Seattle Ring Cycle 2

Submitted by Tue, 2009/08/25 - 02:29

Just returned from seeing the Seattle Opera’s production of The Ring. My first time to see this production, and indeed I thought it was overall a very well done event. The stage settings were just wonderful with the NW forest or majestic granite towers of rock. I thought the singing and acting in the drama was “over the top”.

Some observations/comments:

[b]Singers/Actors:[/b]
1. Greer Grimsley was born to do Wotan. The best I have seen. Very wonderful voice, and the emotion came out when he was brooding.
2. Richard Paul Fink nailed Alberich. Just a great voice, and his animations really enabled the character.
3. Stephanie Blythe performance as Fricka was simply absorbing.
4. Gordon Hawkins did a terrific job as Hagen.
5. Stig Anderson sang well as Siegfried, but his acting skills were short in my opinion.
5. Janice Baird, at least to me, blew it away. I had read that in Cycle 1, some comments were made that she started slow. I heard others in the hall that were lamenting they did not have Jane Eaglen back. Well, I am a physician that is appalled by these morbidly obese women becoming opera divas. There is no anatomical validation of super obese women singing better. The health issues of being morbidly obese are very, very serious. Wagner wanted The Ring staged as a Festival Drama. Drama includes singing and acting. Wagner wanted the audience to get emotionally involved with the characters. There would be now way to get involved in the love between Siegfried and Brunnhilde with a morbidly obese woman, such as Jane, playing that part. It would take away from the overall opera. For those that say the singing is the only thing, I politely disagree. Why is the opera set on stage with elaborate costumes and sets. It is indeed a singing drama, and I believe the singer/actors need to look like their part.

Back to Janice Baird as Brunnhilde. She looked like a Brunnhilde, she had the emotions clearly displayed like a Brunnhilde as her acting skills were also good, and she sang just wonderfully, in my opinion. In the closing scene, she reached pitch and notes that just were amazing.

[b]Production:[/b]

1. The snake in Niebelheim was like a cheesy high school prop. Could not the Seattle Opera done a screen projection or some other means for its betrayal. The one they used was almost laughable.
2. Why was Siegfried, the great warrior, dressed like a peasant farmer throughout the opera.
3. Was the use of the live horse really effective for any dramatic effect?
4. The flying Rhine Daughters were really terrific.

Just some of my comments/thoughts on a great production.

Would love to hear other WSNC members input about their experiences in Seattle.