approaches Siegmund and touches above average. Perhaps Wotan (Thomas Mayer) was his hair. In all, the impression is that this is a very the weakest link, but I enjoyed his more baritonal (not intimate and human Die Walküre, emphasizing charac- bass-like) tone. Hunding was perhaps another weak ters’ interactions with each other and their emotions, a link. Ain Anger looked the part, tall and darkly hand- family drama, as it should be. The death annunciation some and menacing. His voice, however, occasionally scene leaves no doubt that Brünnhilde falls in love with lacked focus and he seemed to be shouting rather than Siegmund and decides to save him. singing at times. The same was somewhat true of the The third act begins with the now infamous fren- women, especially Sophie Koch’s Fricka, although she zied dancing accompanied by loud breathing of women was dramatically compelling and fun to watch. Kata- in white depicting horses rearing to go to battle. The rina Dalayman’s Brünnhilde benefited from the small house acoustics and good direction. She sang and acted movingly in her Act 2 encounter with Siegmund and her Act 3 farewell to Wotan.
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