Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from November, 2012

Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Royal Opera

It was an epic journey. Having seen the complete Ring a few times now, I still found myself completely immersed in the experience. Here were some memorable moments (good and bad): Sarah Connolly as Fricka was a surprise. Having seen her mainly in trouser roles, she was a convincing Wagnerian mezzo! Bryn Terfel as a less bombastic and more pensive Wotan. His best yet.  The ring of fire had a hiccup  at the end if Die Walküre - but the fire came on eventually so all as well. Simon O’Neill was super as Siegmund, and well matched by Eva-Maria Westbroek as Sieglinde - their duet at the end of Act I was exhilirating. It took me a long time to get used to Stefan Vinke as Siegfried - there is something odd in the way he shaped the beginning of the words. Then again, you can't beat him for the stamina he'd demonstrated throughout Siegfried. Woops,  Wotan's spear was shattered before Siegfried got there ... there was this collective gasp in the audience!  Susan B