Grimeborn are following up their fantastic 2019 Das Rheingold (see my previous review) with Die Walküre this year. Moving to the gorgeous Hackney Empire, with the Orpheus Sinfonia comfortably ensconced in the pit, this production has a far larger canvas, and opportunity, than its sister Rheingold ever did. However, it fails to achieve the emotional heft and visceral immediacy of its predecessor,…
The Ring Cycle is opera’s biggest box set: a sixteen-hour binge of dwarves, nymphs, dragons, gods, heroes and monsters, all suspended inside one of the greatest philosophical conundrums expressed by the human mind – and set to glorious, extraordinary music. Technically, Das Rheingold is a ‘preparatory evening’: it’s the story of why the whole story began (or…
More wonderful Wagner in Saffron Walden! Fresh from delivering their successful Ring Cycle over the last two years, Saffron Opera Group’s first production of Parsifal will feature their characteristic mixture of established professional singers and exciting stars of tomorrow. The superlative cast will include internationally renowned soprano Elaine McKrill as Kundry and acclaimed baritone Nicholas…
Tonight’s programme: a screening of the second part of Wagner’s Götterdämmerung (DVD presented by John Newby); the first half will have been already presented on 5 April due to time constrictions. Norwich Opera Club is a sociable, informal gathering of opera enthusiasts. The Club doesn’t produce performances, so you don’t need to be able to sing. You…
Tonight’s programme: a screening of the first part of Wagner’s Götterdämmerung (DVD presented by John Newby); the second half will be presented on 19 April due to time constrictions. Norwich Opera Club is a sociable, informal gathering of opera enthusiasts. The Club doesn’t produce performances, so you don’t need to be able to sing. You may want…
Saffron Opera Group’s Ring Cycle finally culminated in a direct, satisfyingly shattering Götterdämmerung, in which we felt the world change as the story left the gods behind, and brought the human love and tragedy of Brünnhilde and Siegfried firmly to the fore. As in all previous instalments, the Saffron Opera Group Orchestra filled the large…
Since their affecting Das Rheingold and resplendent Die Walküre in 2016, the Saffron Opera Group’s Ring Cycle has become something of a talking point in Wagnerian circles. Using a local orchestra, but attracting international singing talent to the Saffron Hall stage, their concert performances of Wagner are reliably intense, engaging, and above all, beautifully sung. This Siegfried shone…
Fulham Opera, noted in recent years for their serious and compelling Wagner and Verdi output, are also not shy of comedy (as demonstrated by their very successful Falstaff). Die Fledermaus is a revenge comedy in the lighter tradition of operetta, and Fulham Opera’s take on Strauss is characteristically skilful, immediate, and musically polished, with minimal…
Usually, a Ring Cycle hits you as a sudden burst of musical and philosophical intensity, its four huge evenings sprawling across one week. In practical terms, your own life ends up on hold for the Ring as a result: real life pauses while the Ring is stolen, forged, wielded, misused, tricked away, traded, hoarded, misunderstood,…
Some people get terribly, passionately serious about Wagner. This shouldn’t be a problem: truly great music of all kinds tends to attract obsessive adulation, especially whenever the artist is a controversial, genre-breaking genius (cf. the recent press reaction to the death of David Bowie). But the sad fact is that too often, this fervent Wagner-worship…