any Ring fans around?

[Per Andersen]

Re: any Ring fans around?

I was in NY on Sept 27 when Das Rheingold opened at the Met. We did not have tickets but saw the whole thing on the gigantic screen in Times Square. Terrific experience. It was raining but there were tons of people sitting on chairs in the rain. That was no problem as the temperature was in the high 70's
Have to say Eric Owens as Alberich stole the show. What a Wagner voice.

A couple of days later we were in Avery Fisher Hall for Mahler's 6th symphony and there was Eric Owens sitting right in front of us. My wife managed to congratulate him with the Rheingold performance.

Not to be outdone I shook hands with Patrick Stewart when he came out of the theater after a performance of Mamet's "A Life in the Theater).

[Brian]

Re: any Ring fans around?

I went for Cycle 3, even though it means I'm risking banishment for skipping part of July 4 weekend family reunion.

What's more important, family harmony or a buxom babe in breastplates?

[gh]

Re: any Ring fans around?

You right, buxom babe in breastplates wins: Lake Erie here I come!

[mike renfro]

Re: any Ring fans around?

In today's mail, tickets for the SFO Ring. Life is good

[mike renfro]

Re: any Ring fans around?

I head north tomorrow. Staying with the sometime TFN statistician, Jim Rorick & wife. After I get my dragon fix, and we eat and drink well, on to Eugene. I listened to a recording a got awhile ago, but had not heard, the Furtwangler at La Scala, 1950. Crappy recording quality (the audience wasn't horribly well behaved, and not edited out) but.... Flagstad was wonderful. I'll go back to the Solti in the future.

[gh]

Re: any Ring fans around?

16 days until Rheingold 3 for me!

[jeremyp]

Re: any Ring fans around?

I thought this was going to be about boxing. ops:

[tandfman]

Re: any Ring fans around?

I'll go back to the Solti in the future.

You can't go wrong with that.

[gh]

Re: any Ring fans around?

Götterdämmerung comes in with high marks.

<<...In the pit, former Music Director Donald Runnicles led a performance of majestic power and sweep, eliciting thrillingly great playing from the tireless Opera Orchestra. And in soprano Nina Stemme, the company can lay claim to a Brünnhilde of astonishing vocal clarity and dramatic pathos....>>

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... z1PJbt6IYp

[gh]

Re: any Ring fans around?

ahh, the pity of having to wait 10 years between cycles..... cranked up with Das Rheingold last night. Spectacular singing (other than Fricka), and while the quasi-modern setting was "innovative," give me back my old mediaeval bit please.

[Brian]

Re: any Ring fans around?

ahh, the pity of having to wait 10 years between cycles..... cranked up with Das Rheingold last night. Spectacular singing (other than Fricka), and while the quasi-modern setting was "innovative," give me back my old mediaeval bit please.

Please tell me things aren't drifting into "Wagner in the Park"...
.

[gh]

Re: any Ring fans around?

the Valkyrie as paratroopers, now there's a new wrinkle!

[Brian]

Re: any Ring fans around?

the Valkyrie as paratroopers, now there's a new wrinkle!

Sounds more like characters from "24-The Musical."

I can see the promos: "David Cangelosi IS Jack Bauer...!"
.

[mike renfro]

Re: any Ring fans around?

Try the dragon as a transformers style tank. The staging was outre, to say the least. I don't suppose I will ever see a version with breastplates and winged helmets, let alone real horses. Actually, I have never seen a production with real horses.

The music was wonderful, as noted, Runnicles is really good with Wagner, and I was very happy with Nina Stemme as Brunhilde. She is a good actor (the un Jane Eaglen) and has a great voice. She may be the long awaited Brigit Nielsen replacement.

I don't know if I will ever see another ring (this was my 8th) as the wise woman says "only Bayreuth or Covent Garden", which will present logistics problems. Bayreuth just to get the tickets, the royal maybe as well and for both, a plane trip (oh the joy, the joy). The woman who sat next to me for the cycle is from Sydney, and she had done her first ring last year at Bayreuth (good place to start, I also). She said that Melbourne is doing one next year. Kinda of a busy year, but if koala hugging was involved, maybe Mary would go. Nah. Next year is OT and a train trip to Chicago.

[gh]

Re: any Ring fans around?

..
The music was wonderful, as noted, Runnicles is really good with Wagner, and I was very happy with Nina Stemme as Brunhilde. She is a good actor (the un Jane Eaglen) and has a great voice. She may be the long awaited Brigit Nielsen replacement.....

She's utterly stunning.