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REVIEW OF CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY RING-- DIE WALKURE, September 27, 2006 (third cycle) Toronto, Ontario
Act I opened with the required prominent tree, rubble from Valhalla, and dozens of catwalks and iron beams hanging at various angles. Even costumes were falling apart, representing the shabbiness and chaos in the gods’ world. Siegmund (Clifton Forbis) emerged from the rubble wearing in a long coat. Sieglinde (Adrianne Pieczonka) was dressed in an ankle length dark grey 1880’s outfit; her hair crudely cut at chin length. Hunding, (Phillip Ens) also in a coat, though small in stature was bold in voice and had a suitably menacing presence. He barked crudely at Sieglinde to prepare for her nightly rape.
I spent most of Act I entranced by Sieglinde. Adrianne Pieczonka’s voice rings clear and pure. Diction is perfect. Acting is authentic. This is the finest female voice I have heard since Leontyne Price. I understand she received a well-deserved 30 minute standing ovation at Bayreuth for this role earlier this year. Atom Egoyan’s direction and Forbis’ voice and acting added to the strength of this act.
Defying tradition, Nothung was hidden at the bottom of the tree by leaves. After rescuing it, Siegfried offered the sword to Sieglinde as a sign of betrothal. Sieglinde grasped the sharp sides of the sword with both hands, cutting herself. In rapture she tenderly wiped the blood on Siegmund’s face. Incredibly touching. Yes, Toronto, there is a Freud.
I would rank this Act I at the top, along with Chicago’s 2006 Ring with Placido Domingo, Michelle deYoung and Eric Halfvarson.
The stage in Act 2 was cluttered with bodies wrapped in mummy white cloth, rubble on stage and above—catwalks, dozens of annoying bright spotlights. Brunhilde (Susan Bullock) entered as a very playful Walkure. This Wotan had an eye patch and was dressed like Moses. It worked much better than the Rhinegold Wotan. Wotan (Peteris Eglitis ably filled in for the ailing Pavlo Hunka) joined in the fun with his daughter, as they mimicked each other in the Hiyotoho’s. Full marks.
Judit Nemeth reprised her role as an efficient Fricka. Wotan was woeful, clearly Siegmund’s father. On the dark stage, Wotan dug a grave as they spoke, and eventually rolled a body into the grave. The relevance of this totally escaped me, but we later decided he was mentally preparing for his son’s death.
The twins appeared suitably exhausted. Sieglinde, now wearing ankle boots, a trench coat of an unidentified color covering a dirty whitish slip, could have been a poster child for refugees. Brunhilde, the angel of death, stood elevated and unrolled a long white cloth, upon which a large flame was projected. Impressive. (Question: If only the best and bravest warriors are taken to Valhalla, wouldn’t they be the ones who weren’t killed; rather than the ones who were?) Wotan dismissed Hunding with a wonderfully disgusting "Va". Excellent Act 2.
Act 3 had even more rubble and mummified bodies and body parts, some hanging from the rafters. The Valkyries, all with long dark hair in black beaded evening gowns deftly walked over and around the debris. The sisters were strongly sung, individuated and playful - even throwing bodies to each other and cutting a body down from an elevated catwalk. Their hijotoho’s echoed and re-sounded impressively in the new hall. Their fear of the angry Wotan was palpable.
Sieglinde’s departure was strongly sung by the two excellent sopranos.
Wotan and Brunnhilde’s confrontation was strong - a meeting of two equals in stature and voice. A heartbreaking farewell. Somehow, Wotan found a spot on which to lay his favorite daughter. The Walkure sisters protectively held torches around their sleeping sister. This poignant touch resonated with a primitive truth and added verisimilitude to an already excruciatingly sad marriage of music and emotion. As expected, the COC orchestra was right on. Conductor Bradshaw had an interesting choice of tempi that worked well and added new dimensions. Bradshaw’s poignant pauses added to the breathless of this opera.
June Slobodian
Valhalla Opera Tours
October 2006
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Toronto Ring Cycle
September 25 to October 2, 2006
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Join us for Canada's FIRST complete Ring Cycle. This is an occasion so monumental that the Canadian Opera Company is building a new Opera House that will open in September 2006 with Wagner's Ring Cycle. |
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Wagner's Ring Cycle
October 5th to 14th, 2006
Los Angeles, California
Kirov Opera Company
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| Be present for the long-awaited American premiere of the Kirov's acclaimed production of Wagner's Ring Cycle. As a special bonus, we will also be attending Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, by the premier Russian Opera Company - the Kirov. |
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Lyric Opera of Chicago Production
Wagner's Ring Cycle |
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| For their 2005 Ring revival, Lyric Opera of Chicago assembled a Valhallan cast - possibly the best Wagner cast assembled in the past 40 years.
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Seattle Opera Production
Wagner's Ring Cycle |
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| 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. |
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