The Opera Tattler

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Das Rheingold at the Met (Cycle 2)

Met-rheingold-2012* Notes * 
A second Ring cycle began with Das Rheingold (Scene 4 pictured left, photograph by Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera) last night at the Met. Robert Lepage’s production involves a series of about 24 jointed panels that can be arranged in many different configurations. Known as “The Machine,” Carl Fillion’s set is not unlike a huge shape-shifting robot. The scene changes were certainly resolved in breathtaking ways. However, the main drawback is not that “The Machine” is slightly noisy, snapping here and there, but that it placed the singers awkwardly upstage or on terrifying rakes where they do not seem as able to project well. The lighting, designed by Etienne Boucher, is attractively simple. The video images, from Lionel Arnould, evoke nature and space. Only the rainbow bridge was busy, with its dancing strings of multicolored light. François St-Aubin’s costumes did not appear markedly different from the previous Ring production, traditional, perhaps taking on the aesthetic of comic book superheros in the armor of the Gods.

The orchestra sounded clear and secure under Fabio Luisi, and the tempi were moderate. The brass was clean. The singing was consistent around. Wendy Bryn Harmer was an incredibly hearty, bright Freia. Franz-Josef Selig (Fasolt) and Hans-Peter König (Fafner) turned out perfectly respectable performances. Adam Klein did not quite sparkle as Loge, but since he stepped in at the last moment for an ailing Stefan Margita, it is understandable. Patricia Bardon’s Erda had an ethereal quality that was appealing. Stephanie Blythe was a sympathetic Fricka, warm with the right amount of steeliness. Eric Owens impressed as Alberich, his renunciation of love in Scene 1 was poignant, and his curse in Scene 4 haunting. As Wotan, Bryn Terfel’s voice has a beautiful richness to it, but seemed a touch light at times.

* Tattling * 
An usher attempted to seat a pair of latecomers in Family Circle after the music had started. Unfortunately one of their seats had been taken, and there was a flurry of whispered instructions. A watch alarm sounded at 9pm and 10pm. Some were having respiratory issues, loud nose blowing and sniffles were heard, as were the usual crinkles of cough drops being unwrapped.

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2 responses to “Das Rheingold at the Met (Cycle 2)”

  1. Stephen Brockmann Avatar
    Stephen Brockmann

    I caught “Das Rheingold” on the third cycle of the Met’s Ring on Saturday, May 5. To me the most awkward moment of the entire performance was the beginning, when the Rhine maidens arise from the depths of the river. Their initial appearance is all right, but because they are attached to “the machine” throughout the scene they cannot change their location at all. They are like fish who have been caught on a hook and simply dangle in the air awkwardly. They can move their arms and legs and pretend to swim around, but they cannot change locations. This makes no dramatic sense in the scene with Alberich, who is trying to catch them. In fact, in this scene, he moves around more than the Rhine maidens do, which is the opposite of the way it should be. It’s the Rhine maidens who are supposed to be able to move around easily in the water, and it’s Alberich who is supposed to be incapable of catching them. It doesn’t make sense to have him be able to move around while the Rhine maidens can’t. So while there were some nice visual effects in this scene, dramatically it fell flat, at least to my mind. It was a disappointing way to begin the Ring cycle. The singing was beautiful, though. On the whole, I thought “the machine” tended to inhibit actors’ and singers’ movement throughout the performance. However the visual effects of Wotan and Logge moving down to Nibelheim and then back up again were wonderful–the two figures suspended at a 90-degree angle to a more or less vertical wall–and I liked the rainbow bridge. I would have liked to see a little more of Valhalla, though. Bryn Terfel did a great job singing the role of Wotan.

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  2. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    I hadn’t thought about how the Rhinemaidens were essentially just dangling there, as the scene is often awkward. You definitely have a good point though. Unfortunately, I think the Machine was best used in this opera compared to the other 3. Terfel is great though!

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