I always had my doubts about the Brisbane Ring Cycle; being prejudiced as I am against Opera Australia (they’re so anti Victorian). My doubts exacerbated by how they were advertising this production – all high tech and whizz bang, thousands of screens, computers and so forth. If any opera company was going to overdo presentation hijinks it would be this one. Nevertheless we signed up to it when it was announced to take place in 2020 – pre Covid, pre cancer pre everything. When it was subsequently delayed because of Covid we took our money – for good seats – back. Then we discovered the rescheduled production would coincide with Joe’s Brisbane-based brother’s birthday so we booked again, late in the day. Any old seats, I famously said – more on that anon. We flew to Brisbane on Friday 1st of December when Das Rheingold was to commence the first cycle that very night. Realising later this was a dangerous thing to do – family members’ midday flight from Melbourne was delayed. Then delayed again and again until they ended up in Coolangatta at midnight! One of a number of reasons given was a massive storm hitting Brisbane just before the opera was to begin at 7.30pm. We were lucky. This picture from our hotel room just before we left really doesn’t capture the violence of the storm but is indicative.
Eleanor and Haveen were staying at the same hotel – up for Martin’s birthday. We were at the Calile in Fortitude Valley. Luxurious, we felt in an episode of White Lotus. Surrounded by the rich who may or may not have been famous. Lots of beefy bodies, gold chains, tattoos and blonde hair. Eleanor took the picture below as we left to go. we were lucky a second time that day, being able to hitch a ride just as the storm was breaking with two fellow guests going to the same cycle. Which was being held at QPAC, Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
Arrived at the theatre for Das Rheingold completely unscathed by the rain that erupted over the van carrying us. We found our way to our seat – any old, remember? Door 23. We were directed up and up and up. We were at the very top of the theatre! I could barely see the stage, let alone anyone’s facial expressions. Good view of the orchestra, if one had had opera glasses. This is the only picture I took. Which shows we were amongst the first people in our seats. But so far away!!!!
The second revelation for the night was how great the production was. The first Act was spectacular – beautiful images of rolling blue, green, aqua waves in large screens surrounding the Rhinemaidens. We really were at the bottom of the Rhine. Above the three singers, in the same costumes – bright red flowing hair, glittering green and silver tunics – two or three trapeze artists dived and tumbled, bubbles following every move. Onstage the singers – Lorina Gore, Jane Ede and Dominica Mathews – sat, stood, climbed and slid through a huge white rock, resembling a giant piece of coral. It looked terrific. The singing was wonderful.
Warwick Fyffe was Alberich, looking rather like a ninja turtle in his costume. Widely praised when he’s sung this role before, he was great. The first time I saw Warwick was in the second Adelaide Ring where he was Fasolt, singing his tender love song to Freia. I prefer him as Wotan – grandeur rather than villainous but he is a very compelling Alberich. The props were also good – often directors play around with the gold that Alberich has to snatch from the depths. Here it was a large crystal rock that he held triumphantly in both hands as he sped away.
Back in the realm of the Gods, Wotan (Daniel Sumegi) and Fricka (Deborah Humble) made impressive entrances sitting cross-legged on separate Japanese-style thrones. Everything sparkling white – both the platform like thrones and surrounding bits and pieces notably two Chinese dragon sculptures. All of the Gods were dressed in dazzling long coats over trousers. They looked terrific. I don’t recall the screens in this scene – so they certainly didn’t dominate as I’d worried. Daniel was a terrific Wotan; his first time in the role. I’ve seen him as Hagen in my very first or second Ring at Adelaide and he was memorable. We also saw him in Melbourne where we were sitting in front of his very excited relatives. I feel a personal connection so I was hoping he would do well. It’s a massive role and he was wonderful in both singing and acting. He had black hair. This – hair colour – can be an issue in the Ring Cycle. Lots of times Wotan has red hair that is then given to his offspring – a hint for audiences. This was only alluded to slightly in this production overall and in this first opera Wotan has not passed on the hair gene to anyone.
The Giants both looked terrific with no extra bulk added to their costumes, instead stiff, towering mohawks did the job effectively. It worked well and certainly made getting dressed and moving easier for the singers – David Parker as Fasolt and Andrea Silvestrelli as Fafner and later Hunding and Hagen. He was terrific in all three roles, suitably threatening and a massive voice.
The descent to the realm of the Nibelung was really well done via the screens. Terrific. Hubert Francis as Loge – in the same white coat as the Gods but with the addition of goggles was terrific. It’s an easy role for singers to milk and most do it well. He has one beautiful aria about the love of women. Beautifully sung. Back in Nibelung land instead of using the screens to project Alberich’s transformations, we saw a Chinese style (think dragons) sinuous stick puppet emerge from the shadows as Aberich the dragon. Later a rather ridiculous green cloth dropped on Alberich’s head was supposed to be the toad. It made capturing Alberich easier. Warwick Fyffe’s curse on the ring was stupendous. And Erda made a dramatic entrance up from the floor. I thought her dreadlocks and root-like hands were a bit overdone, but beautiful singing from an unrecognisable Liane Keegan.
There were just two jarring bits of this opera for me. The stacking of the hoard to hide Freia did not in fact hide her – why not? It would have been easy. Instead she stood beside the bags of gold being stacked up. The second was the complete absence of the rainbow bridge and any attempt to show Valhalla majestically rising above the clouds. Instead there was a tiny silver track through the stars. I read in the programme later that the Director saw the Gods going to Valhalla as the stardust whose glittering dots and lines, forming a star map, could just as easily be pixels on a computer screen. I’d prefer to see them marching up a rainbow coloured bridge to an imposing edifice. And there were dancers – more distractions from the grandeur of the music! Disappointing. But overall we left with great optimism about the production.
You can find a review of this opera that I totally agree with here
On Sunday morning, 3rd December 2023, we attended the first of three talks by Peter Bassett. These were held in an auditorium in the Museum which is next to the theatre. Peter is an expert on the Ring and we have several of his booklets explaining the story. You can get them through his website which is here. If you’re interested in the Ring, I strongly recommend getting hold of some of his writing. He also had an essay in this what was a very good programme which included insightful analysis of the operas as well as the usual details of singers etc. I discovered Peter at my first Ring in Adelaide where he gave similar lectures. This is the lecture theatre, with Peter standing near the entrance as late-comers arrive. As you can see lots of grey hair in the audience!
We went to these talks in the morning of each of the remaining three operas after Rheingold. We should have got to Brisbane in time for that one too; we just didn’t factor it in. He always tells you something new. Here he is at the lectern.
We then raced to the theatre to change our seats for Die Walküre. Prepared to pay any price, do anything required to get them. Fortunately we didn’t have to. A young man, Daniel, all alone dealing with lots of requests from the mostly elderly people with ticket problems, helped us out. So we we were ushered in to Door 6, a long way down from Door 23! See the difference. I was ecstatic. Didn’t need opera glasses!
This second opera in the cycle was very nearly perfect. A great set for Hunding’s house – a giant bonsai tree in the middle. White. Anna-Louise Cole was a terrific Sieglinde. She had black hair with a streak of red. AS well as her stupendous voice, her stillness was the thing. She managed to convey so much about her situation – the humiliation and fear – by being completely still. I was a bit cross when Silvestrelli (wonderful as Hunding) pushed her to the ground – unnecessary folks! One of the best things about this scene was she wasn’t taken up with doing too much – preparing food, taking dishes back and forth, drugging drinks. All this was done off-stage so it was very sparing of props. I approve! Rosario La Spina was a terrific Siegmund – black hair with a green streak – beautiful voice and great acting. His pulling out of the sword was terrific. The screens were used effectively to depict the storm and then spring. I was a bit disappointed there was no door opening to indicate the change to spring. At some time during the opening Act I started to feel a migraine coming on, caused I think by a spectacularly bright moon – which in other circumstances I would have thought wonderful. Dark glasses, a pill and loads of water helped me stave it off for the most part.
Lise Lindstrom was wonderful as Brunnhilde. She’s recognised internationally as the Brunnhilde of the age. We’ve seen her in the role before, in Melbourne, where her singing was acclaimed. This despite the drabness of her Viet Cong -like costume and being put in a box instead of on a rock (I digress). Here she looked magnificent – striking red hair and dramatic silver dress, black boots with easily manoeuvrable spear and shield. Apart from anything else costumes are important for ease of movement. From the start she looked as as though she could rule the world. With our original tickets we would have seen Brunnhilde played by Anna-Louise Cole. While I was disappointed at the prospect of missing Lise Lindstrom I was hoping we’d see a new star emerging. After seeing Anne-Louise Cole as Sieglinde I was confident that this would happen and subsequent reviews have confirmed it. Wonderful to have a home-grown Brunnhilde in our midst.
Daniel Sumegi continued as he started – wonderful. The big dialogue scenes, first with Fricka then with Brunnhilde, were wonderful and easy to follow. Wotan’s despair gut wrenching. They were accompanied by abstract movements on the screens in soft colours moving like starling murmurations. Joe thought the images reflected the characters’ emotions – I didn’t have such highbrow thoughts. Either way we did not find them too intrusive and distracting. We saw the Siegmund – Hunding fight (you often don’t) – during which the screens represented trees through which the fighters moved back and forth. There were supernumary fighters accompanying Hunding but that wasn’t too bad. (I hate supernumaries – non-singers – cluttering up the stage). Sieglinde was not too hysterical. The Annunciation scene was done well enough – though not completely magisterially which I like. I thought Brunnhilde’s voice was too soft. The appearance of a very large stick puppet which I thought represented the Angel of Death was distracting. It came in with Brunnhilde and the reviews all say it was meant to represent her horse, Grane. Bit silly especially as when it was moving the puppeteers had trouble keeping all the parts together.
The appearance of the Valkyries was greeted by spontaneous applause. They were lowered onto the stage inside a large silver structure. A phoenix jet according to the Director. Very effective; although the effect slightly ruined by a number of sword carrying supernumeries running about making the stage too crowded. The big moments later were wonderful; Brunnhilde and Sieglinde and then Brunnhilde and Wotan. Great agony and beautiful reconciliation during Wotan’s Farewell which was beautifully paced between action and music. It’s often a bother knowing what Wotan should do during this very drawn out scene. Here it worked very well. I was a bit anxious when the rock was pushed to the front of the stage. It looked a very rickety affair – a large rock held up on a number of spears. I later saw there was a safety rail – a thin string of steel connecting the spears – but it still looked rickety for the singers. In this opera only Brunnhilde ascends directed by Wotan. That worked well Getting her on the rock according to Wagner’s instructions to have Wotan place here there can be a clumsy business in lots of productions. Here she walked up to it and was awake to see the fire emerging around it. This was carried in on a little train that looked like a long Chinese dragon; seemingly real fire emerging from all the little carriages. It was terrific. As was Wotan’s slow and stately exit. I was close enough to take pictures of the curtain calls.
This picture above is of Anne-Louise Cole as Sieglinde. You can see the rock held in place by the spears in the background. You also see the height of the screens. The Valkyries are standing on both the right and left sides of the singers. Deborah Humble as Fricka is in silver to the left and the tall person on the right is Andrea Silvesstri as Hunding, overshadowing Rosario La Spina’s Siegmund.
Above we see Daniel Sumegi acknowledging the crowd that was getting ready to give him a standing ovation.
As they did for Lise Lindstrom. Such a grand night at the opera! You can see a review, which contains pictures, of this opera here. And another one here. And yet another, hopefully not behind a paywall is here. A review combining both Das Rheingold and Die Walküre is here.
Couldn’t wait for Siegfried, which was on Tuesday, 5th December 2023. We’d been told by our hero friend Daniel to exchange our first lot of tickets for this and the last opera via Opera Australia by phone. Having tried unsuccessfully to do so we returned to him and he, wonderful again, provided us with new tickets for both of these performances. Back at the theatre we were now directed to Door 5. A little closer to the stage. I’m so pleased! Joe is taking the picture so it’s not his hair you see in the background!
Although I must say his hair made him look like a maestro amongst the opera crowd. My neighbour in my seat for the second opera came down to congratulate me on our good fortune! A little closer. You get a sense of the audience in these pictures. I was now sitting next to the opera critic from the Sydney Morning Herald and we had some interesting conversations this and the next night.
This opera was also close to perfection. A great Siegfried in Stefan Vinke, an acclaimed expert in this role on the international opera circuit. We’d seen him as Siegfried in Melbourne. A fantastic voice from beginning to end in what is one of the most challenging roles for a tenor. He successfully inhabited the youthful, boorish boy prancing into Mime’s cave with a bearskin under his arm. Later transforming to the unformed youth who grows to adulthood when he sees Brunnhilde. The cave itself was a lovely uncluttered set. Essentially just a long white workbench to the right of the stage, which I read later was meant to be made of tree logs. Again there was no fussing about with props. Mime did a minimum of cooking and attempted forging. Similarly Siegfried didn’t have too much mucking about in his successful forging of his father’s sword. The end of which was thrilling although I was a little disappointed he didn’t strike the anvil in two. But he gave the workbench a great whack!
Daniel Sumegi’s transformation from Wotan the God to the Wanderer was terrific. He’s changed out of his glistening white coat to a black one with an ordinary hat – not too big, not pulled half way down his face (common depictions). In both the earlier operas and this one he had just an ordinary eye patch – which was good! The riddling scene between Mime (Andreas Conrad) and Wotan was really well done – easy to follow. This may have been due to the surtitles, done by Stewart Spencer, as well as the singing and acting. They were good although I remember thinking I must check this or that phrase a couple of times . Now I can’t remember which bits seemed new to me!
The Forest Murmurs scene was lovely. Siegfried attempts to play music on a leaf rather than carving out a pipe. The Woodbird was beautifully done. Using the same technique as was used for the Rhinemaidens, the bird was a trapeze artist dipping and weaving amongst the leafy trees depicted on the screens. She was sung offstage by Celeste Lazarenko who had a beautiful voice. The screens were used to great effect to depict Fafner as the dragon – in full colour and up close. We see the sinuous viper uncoiling until it’s head and fangs are full size and open – quite frightening! Later when he’s dead a big bundle of meat with blood dripping emerges on a hook and lowered to the floor. One reviewer didn’t like that but I did. Siegfried leaves Mime’s body propped up against it. All quite perfect. We see the same Erda summoned from sleep by Wotan. I didn’t feel the costume overdone in this opera as I had in Das Rheingold – probably unchanged, maybe I was used to it. The Woodbird then leads Siegfried towards Brunnhilde before flying away when she sees Wotan. Confrontation between Grandfather and Grandson (Siegfried has red hair incidentally) is over quite quickly. You don’t quite get the sense of Wotan’s acceptance of his devastating final defeat which should be really momentous.
Then Siegfried was on his way to the rock and Brunnhilde through leaping flames depicted on teh screens. Not much to say about this except it was all done perfectly. I was a bit anxious about the two singers wandering around a flimsy stage up high, but the spears stood firm. The two lovers came down onto the full stage for the final three quarters of this bit. Brunnhilde’s slow awakening to her new normal was nicely done. Again the pacing was good. Glorious music, glorious singing, terrific acting. Here are some photos of curtain call. I had to get in quick before everyone stood up!
This is Warwick Fyffe being congratulated for his penultimate appearance in the cycle. Erda on the left, Fafner as a Giant on the right. The back row figures are the supernumeries! They were waving flags on stage at one point during Siegfried’s journey and Siegfried nearly knocked into one of them. Not needed – ever!
Daniel Sumegi takes a bow. This is his last appearance in the cycle and he should be pleased and proud of his achievement. A Wotan for the ages.
Lise Lindstrom. Ecstatic audience – me included. Also I should say, Peter, my neighbour the critic.
Stefan Vinke as Siegfried. Wonderful and well and truly appreciated by the audience. Celest Lazarenko, the Woodbird is standing between Mime and Fafner on the right of Daniel Sumegi.
All of the principals. Such a wonderful cast. Such a wonderful performance. A great production. You can read a review here. And here.
So onto the final opera Götterdämmerung on Thursday 7th of December 2023. We booked meals at the QPAC bistro for both of the really long operas in the cycle, Siegfried and this one. They were a bit overwhelmed by the crowd attending but did well and the food was fine. Here I am all dressed up for our final experience.
Again, just about everything about this final opera was perfect. We start with the Norns which is often a difficult scene to get excited about. They are throwing the thread of life back and forth between them telling us the story all over again. People mock Wagner for this retelling of the story in all of the operas that make up the cycle – perhaps worried people wouldn’t remember it. Here I just loved the look of these Norns – Celeste Haworth, Angela Hogan and Olivia Cranwell. They start off as heads on the stage and gradually emerge from the depths. They are wearing the most fantastic costumes. Which are essentially balls of thread, which towards the end, they start unravelling. Finally when the thread breaks they return from whence they came, disappearing through the stage floor back to Mother Earth. Transfixing.
Then we are back at the rock where we find Brunnhilde in the same clothes – she’s often changed in to a nighty for this scene which is ridiculous! But here thankfully she remains in her Valkyrie costume throughout this opera – with just the addition of a cloak towards the end. Siegfired is soon off on his adventures. The Hall of the Gibichungs was a great set. Reviews likened it to something out of Game of Thrones which I’ve never seen. Either way it was just right. A looming hall surrounded by icy peaks depicted on the screens. The hardworking Silvestrelli was a terrific Hagen. Luke Gabbedy was a suitably spineless Gunther and Maija Kovaleevska a suitably naive Gutrune. Costumes were suitably wintry suitable for lords of the manor living in an icy location.
Siegfried’s introduction to the house, swearing blood brotherhood, being drugged and besotted with Gutrune all flows suitably. (I’m not sure I’ve got that in the right order). The kidnapping of Brunnhilde worked well, without unnecessary disguises or props. All that is needed is great singing, acting and overall the wonderfully menacing music.The meeting between Brunnhilde and Waltraute (Deborah Humble) was beautifully done – very clear story-telling. Thankfully Brunnhilde came down from her rock for this dialogue which I’ve always enjoyed as Brunnhilde becomes the besotted figure Wotan wanted – Wagner was a feminist! Later her entrance into the Gibichung Hall was terrific. She was glowering with rage – not cowering or cringing in fear. I loved it. The three singers – Lindstrom, Silvestrelli and Gabbedy – made her transformation from lover to killer absolutely believable. It always reminds me of Shakespeare’s Richard III, was ever woman in this humour wooed.
Finally the hunting expedition was terrific. They’re in an icy environment, the vassals (maybe supernumeries in which case they were effectively used) set up mobile wooden triads on which to roast the kills of their masters. We know who will be killed! Which is done quickly and effectively by Hagen. The beautiful music accompanying Siegfried’s recalling of his life and love for Brunnhilde is performed without distractions. This was followed by the best Siegfried’s Funeral March that I have ever seen! The vassals (or supernumeries – credit where credit is due) come shuffling onto the stage from the back. They march slowly, in formation, all clad in fur covered gear – fur hoods, fur jackets, fur boots. They looked terrific and moved wonderfully slowly. They load Siegfried onto a sled, covered in something, I can’t quite remember, fur cloak, sheet, whatever. Then they walk him slowly offstage. All so slow. All so moving.
And on to the final scenes. There’s so much going on here it is hard to absorb it all. Siegfried’s arm comes up as described in Wagner’s instructions but the moment is sort of overwhelmed by everything that is happening on stage – which is very crowded. The chorus is standing round the sides, Gutrune cradles the dead Gunther, and there’s a large pyramid of steps in the middle. Brunnhilde sends Wotan’s ravens home – there’s meant to be two but we see dozens on the screens. Which also then flash through scenes from the earlier operas depicting all that has preceded this moment – a nice idea. The Angel of Death – Grane – makes another appearance which I found distracting. Brunnhilde was magnificent. She mounts to the top of the pyramid which turns red as it becomes the funeral pyre. The screens depict water tumbling down and Hagen leaps into the Rhine. Brunnhilde is gone. We hear the Rhinemaidens welcoming the return of their gold. Wonderful. Exhausting. Which I am again, after reliving it writing this blog! Here are some photos from curtain call – hard to take given the standing ovations.
These are the Norns in front of the chorus and supernumaries. Great costumes. Wonderful.
These are the Rhinemaidens back for their final curtain call. Terrific costumes – and singing.
Siegfried. What a great performance from Stefan Vinke. You can see the Gibichung siblings to his left, in their furry outfits. The tall man on the right is Hagen.
And here is Brunnhilde being applauded by her fellow singers as well as the audience. What a memorable performance.
YOu can find a review of this opera here.
What a memorable Ring Cycle. I should mention the Director, Chen Shi-Zheng, born in China, works out of New York. He wanted to create a version that’s neither a modern interpretation of classical Western culture, nor an adaptation to an Eastern framework … to expand the work’s references beyond European history to our shared universe … a new world myth. I’m not sure that he achieved that but his other objective to bring a broader canvas , a wider space to reimagine and reinterpret this mega-saga. He also says he believes ancient mythology is equivalent to modern science fiction which I’m not sue comes through the production. But what he believes to be Wagner’s core idea certainly does, this is that gods and humans are one – intertwined, inseparable, and always heading to self-destruction and that the operas are about elemental human emotions; love and hate, greed and jealousy, hunger for power and self-destruction. I agree which is why I love Wagner’s great operatic achievement so much. It has been well served by Chen Shi-Zheng and Opera Australia and everyone involved in this wonderful production.
You can find the review of the whole cycle by my seat neighbour here . And another one here.
And a review of the third cycle announcing a new Brunnhilde, possibly behind a paywall but it’s wr=orth subscribing to Limelight, is here.
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