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Wagner Society in NSW Inc
27 August – overcast, rain and a bit cold.GotterdammerungWell, we left the Festspielhaus happy – not ecstatically happy but we were content that the Orchestra and singers had come through with an impressive work. Act I presented the Norns sitting on a pile of human bones. Yes there was a rope. In fact the habit like costumes were all rope. The singing and the general ‘feel' of the scene were both strong and impressive. Somewhat still shell shocked over Die Walkure we started to settle into our seats in the expectation that all would be well and it was. Before we realised it the Acted had ended and we flooded out to munch on our Bratwursts and sip our champagnes with smiles on our faces. Act II and III simply confirmed our hopes. Stephan Gould, Siegfried, managed to keep in fine voice until near the end and Linda Watson, was strong and commanding. We loved Edith Haller as Gutrune and Mihoko Fujimura as Waltraute. Andrew Shore , Alberich, Hans-Peter Konig, Hagen and Alexander Marco-Buhrmester, Gunter all added to the richness of the voices and Christian Thielemann continued his transparent approach to the music. It was, we thought a competent and good Gotterdammerung but it did not thrill. This was true of the entire production and those of us who attended this Ring will talk about this aspect much more in the future. The Mike Day Shiver Down the Back Rating: 7.5 out of ten. 25 August – more rain and getting colder but that means we are very comfortable in the FestpielehausSiegfriedWe had expectations for Siegfried after the disappointments of Die Walkure and Act I did not disappoint. The amusing interchange between Mime (Gerhard Siegel), who just grew more commanding as the opera progressed and Siegfried, Stephen Gould, was followed by an impressive and enjoyable joust between Mime and Der Wanderer. What can one say about Falk Struckmann without repeating one superlative after another? And let's not forget Mime – whose characterisation and singing were a triumph. The set in Act I was a bit controversial – some did not appreciate the setting in a dilapidated classroom cluttered with all the usual teaching aids; I thought it worked well. Act II opened to an amazing predawn forest with massive truncated tree trunks. Above the forest loomed a huge uncompleted portion of a concrete expressway the proportions of which contained echoes of Jeffery Smart's paintings. This set with its great lighting was truly impressive as were the various dialogues between Der Wanderer and Alberich, Andrew Shore , Alberich and Mime and Mime and Siegfried. The dragon was a set of red fangs in the background associated with lots of red light and some smoke which culminated in a fireball as the dragon was slain. It was OK. One wonderful feature of the set was the intricate colour palate – it was remarkably pleasing to the eye. In my view this set, as with the set in Act I, complemented the action. The Act III interplay between Erda, Mihoko Fujimura, looking splendid in a tight fitting black dress encrusted with shimmering hollow silver spheres and Der Wanderer worked well. Of course were all waiting for the final scene where Siegfried awakens Brunnhilde and they fall in love. Some of us thought that Linda Watson would sing Stephen Gould off the stage but as it eventuated Gould held his own and produced a credible and solid sound with just the right amount of passion. Unfortunately the ‘Shiver Down the Spine' sensation did not occur. All in all the whole opera was competent, brilliant at times, but not thrilling. Those of us sitting up front were bemused to witness a minor ‘costume malfunction' during the confrontation between Der Wanderer and Siegfried. It appeared that Der Wanderer had lost something from a breast pocket in his coat and after scratching around a bit he eventual laid his spear on a rock and disappeared behind the rock for a few seconds – this disconcerted Siegfried but Der Wanderer soon reappeared and the action continued without further interruption. Oh, the orchestral sound under Christian Thielemann? The usual ten out of ten for clarity, accuracy and insight into the fabric of the music – but did cause any shivers! The Mike Day Shiver Down the Back Rating: 6 out of ten. This might seem a bit harsh but while it was a fine production but it was not thrilling. Dinner later was a triumph. Herr Scheer in the kitchen, ably assisted by Frau Scheer, Front of House and Bertram, Maitre de, Sommelier and one and only waiter just continued to impress. The relationships between the NSW and Victorian Wagner Societies were also reinforced over some delightful wines as the evening progressed into the early hours of the morning. 24 August – weather remains unsettledA free dayAn amazing number of foreigners attending the Ring ended up in Bamberg today. 23 August – weather remains unsettled and a bit cool, which means we survive in the theatre.Die WalkurePicture the scene. The House manager walks onto the stage just before Act II and announces in sombre tones that ‘because of an indisposition' Endrick Wottrich would not be able to continue as Siegmund and that Robert Dean Smith (who was Erich in Hollander) would play the role. The audience erupts into rapturous applause and cheers. What was going on? Well, without entering into conspiracy theories, it became clear about 15 minutes into the first Act that Enrick Wottrich was in serious vocal distress. Unfortunately for him, his fellow cast members, the orchestra and we, the audience, the Act limped sadly to an unsatisfactory conclusion. It was one of those rare moments in Bayreuth when a weak link destabilised the other performers and the orchestra. A very proper local man behind me let out a very loud ‘scheiser' in the middle of the performance. We all filed out and commiserated with each other over what had been a disappointing first Act. Champagnes and beers were sipped nervously while bratwursts and wiesswursts were devoured similarly as we contemplated the potential horrors of a second Act. When the curtain rose, a wonderfully expansive set on top of the clouds and a killer attack by conductor Christian Thielemann – who was obviously determined to take no prisoners – set things back on course straight away. The continuing stunning performance by Falk Struckmann as Wotan reinforced the feeling that all now was well. Robert Dean Smith's Siegmund was thrilling. He sang with the glorious full Helden tenor tones and portrayed a convincing Siegmund. It was splendid to hear. Given the problems with the first Act we were a little surprised at how the performers had turned everything around. As Wotan's final ‘Geh!' dropped Hunding to the ground the act concluded with the arch of dramatic and musical tension intact. Andrieanne Pieczonka's Sieglinde deserves a special mention – a powerful performance. Act III and the Ride of the Walkyries was a dramatic and musical success . Someone commented later that the eight Walkyries contained a couple of Brunnhildes. The final scene where Wotan causes his errant daughter to sleep on a rock protected by magic fire was extremely moving. Falk Struckmann again pushed the music and the drama to the limit. Thinking about the sets, Act I was seen as somewhat controversial with the audience. Most didn't appreciate that the sword had been pushed into a telegraph pole that that had crashed into Hunding's house at some point. Others felt that the set was too clinical. The Act II set with a huge expanse of black space, a central rock that spun to indicate changes in scene and to reveal the broken visage of Wotan, and a panoply of broken massive statues of Gods along the back of the stage worked. The Act III set had echoes of the Chereaux Ring. This was not a problem and it was impressive. The Magic Fire also pleased us. The Mike Day Shiver Down the Back Rating: 8 out of 10 for Act II and III. I think Act I should be best forgotten, 22 August – much precipitation last night.Das RheingoldWell I can say one thing for Germany . The breakfasts do not change. I shudder to think what would happen if I changed from tea to coffee – probably expulsion from the Gasthof. The day commenced dark, gloomy and wet but cleared up later to facilitate the obligatory ‘ Bayreuth ' promenade. Our anticipation about Das Rheingold was well and truly met. From the opening E flat to the final chord this was clearly Christian Thielemann's night. The new favourite Wagner Musical Director created a suburb lightness and clarity of sound that caused us all to wonder at the newness of this opening opera in the Ring Cycle. Tanked Dorst also came up with the goods. His production was intelligent and tightly controlled. There were solid character developments and firm interrelationships between the characters. The sets by Fran k Phillipp Schlossmann were at all times interesting and great to look at. I didn't share the disappointments with the costumes. It was interesting that the God's decadence was highlighted by some rather fun stuffing of legs and other body regions. Falk Struckmann's Wotan was agreeably assured in his role. Mihoko Fujimura, Erda was suitably commanding in voice and presence. The Rhinemaidens were a touch disappointing, which is a pity, because the staging of this opening scene was great. Andrew Shore , Alberich gave a convincing performance with a strong vocal contribution. His character tended to be pathetic or comic rather than menacing which worked in this production. Gerhard Siegak as Mime was suitably obsequious with a well placed voice. You would be hard pressed to pick the outstanding performance from the main characters of Wotan, Fricka (Michelle Breedt), Loge and Alberich but perhaps Struckmann may be forced to share the top accolade with Arnold Bezuyen's Loge on the night. This Loge was believable and his camaraderic relationship with the at times naive Alberich was a delight. Yes, all in all, a great night. The Mike Day Shiver Down the Back Rating: 7 out of 10 After the Gods entered Valhalla the night continued for us mortals and demigods. Throwing many Euros to the wind we had booked ourselves into Sherwin H Sloan and the Wagner Society of Southern California's Gala Dinner ‘Honouring Gudrun and Wolfgang Wagner' and the Bayreuth artists. I must say that we Australians know how to party and to make our presence felt – in the nicest kind of way – though it is a touch embarrassing to realise suddenly that you are amongst the last to leave. The Gala was also memorable because of the VIP turn up: Gudrun and Wolfgang Wagner, the three Rhinemaidens, Alberich, Brunnhilde (Linda Watson), our own Klingsor/Kurwenal (John Wegner), Senta (Adrienne Dugger) and Mary (Uta Priew) amongst others. The artists all gave a short speech with a common thread of the privilege of being part of the Festival and the Wagner family. John Wegner also talked about the special Bayreuth acoustic. Wolfgang Wagner was also awarded a Star on the Hollywood Avenue of the Stars. Sherwin Sloan is an amazing man. There would have been close to 150 people at the gala yet Sherwin confidently and firmly adjusted the seating plan as he moved people from their allotted positions at the tables for ten – promoting some and downgrading others. We were twice blessed with having been allotted a table with good talkers plus the thrill of breaking bread with a gregarious Senta and a dignified Uta Priew who sadly has announced her retirement. The night ended with fond farewells to Adrienne Dugger and Uta Priew. In the event we gave the Klingsors a lift home because Klingsor having lost his magic spear could not extract his car from the locked up VIP garage. 21 August – a greyish and almost cold day though it warmed up laterTristan und IsoldeThis is the day that all us festival participants dread for we have reached the end of clean formal shirts. Doing one's laundry in Germany is problematic at the best of times and this is usually followed by the extremely frustrating hunt the sole hotel ‘Bugeln' (the iron) but deliverance was at hand in the person of the Gashof's Frau Scheer. As we sat at breakfast working through the options she had taken it upon herself to walk across the street and make arrangements for the local laundry to wash and iron our dress shirts all within 24 hours. For this amazing achievement I'm prepared to nominate her for sainthood. Tristan, the opera - fantastic individual performances: Kurvenal, Aussie John Wegner, Tristan, Robert Dean Smith, Brangaena, Petra Lang, and Isolde, Nina Stemme. In fact people were saying that Stemme is the best Isolde since Flagstad. Not only did she have alarming vocal power but her acting and sense of drama were mesmerising. The audience stamped their approval at the end of the performance - a standing ovation no less. The orchestra played without fault. Unfortunately conductor Peter Schneider did not manage to develop the necessary arching tension. Act I got there with a full shiver factor but unfortunately Acts II and III missed on this measure. The production is comprehensible, interesting to look at and, unlike Parsifal, not offensive to the eye. After the show our waiter at the Gasthof, which we have designated as our ‘local' restaurant because of the quality of the food, nodded sagaciously when we informed him that it would be a half bottle per person of wine night and it was a very pleasant local wine at that. Fellow Gasthof guests from Hamburg, inter alia, expressed their unthusiasm for Simone Young. The Mike Day Shiver Down the Back Rating: 7 out of 10 for the first act. 20 August – the day of the great downpourA free dayA free day – this meant a leisurely start, a serious power walk through the Hof Gardens, another motre leisurely walk around the Ermitage, the usual bemused intake of breath at the jewellery box glitter that is the Neue Schloss, the gasp at the glory of the fountains which are turned on for ten minutes on the hour, another serious walk – have to make amends for the excesses of the night before at dinner – and then passable coffee and freshly baked cake at a local 'discovery' with some of the Australian contingent. Then the heavens opened up and we could only marvel at the amount of water that crashed thunderously around us. Dinner in our commodious and always welcoming Gasthof Spiegelmuehle turned out to be a bottle a person event. (In our defence the wines were spendid) One of the team was sufficiently brave to order (and enjoy) the Pfifferlingssalat mit Wildhasenfilet. While I, probably more sensibly, chose the Perlhuhnrust mit feinen Gemuse and Portweinjus, the hare caused the final images of Parsifal with the maggot infested rabbit to return to our consciousness. Bavarian food and hospitality can be marvellous at times. 19 August. Weather not that bad - hot and humid but OKParsifalBefore the performance ... A pre performance peek through the little door at the back of the stage - ignoring the signs that promise severe retribution should someone do just that - brought into focus some tatty items for the first act including a cage containing a large rabbit. Hmm. Prior to the performance the Australians were abuzz with the thought of John Wegner as Klingsor. After the performance ... It turned out to be an exhausting, and, unfortunately, not a satisfying night. The production by Christoph Schlingensief in my view conspires against some of the fundamentals of the opera. There was general agreement that the sets and stage effects work against the performers though Jane and Paul assure me that the 'clutter' on stage was much less than last year. There is almost a disconnect between the (great) performances on the one hand and the rest of the production. I don't propose in this forum to list my and other complaints suffice to say that Act I did not work. Act II worked only because of the talented teamwork between Parsifal, Arons Eberz, Klingsor, John Wegner (who said later that he had 'great fun' in the performance) and Kundry, Evelyn Herlitzius. Act III was fine until the end where, as far as I could work out, Klingsor regained the spear, and Parsifal, Amfotas and Kundry lay dead - or were they? The chorus and orchestra, under Adman Fischer were of high standard. All in all disappointing and I started to have fond memories of the Wolfgang Wagner production with monoliths. This current production is the most disappointing of all the operas I have ever seen at Bayreuth. Elizabeth I understand will have a later right of reply. The Mike Day Shiver Down the Back Rating: 0 out of 10 18 August. Weather foul but improved as the night progressedFlying DutchmanThe weather in Europe at the moment is disgusting – basically it is raining and cold. We managed to miss only one exit on the drive from Frankfurt to Bayreuth so we ended up coming into town from the east of the map rather than from the north west but we survived. The drive up to the Festspielhaus is always moving and our companion Marc's impeccable German gained us a poll parking spot. I have to admit that, this being our fifth visit to Bayreuth, I did not have the same sense of awed expectation as Bayreuth virgins but this feeling soon was dissipated by the extraordinary sounds emanating from the pit and stage. Jaakko Ryhanen as Darlan and John Tomlinson as der Hollander soon set the standard for all others on the stage. Adrienne Dugger as Senta was more than a match vocally for these two males. Her fortissimo in particular was sublime. The chorus was impressive. Mac Albrecht's control of the orchestra was splendid. It is good to see that Albrecht's descendents have moved away from dastardly deeds. So just another good quality night at Bayreuth? Well yes but to my mind we were part of something much more – it was one of those out of the ordinary nights where the backs in the audience shivered constantly from excitement. The problem is we were not really sure what we had seen. Clearly the production was not Wagner's Flying Dutchman. Oh, we had the music and the Libretto but that was about all for the legend had been well and truly subsumed by a tale of child abuse, possibly incest and a Daland and Hollander who had become one entity – and a rather scary one entity at that. So zero or one out of ten for being faithful to the story but a perfect score for a new story line that gave us food for thought. The purists were scandalised but this audience was very accepting. It may have not been Wagner's Flying Dutchman but it was a night of nights, and this is what Bayreuth is all about. The Mike Day Shiver Down the Back Rating: 8 out of 10 Back to Society Home Page
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