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Seattle Opera Production of The Wagner Ring Cycle
August 23rd - August 29th, 2005
In August, 2005, nine Winnipeggers joined with two "Ringheads" from Chicago and one from Florida to see Seattle's famous Ring Cycle by Richard Wagner. The tour was sponsored by Manitoba Opera, Continental Travel and Valhalla Opera Tours.
Wagner's Ring is an epic saga beginning at the dawn of time, and ending with the end of the current status quo, it features mermaids, giants, dwarfs, gods, humans, and Mother Nature herself. The epic is divided into four related operas. We were well prepared for the operas by attending all day sessions about the Ring, or the one hour pre-opera session; both presented by Seattle's excellent Education Department.
Visually and musically this production was superb, ending in thunderous standing ovations every night, and a desire to return in four years to see it all again.
The package included:
- Air fare
- Transportation to and from airport.
- Accomodations at the Marqueen Hotel, Seattle's premier small hotel, with elegant ambience, impeccable service, and convenient location.
- Private Welcome Cocktail Reception.
- Orchestra seats for the Ring - the first Ring to be held in the new Marion Oliver McCaw Hall.
- Pre-opera talks by Jonathan Dean, Education Associate.
- Harbour cruise to Tillicum Village, a traditional Northwest Coast Native American Indian Village - including stage show and Pacific salmon dinner. Pacific Coast artifacts were available for viewing and purchase.
- Transfers from airport to hotel and return.
- Rail tour into countryside on Spirit of Washington, wine tasting at Columbia Winery, other sightseeing, and a delicious dinner on the train
- Dinner at the Seattle Space Needle.
- Pre-Opera Information Sessions with Perry Lorenzo.
- Service of Tour Host June Slobodian.
- A $200.00 donation to the Manitoba Opera Association with tax receipt.
The Seattle Ring Intinerary:
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Arrival in Seattle
Transportation to Hotel
5:30 Pre-opera talk with Jonathan Dean
7:00 Das Rheingold
10:00 Private welcome post-opera wine and cheese and discussion with tour group at the Marqueen Hotel
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
9:00-12:00 3-hour bus tour of Seattle, showing many of Seattle's most popular sights: Space Needle and Seattle Center, Historic Pioneer Square, Chinatown/International District, Salmon Ladder and Ballard Locks, Floating Home neighborhoods, Pike Place Market, Lake Washington Floating Bridge, Seattle skyline vistas
1:00-4:00 Exploring the Ring with Perry Lorenzo - die Walkure (optional)
4:30 Pre-opera talk with Jonathan Dean
6:00 die Walkure
11:00 Post-opera discussion with tour group
Thursday, August 25, 2005
10:00-3:00 Ring symposium with Roderick Swanston and David Schiff
4:30-8:30 Harbor cruise to Tillicum Village - boat cruise, traditional Indian-style baked salmon, a spectacular stage show and time to explore the forested trails and picturesque beach walks on the Island. Northwest Coast Native American handicrafts were available for purchase
Friday, August 26, 2005
9:00-12:00 Exploring the Ring with Perry Lorenzo - Siegfried
4:30 Pre-opera talk with Jonathan Dean
6:00 Siegfried
11:00 Post Opera discussion with the tour group
Saturday, August 27th, 2005
11:00-12:00 Tech Talks with Robert Schaub - An explanation of the stage magic and technical wizardry that went into the creation of the award-winning Ring production
1:00 Brunch at the Space Needle
4:30 Pick up for Spirit of Washington Dinner Train. A gourmet dinner on the train.
Sunday, August 28, 2005
9:00-12:00 Exploring the Ring with Perry Lorenzo - Gotterdemerung
4:30 Pre-opera talk with Jonathan Dean
6:00 Gotterdemerung
11:00 Post Opera discussion with the tour group
Monday, August 29, 2005
Transfer to airport
Memories of Seattle Ring
What a thrill to see Wagner’s Ring Cycle in the new Seattle Opera House - the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall (Take the virtual tour!, Marion Oliver McCaw Hall renovation information). What a hall. It is beautiful inside and out.
There is a restaurant in the hall. No more starving through a Wagner production, eating at 4 pm or at midnight, or sitting on the floor to eat. Order your meal before the opera, and eat it at intermission. Food is good; however, the length of the intermissions needs to be increased, as those who were not able to exit the opera hall very quickly were not able to finish their meals before the call for the next act.
Another nice touch. Before the next act, the brass play a few relevant notes of Wagner to advise the patrons that it is time to enter the hall. Shades of Bayreuth.
A large, well-stocked gift shop, as well as a gift kiosk. A great place to get your GI Wagner doll or an opera shawl, as well as books, CDs.
Art work inside the building. One set of paintings was of ravens, which segued nicely into Wotan’s ravens; however, apparently their presence was serendipitous. Also, a symbolic Ring sculpture, and an amazing, large chandelier-like piece of art.
The award-winning design of the opera house has nice touches outside as well. A number of clear scrims are lit up in rainbow colors at night, causing shock and awe to the patrons after the performances.
All seats appear to have good sight lines and excellent sound. The opera hall is beautifully designed, and a pleasure to enter. The acoustics rival that of Bayreuth. The Ride of the Valkuries, and the Neibelungen’ anvils were especially notable as the sound echoed and resonated throughout the theatre.
Rheingold began with its ubiquitous E flat. E flat is the lowest note most untrained voices can sing; and it is the oldest sound in the universe - as collected by audio telescopes. Spooky. No wonder it resonates with the collective unconscious and reminds us of primordial ooze. Then the swimming Rhinemaidens appeared, they were actually in 3D harnesses above the stage, able to swim, move and even somersault. And they sang while doing acrobatics.
Visually, the Seattle Ring is beautiful. Wadsworth and Lynch created a verdant background for this Ring, similar to the Washington forests. How refreshing to relax the part of oneself that often has to remain alert during a Ring to any unexpected portrayal - such as Donner playing with a yo-yo in a different Ring production. One felt safe in this competent production to attend to the words, music and nuances on stage. What a great experience.
Real fire is almost a hallmark of Seattle’s productions. In Walkure, the fire realistically moved across the stage to the surrounding trees that began burning. Later, a live horse is led through this fire on what appears to be a ridiculously narrow ridge. Bravo Grane!
For me, the four touchstones of a Ring are Wotan’s Farewell; "The dragon"; the Wanderer’s meeting with Siegfried; and the ending of Gotterdamerung.
"Wotan's farewell reminds us of all the times we have lost the person we loved most in the world; and it's our own fault; and we know it. This, perhaps is the saddest music ever written, and hard is the heart that it doesn't touch." (Perry Lorenzo)
For this production, Seattle produced a wonderful dragon. Siegfried first met the dragon's tail, and played with it and taunted it. Shortly a HUGE dragon head, complete with venom dripping from its mouth and wonderful wings appeared. Absolutely perfect.
When the Wanderer met his grandson Siegfried (Alan Woodrow) this was no casual event. Siegfried unleashed his uncivilized feelings towards the Wanderer with such intensity that it was shocking to watch. Yet another layer to this scene.
The final few minutes of Gotterdamerung were altered from the 2001 production. The many rapid scene changes were spectacular and totally satisfying. Finally, a perfect ending to the Ring. Wagner is in heaven and all is right with the world.
Our tour group had a private bus tour of Seattle. One of the most interesting sights was Bill Gates’ compound, and the information that he likes to drive and not be driven, and upon leaving his compound, he presses a button that synchronizes all the traffic lights so he only hits green lights. Being the richest man in the world has its perks.
A tour highlight was a train journey on a dinner train to a winery with a murder mystery in progress. Food was delicious, wine exceptional, and the actors brought out humorous traits of the diners. Sad to say, one of our own tour members, Tom Countryman, was arrested for murder. It appears that as an undertaker, who wanted to translate The Ring into Latin, it was necessary for him to murder anyone standing in his way. Of course, his funeral home made disposing of the bodies quick and efficient.
We had a wonderful lunch in Seattle’s Space Needle restaurant. Food was elegantly presented, and the clear view of Seattle was unparalleled.
We took a short boat trip to Tillicum Island, where we were fed a traditional Native salmon dinner, and watched a presentation of Native folklore and history. By this time we were so immersed in The Ring, that several of us remarked that their folklore and The Ring’s are similar.
Seattle Opera makes the Ring a total experience. We attended talks by Perry Lorenzo, Jonathan Dean, plus seminars and a presentation by the props department. Seattle is the only city I am aware of where you can attend educational Ring talks all day, and see Wagner at night. A model for implementation.
Of course, one of the highlights of a Ring Tour is meeting after the opera over wine and cheese and discussing that evening’s opera.
In the wee hours of the night, after everyone has gone, I was still pumped with adrenalin and turned on the tv. Would you believe that about 3 am, I saw a silent movie, 1920 era, about the Ring. Trust Seattle Opera to have arranged that.
Memorable Pictures:
Seattle -- Dinner Train
A picture of the group on Seattle tour of city
June Slobodian
Tour Guide and Ring Leader
Valhalla Opera Tours
204-237-4511
valhallaoperatours@shaw.ca
Click here to view June Slobodian's biography
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