Wagner Society of New Zealand Patron: Sir Donald McIntyre NEWSLETTER
Vol. 11 No. 5 July 2013 ‘Trouble at t’Mills’ Photos: Left – Neil Armfield (Director), Stuart Skelton (Siegmund) and Richard Mills - at a Melbourne Ring rehearsals. Photo: Jeff Busby Centre – Asher Fisch Bottom – Simone Young Mills’ inexperience conducting The Ring in performance. Mills and director Neil Armfield had been leading rehearsals for the first two parts of The Ring on a sound stage at Melbourne’s Docklands. After the initial rehearsal period finished on May 31, Mills told Opera Australia’s artistic director Lyndon Terracini that he could not continue. Internet site The Wagnerian.com Wagner’s opera Der Ring des reported that Terracini was putting on Nibelungen is a massive undertaking a brave face and quoted him as saying for any opera company. The length of that he had “received about 50 emails the work and the forces involved stretch from conductors and agents touting not only financial but human resources their availability and readiness to replace often beyond breaking point. Recent Richard Mills ...”. While perhaps rightly examples would be the troubles the not responding to all of these emails, Metropolitan Opera faced with their it appears he is now in discussion new production and the infamous Ring with two or three conductors and an machine. Closer to home, the first of announcement will be made in the next the two Adelaide productions of The few weeks. Indeed, so confident is he Ring required extensive alterations that he firmly declares he is “Not worried to the theatre to accommodate the at all”. Châtelet Theatre set as well as months of Interestingly the list of possible rehearsals, while the second production candidates to replace Mills has produced was marred by cost overuns that were so its own intriguing story. One name that bad the ‘politicians’ washed their hands has already been ruled out by Terracini, of any future revivals. despite being theoretically available, is So when news broke, five months that of Asher Fisch who conducted the out from the opening of the Melbourne second Adelaide Ring in 2004. On the Ring, that the conductor Richard other hand one conductor apparently Mills had resigned, there was no great under consideration is Opera Australia’s surprise. ex-musical director Simone Young who Writing in The Australian arts conducted The Ring in Hamburg. Those correspondent Matthew Westwood in the know wonder how she would be reported that the cause of Mills’ able to fit the Melbourne Ring into her resignation was a “spectacular blow-up” already crowded schedule and question between the conductor and a senior cast her desire to come to the aid of an member. According to the report there organisation that surprisingly decided had been a number of disagreements not to renew her contract 10 years ago. during the rehearsals which centred on As they say – “Watch this space!”
63 Speight Road, St Heliers, Auckland 1071 • Ph: (09) 575 5206 • Web site: www.wagnersociety.org.nz Jonathan Drummond. This concert also recognised the Verdi 200th Anniversary as well as that of Wagner. Luca and Terence played the Verdi-Bruccialdi Fantasia Drammatica on Aïda, Op. 134 (based around the opera’s ballet), the Verdi-Briccialdi Rigoletto-Fantasia, Op. 106 and the Wagner-Briccialdi Lohengrin Fantasia, Op. 129. Virtuoso Italian flautist Briccialdi played in the Milan premiere of Aïda, at Verdi’s request. The second Wagner performance was a two piano transcription again by Max Reger, the Prelude and Love Death from Tristan and Isolde. Jonathan Drummond joined Terence Dennis to play this prelude which changed the face of music. An April lunchtime concert at Marama Hall had started this year’s Bastille Day - 14 July Dunedin celebrates wagner’s commemorative series of great two- On the day the French celebrate the 200th birthday to the day piano transcriptions of some of Wagner’s storming of the Bastille, WSNZ members On Wednesday 22 May 2013 a large compositions with senior piano students in Auckland and Wellington will witness audience gathered in Marama Hall at the and Terence Dennis presenting the another riot, this time in the German University of Otago shortly before 1.00 Siegfried Idyll, the Wagner-Reger Wotan’s city of Nuremburg, from the safety of pm to hear a splendid 200th Birthday Farewell and Magic Fire from Walküre, their seats! Each centre will be showing Tribute concert of Richard Wagner’s and Siegfried’s Trauermarsch (Siegfried’s Wagner’s comic opera Die Meistersinger music given by Professor Terence Dennis. Funeral March from Götterdämmerung). and, while the anarchy at the end of The concert commenced in true These concerts were especially the second act is more boisterous than ceremonial fashion with the magnificent designed by Terence Dennis as tributes violent, it is indeed a riot! Reger transcription for two pianos of to the Wagner 200th Commemorative The Wellington performance is a joint the Overture to the Mastersingers of Year and many of our Wagner Society meeting with the Opera Society and will Nuremberg. Terence Dennis was joined members, as well as the wider public, take place at The Film School, 86 Vivian for this by one of his senior university have had a wonderful trio of local Street and will start at 11.00am. Later piano students, Corwin Newall, concerts to attend and enjoy. in the day, more precisely 4.00pm, a whose compositions have already different production of the same opera been performed by the NZSO. The will be shown in Auckland in the Music programme then consisted of some of Tips: for first time Theatre of the School of Music. the solo Wagner piano works recorded Ring-ers A few weeks later, in Christchurch, by Terence Dennis on Ode-Manu 2038, No 1. Prepare, prepare, prepare! John Pattinson will start his Beginner’s that CD being one of the classical best As with most things in life the Guide to The Ring: Singing in the Rhine. sellers in New Zealand in 2007. Terence more you put into something the This illustrated talk will be held over two played works written between 1840 and more you will get back. The Ring is a evenings (16 August & 13 September) 1875, highly-prized pièces d’occasion for classic example of this saying. Before at 7.30pm in the Arts Lecture Theatre, special friends and acquaintances. Firstly you stands the Mt Everest of musical University of Canterbury. the most extended of these, A Sonata creation, a work that deserves respect While John Pattinson will introduce The for the Album of Mathilde Wesendonck and a little bit of time spent on Ring in Christchurch, Aidan Lang will, on followed by four more compositions - preparation. 25 August, present a talk to Wellington, on Albumleaf for Ernst Benedikt Kietz, For To fully apreciate your Ring Der fliegende Holländer which opens in the Album of Princess Metternich, Arrival experience we suggest this little tip. the capital on 14 September. at the Black Swans, and the Albumleaf Get hold of a recording of the work for Frau Betty Schott. and start to listen to one act per day. This concert concluded with pieces If you divide Rheingold into two parts WSNZ Committee of Liszt associated with the last months you will be able to listen to the whole Ring in manageable bites over 11 At the AGM on Sunday 19 May 2013 of Wagner’s life, La lugubre gondola II days. We’d suggest that on day 12 you the following were elected Committee (The Mournful Gondola II) and, after his restart the exercise and listen to the and Office-Bearers of the Wagner death, Am Grabe Richard Wagners (At the work once more over the next 11 days Society of New Zealand: Grave of Richard Wagner). The former and so on until you have the music President...... Chris Brodrick was written in December 1882 in Venice under your skin. As the end of the Vice President...... Ken Tomkins and the latter, dated 22 May 1883, in year draws near you may wish to set Secretary...... Barry Littlewood Weimar. The applause at the conclusion aside a little more time and listen to Treasurer...... Jeanette Miller of the one hour concert was long and each opera in one sitting. In parallel PR/Liaison...... Gloria Streat appreciative. to the study of the music, study the Committee...... Lesley Kendall This however, was not the only Wagner story and what is happening in each ...... Bob O’Hara concert enjoyed by Dunedin audiences scene. This will help you from feeling ...... Les Holborow at University of Otago concerts in lost, and you will have less reliance ...... Juliet Rowe Marama Hall. The previous Wednesday on the sur-titles. With study behind Hon. Solicitor...... Peter Rowe they were entertained by Italian you your Ring experience will be truly Auditor...... John Hambling flautist, Luca Manghi, Terence Dennis and another of his senior pianists, uplifting. Wagner Society of New Zealand 2013 – Wagner200 Programme Details Auckland Christchurch Dunedin Sunday, 14 July 4.00pm (NOTE TIME) Friday 16 August 7.30pm & Sunday, 8 September 2.00pm Venue: Music Theatre, School of Music, Friday 13 September 7.30pm Venue: Sale-Black House, Department University of Auckland, 6 Symonds St Venue: Lecture Theatre A6, University of of Music, The University of Otago DVD Screening: Die Meistersinger von Canterbury The Golden Age Part 2 (The Nürnberg. A screening of the recent Singing in the Rhine: a Beginner’s inter-war years): Terence Dennis Glyndebourne production of Wagner’s Guide to Wagner’s Ring. John Pattinson continues his fascinating journey only comedy, starring Gerald Finley, presents an illustrated two-part series on with live performances from Marco Jentzsch and Anna Gabler the Ring with the duel aim of dispelling Bayreuth and Covent Garden: the Sunday, 8 September 7.30pm any trepidations for newcomers and to era of Furtwängler, Beecham, Leider, Venue: Music Theatre, School of Music, provide a refresher for veterans Flagstad and Melchior University of Auckland, 6 Symonds St The rest of the year’s programme has Sunday, 6 October 2.00pm Wagner, Paris and Der fliegende still to be finalised. Venue: Sale-Black House, Department Holländer: In anticipation of New of Music, The University of Otago Zealand Opera’s new production of Wellington Contrasts and Compliments: Wagner’s early work Heath Lees looks Sunday 14 July at 11.00am Terence Dennis discusses how at various aspects of the work with great composers such as Verdi and musical and visual excerpts Venue: The Film School, 86 Vivian St Joint meeting with the Opera Society. Chausson drew from Wagner to Sunday 8 December 7.30pm DVD screening of Die Meistersinger: renew their own traditions Venue: Music Theatre, School of Music, NB: Spaces limited, members should University of Auckland, 6 Symonds St Sunday, 1 December 12.00 noon confirm attendance by emailing