Bedenken will ich’s: Wagneriana June–July 2006 wer weiß was ich thu’! Volume 3, Number 3 – Das Rheingold From the Editor Thanks to all of you who contributed to our fund­raising drive. Your donations will ensure the success of the Boston Wagner Society and the means to present musical events to you. Due to your generosity, we will offer another recital in September 2006. See the back page for details and save the date. Also, there will be another presentation by Donald Arthur, on October 23. This issue of Wagneriana brings you three reviews of live performances, the Met’s Lohengrin and Parsifal and the Copenhagen Ring Cycle. –Dalia Geffen Met Orchestra Brilliant in Lohengrin Lohengrin, May 3, 2006; Metropolitan Opera, cond. Philippe Auguin; Herald: Charles Taylor; King Henry; René Pape; Telramund: Greer Grimsley; Elsa: Karita Mattila; Lohengrin: Klaus Florian Vogt (debut); Ortrud: Margaret Jane Wray; production: Robert Wilson The Met’s production of Lohengrin this season featured the stage design of Robert Wilson. According to a recent review in the New York Times, when Wilson’s ideas were unveiled in the 1998 Metropolitan Opera production of this work, they drew lusty boos from the audience. Apparently, less robotic movements by the singers and improved synchronization have helped Wilson’s vision come through (there were no boos this time). However, one can’t help but wonder how much “vision” is too much, especially with a composer who is so meticulous about all the facets of the work and their unity. There was no horn, sword, or ring (Lohengrin defeats Telramund in a stare down), let alone a knight in shining armor. Yet the two­dimensional aspect that the sets and simplified movements gave to the characters created a storybook effect, as if one were looking at an illustrated page. The starkness of the production did cause one to focus more on the playing and the singing, both of which were excellent. Under Auguin, the Met orchestra played brilliantly, with notes seeming to come out of thin air. Margaret Jane Wray was well cast as a controlling Ortrud, though the role seemed to be all she could handle. Karita Matilla’s Elsa was beautifully sung and portrayed in a lost, dreamlike state. As the King, René Pape was, as always, true to form, and Greer Grimsley was a strong presence as Telramund. This performance marked the Met debut of Klaus Florian Vogt as Lohengrin. At first his voice seemed 1 very light, even lyrical. But he quickly became the Swan Knight—delicate, forceful, and never strained. The crowd loved him. –Robert Reed Robert Reed is the BWS’s new treasurer. Singers Soar at the Met’s Parsifal Parsifal, May 12, 2006; Metropolitan Opera, cond. Peter Schneider; Gurnemanz: René Pape; Parsifal: Ben Heppner; Kundry: Waltraud Meier; Amfortas: Thomas Hampson; Klingsor: Nikolai Putilin; Titurel: Robert Lloyd; production: Otto Schenk Despite the pedestrian conducting by Peter Schneider, who replaced James Levine after the Maestro’s accident, this Friday evening performance of Wagner’s last opera was magnificent. Otto Schenk’s naturalistic sets shimmered with mystery and glamour, and almost the entire cast of Wagnerians performed at their peak, a rare feat. For me the biggest surprise in this memorable presentation was Thomas Hamp­son’s Amfortas. Although Hampson has sung and recorded Wagner, his lyric baritone and his penchant for Americana made him an implausible choice a few years ago for this musically dense bass­baritonal role; much to my delight, however, Hampson performed admirably, reaching the lower notes with astounding ease. The most striking aspect of Hampson’s portrayal was his nuanced and dramatic acting skills. In this highly realistic interpretation, Amfortas’s suffering and depression were in full evidence, supported by elaborate armchair writhing and convincingly guilty facial expressions. In a few passages, particularly in Act 3, Hampson sacrificed tonal accuracy in favor of passion and drama, pouring his entire repertoire of stage skills into the role of the wounded king; this, however, was a forgivable and effective calculation. René Pape was a much­anticipated Gurnemanz, and this enormously talented bass surpassed all expectations. His perfect intonation and suave acting skills infused the role with great nobility and 2 presence. Most striking of all was the transformation in his mien and gestures as Gurnemanz aged. In the last act, Pape’s halting gait and slowed movements perfectly captured the knight’s senescence. Later generations will most likely speak of Pape with the same reverence that we now speak of Alexander Kipnis or Hans Hotter. Ben Heppner’s absence at the dress rehearsal had given rise to rumors that Mark Baker, his understudy, would take over from him at this performance, but fortunately Heppner stepped up to the plate. Unlike in the Saturday afternoon radio broadcast of Lohengrin, Heppner was in good form and his voice did not crack. The only drawback in this performance was his stiffness, as though he was afraid his voice would crack again. Heppner’s sweet and tender articulations, however, were never in question, even if they did not quite reach the heroic splendor of a heldentenor. Waltraud Meier, a veteran Kundry, is perfectly suited to the role. Her acting skills were superb, transforming her from a guilt­ridden hag to a seductive femme fatale and finally to a repentant sinner. Vocally, she was in splendid shape. Although some aficionados do not enjoy her strident notes and occasionally harsh articulation, she can also be exquisitely subtle and delicate. Nikolai Putilin was a powerful and intimidating Klingsor. This was a magician to be reckoned with, both physically and vocally. He sang with good intonation and stage presence. The biggest disappointment was the ho­hum dreariness of Peter Schneider. His conducting was unimaginative and perfunctory, perhaps more suited to a Mozartean opera. A violin squeaked during the prelude, and the famed Wagner bells were nowhere to be seen, possibly played on a synthesizer strategically placed in the orchestra pit. –Dalia Geffen The Copenhagen Ring Cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen, Royal Danish Opera; May 23–May 28, 2006; cond.: Michael Schønwandt; dir.: Kasper Bech Holten; set and costumes: Marie í Dali and Steffen Aarfing Wotan: Johan Reuter (Das Rheingold) and James Johnson (Die Walküre); Fasolt: Stephen Milling; Fafner: Christian Christiansen; Alberich: Sten Byriel; Mime: Gert Henning­Jensen (Das Rheingold) and Bengt­Ola Morgny (Siegfried); Fricka: Susanne Resmark; Freia: Anne Margrethe Dahl; Erda: Mette Ejsing; Donner: Hans Lawaetz; Froh: Jens Kroogsgard; Loge: Michael Kristensen; Brünnhilde: Tina Kiberg; Siegmund: Stig Andersen; Sieglinde: Gitta­Maria Sjöberg; Hunding: Stephen Milling; Siegfried: Johnny van Hal; Wanderer: Robert Hale; Gunther: Guido Paevatalu; Hagen: Peter Klaveness; Gutrune: Ylva Kihlberg; Waltraute: Anette Bod The Ring Cycle at the Royal Opera House in Copenhagen was a wonderful production, particularly in its staging. Unfortunately, our seats were too 3 close to the stage, so that the orchestra sometimes drowned out the singers, who were all topnotch! Das Rheingold opened with Wotan’s study. The costumes were contemporary, and the furniture in the study included an Eames chair! Fafner—but not Fasolt—was a morbidly obese cripple bound to a wheelchair. There was an open display of affection between Freia and Fasolt. The Nibelungs who carried the gold from Nibelheim were 10­year­old boys having a ball—especially during the screaming section as they walked off­stage. The aging of the gods due to Freia’s captivity, however, was overdone and featured some physical disabilities. Hunding’s hut (Die Walküre) was a contemporary pad, with Sieglinde working at a computer as Siegmund entered it. One wall was made of glass, which Siegmund smashed when the two principals found out who they were. At that point the two lovers entered a field of poppies, with trees descending from the sky. Unfortunately the one containing Nothung got stuck, and the curtain descended quickly. Siegmund loosened Nothung from the tree but let Sieglinde pull it out! In Siegfried, Mime’s dwelling place was a three­tiered edifice, with sword­making activities on the lowest level, dining on the next one, and Siegfried’s bedroom on the third. The latter was decorated with posters of pop singers and three guitars hanging on the wall. Mime (Bengt­Ola Morgny), who had a wonderful voice, was played as a buffoon. However, since he never whined, complained, or manipulated, it was difficult to see why Siegfried hated him so much. The forest bird was real! Fafner was portrayed as a kind of Dr. Strangelove surrounded by of electronics. Brünnhilde was asleep not on a rock but in a relic of a mausoleum, replicating a building in downtown Copenhagen. Siegfried and Brünnhilde’s love was consummated on a plaid blanket that the hero dragged out of his backpack! Götterdämmerung opened with a very pregnant Brünnhilde and with Siegfried having breakfast in the mausoleum, which was transformed into a bower. Hagen’s abode resembled a penthouse with a view of the New York skyline, with modern Danish furniture and a white grand piano. The Gibichung scene opened with Hagen working out. Gunther was handsome and, in contrast to other productions I’ve seen, a strong personality. Gutrune was so seductive in skintight jeans and with her buttocks outlined by sparkling buttons that one could not blame Siegfried for abandoning Brünnhilde. Toward the end of the opera and the Cycle, three blue angels flew toward the audience, representing the ravens. Siegfried did not raise his arm. Brünnhilde, who set fire to all the carts containing her biography, disappeared and then returned with a baby as the conflagration spread! In our group of 14, about 6 people hated the production.