any Ring fans around?

[mike renfro]

Sorry if I stood on a GH post. With USATF dates being June 23-26, I can only do Cycle 1 or 3 of SFO's Ring. Probably, Cycle 1 will be sold out (the beautiful people usually go then, not being beautiful...) so I will probably do cycle 3. Anyone else going? We might get together for a nosh before or after a performance. I am in serious need of a dragon fix.

[BruceFlorman]

Re: any Ring fans around?

A couple of weeks back I read some musing by David Byrne about a Ring Cycle performance he'd like to see...

The other day I stumbled across some photos of the late Ronnie James Dio’s LA home, which is for sale. If you wondered what kind of place a metal God lived in, well, here’s your answer.


The Teutonic touches, like the beer stein collection and the gothic windows, made me think of other Gods: the characters in the Wagner Ring cycle that has just recently begun a run here in NY. That production uses a high-tech set and video projections to evoke the Rhine maidens swimming across the stage and other events in the story.

So, I wondered to myself, wouldn’t this be a natural fit? Dio already lived in a kind of Valhalla, and the imagery and themes of metal bands often deals with death, destruction, and demons, so metal bands have those elements in common with the Wagner epic as well. Why not do a Ring cycle (or maybe an abbreviated version as the whole thing runs 15 hours) with the music played by metal musicians and sung by them too? The sets would be like Dio’s house, a home fit for the Gods, and there could be spectacular live performance scenes, which some bands already stage as myth-laden rituals.

more: http://journal.davidbyrne.com/2010/10/1 ... opera.html

So what d'ya think? Any metal opera fans out there.

[Wang Lung]

Re: any Ring fans around?

Was hoping this was an auto racing thread.

[lonewolf]

Re: any Ring fans around?

15 hours? :shock:

[gh]

Re: any Ring fans around?

Hyperbole! The definitive Solti version on my iTunes only runs 14.5 hours!

I skipped the last day of the '90 USATF Championships and flew back home to see Siegfried instead. Good choice.

The only question is if in this economy I really wanna drop a thousand-bucks-plus for 4 nights (3 nights and an afternoon actually) in sonic heaven.

[Conor Dary]

Re: any Ring fans around?

15 hours? :shock:

Or 14 CDs. This is the one I have.


http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Nibelungen ... 986&sr=1-1

[gh]

Re: any Ring fans around?

The Solti undertaking was a stunning bit of work, as delightfully chronicled in Ring Resounding by John Culshaw.

Basically, complete operas were all but impossible to record in the old 78 era (remember those fast spinners?!).

Culshaw notes that if anyone had tried to put The Ring onto 78s it would have required no fewer than 224 sides. But even the conversion to the 33 (which is what allowed Decca to do the Solti ring in "manageable" fashion) required 38 sides. Long live the CD!

Interesting side note: author Culshaw is (uncle? grandfather?) to British 400 hero Roger Black, who I'm told has one of the tuned anvils that the dwarves beat on in Scene 2 of Rheingold.

[tandfman]

Re: any Ring fans around?

Interesting side note: author Culshaw is (uncle? grandfather?) to British 400 hero Roger Black, who I'm told has one of the tuned anvils that the dwarves beat on in Scene 2 of Rheingold.

Those anvils were among the many things that just boggled about the Solti ring when it was first released (and still impresses after many hearings).

[lonewolf]

Re: any Ring fans around?

How long does it take to record a 15 hour performance for commercial distribution?.. if you make a mistake, do you have to start over from the beginning?

[gh]

Re: any Ring fans around?

The Solti took 7-8 years (seriously).

[mike renfro]

Re: any Ring fans around?

The Solti box(es) was indeed a wonder. I liked the thundersheet (for Donner in Reingold) was pretty neat, but then, I was in HS and was pretty easily impressed. The von Karajan, from a few years later, was maybe a bit longer, and it was a digital recording. Solti's was analogue, as dog intended

I ordered my SFO tix today. Did 1st cycle to avoid Eugene conflict (one year I missed the first day of NCs or nat'l. (So did Gary, I think, he was at that Gotterdamerung) Got my usual spot in dress circle. I think they may have had trouble selling this time around. As Gary pointed out, it is a bit of an investment in both money & time. The wise woman will pass on this one. She had decreed the only Rings she will attend are Beyrouth or Covent Garden. Why the latter, no idea. She's a bit of an anglophile. I don't think getting in at Beyrouth will fly. Too many people in the waiting list. We had a one day slot back in '87 to catch Tannhauser, I got my order in in plenty of time, but got a nice letter back (awhile later) saying "yes you did everything right, and no, you didn't get tickets". I got my Beyrouth fix back in '65 & '65. Guess that will have to do.

[gh]

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.

[tandfman]

Re: any Ring fans around?

I don't think getting in at Beyrouth will fly. Too many people in the waiting list. We had a one day slot back in '87 to catch Tannhauser, I got my order in in plenty of time, but got a nice letter back (awhile later) saying "yes you did everything right, and no, you didn't get tickets".

Maybe if you'd spelled Bayreuth correctly, they would have sold you the tickets. :P

[cullman]

Re: any Ring fans around?

Was hoping this was an auto racing thread.

Me too... :|

[gh]

Re: any Ring fans around?

Nibelungen, Nürburgring... all those Germans look the same to me!