The Ring Cycle at the Met: Two Reviews

Das Rheingold: March 20; Die Walküre: April 3; Siegfried: April 17; Götterdämmerung: April 24; conducted by James Levine; stage director: Stephen Pickover. Fricka and Waltraute: Yvonne Naef; Wotan and the Wanderer: James Morris; Freia: Jennifer Welch-Babidge; Alberich: Richard Paul Fink; Loge: Philip Langridge; Mime: Gerhard Siegel; Erda: Elena Zaremba; Fasolt: Evgenij Nikitin; Fafner (in Das Rheingold) and Hunding: Sergei Koptchak; Froh: Mark Baker; Donner and Gunther: Alan Held; Siegmund: Placido Domingo; Sieglinde: Deborah Voigt; Brünnhilde: Jane Eaglen; Siegfried: Jon Fredric West; Fafner (in Siegfried) and Hagen: Matti Salminen; Forest Bird: Joyce Guyer; Gutrune: Margaret Jane Wray.

An Impressive Production

Having attended the Saturday matinee series of the Metropolitan Opera's Ring (Cycle 1) this year, I was very impressed by the whole operation (though I missed Die Walküre). As a first-timer to the Met’s Ring, I was stunned by the quality and beauty of the stage sets. They looked refined, realistic, elegant, and brilliantly colored. The Met's production is fully worthy of its status as the world's only traditional staging of the Ring.

Musically, too, this was a fine effort. The orchestra under James Levine lacked the insightfulness of a Wilhelm Furtwängler recording, the consistently lively details of Daniel Barenboim and Karl Böhm, or the dynamism of Sir Georg Solti; but as a live performance (which gave it a tremendous advantage in sound quality) it was flawlessly played, frequently delighting the audience (by design or otherwise) with tidbits of discoveries. It offered the added benefit of a slow pace to give one time to take in the details. Most important, it did not overinterpret, so my mind was free to roam over this truly great piece of music.

The acting and singing were excellent on the whole. The superstar of this Ring was Yvonne Naef, who played both Fricka and Waltraute; James Morris as Wotan and Jane Eaglen as Brünnhilde did very well. And Jon Fredric West's Siegfried was better than expected. Other standouts included Alan Held as Gunther and Matti Salminen as Hagen; overall, there were no bad apples. This was in nice contrast to other Ring performances I've seen where one principal character with poor acting skills could cast a shadow over the whole performance.

One drawback of this production was the level of noise behind the curtain while the set was being changed between the scenes; this was especially noticeable in the front of the orchestra section and occurred at key musical and emotional points such as Siegfried's Rhine journey and funeral music. One can only wonder why the stage workers were so oblivious to the cosmic events transpiring at those very moments!

This Ring easily outclasses the Toronto Ring for its orchestral playing alone. Although I prefer the music of the Scottish Opera's Ring, which took place last year, the modern staging of that performance was no match for the beautifully traditional one of the Met. This was a production well worth attending.

–Karl Wee

Terrific Singing

It is rare, if not downright impossible, to experience a Ring cycle in which almost every aspect, from the sets to the costumes to the singing and acting, satisfies and pleases. Yet such was the case with Cycle 1 of the Metropolitan Opera’s Ring production this spring, from the first hushed, primeval sound to the last redemptive note. Presented in its entirety for the first time in the spring of 1989, this naturalistic production is quite popular with audiences, and the Met seems to have no intention of scrapping it any time soon—with good reason. The craggy rocks look authentic, the singers jump over a realistic-looking fissure in the ground from which Erda emerges, and the magic fire is lovely to look at. The Rhinemaidens shimmer and glow in the dark to great effect. Later on, the Norns’ rope sparkles sinuously in the spooky dimness of the morning twilight.

With a few exceptions, the singers were in top form, and any mishaps were insignificant. Richard Paul Fink was a powerful, proud, and agile Alberich as he clambered over the rocks to catch his “fish”—namely, a Rhinemaiden. Yvonne Naef, who made her Met debut as Fricka, evinced slight intonation problems in Das Rheingold, but in Die Walküre these were nowhere in evidence, and her Waltraute was outstanding. This Fricka was appropriately wifely but not too demure. James Morris was in much better shape than expected. Recently, a certain wobble had become noticeable in his attractive, rolling bass-baritone, and he habitually came in behind the beat, but incredibly, although he is in his late fifties, he seems to have resolved these problems. Domingo’s voice was fresh as always, though his stiff movements gave away his age. Sergei Koptchak as Fafner in Rheingold was satisfying, but his Hunding left a lot to be desired. He barely moved and did not interact with either Domingo or Deborah Voigt (Sieglinde). Although this stiffness is appropriate for a lumbering giant, it diluted the menace inherent in the character of Hunding to the point of vanishing. Voigt was a sweet and womanly Sieglinde, despite the lack of chemistry between her and Siegmund.

Jane Eaglen was terrific in Die Walküre and Götterdämmerung. This talented singer once told me that huge Wagnerian roles such as Brünnhilde and Isolde never tax her. And watching her, I could well believe it. She is completely comfortable in these roles, and her simplicity and lack of affectation are endearing. In Siegfried she seemed nonchalant; perhaps she was holding back due to her relatively brief appearance in this opera. Alan Held was an absolute delight as Donner, powerful, radiant, and godly. And as Gunther this enormously talented singer was a noble figure rather than a pathetic one, as is the case too often. Jon Fredric West’s Siegfried was also a pleasant surprise, with perfect intonation, a youthful manner (as befits this impetuous hero), and no evidence of fatigue. Gerhard Siegel as Mime (his Met debut) sang with power and conviction. His voice was attractive enough for Loge, and his acting skills were nothing to sneer at.

One of the few disappointments was Matti Salminen, who as Hagen gave a lame and tame rendition. Gone were the frissons of yesteryear in “Hagen’s Watch.” Instead, we got a dispirited, mundane, and perhaps even bored performance. Tant pis!

The end of Götterdämmerung brought a slight departure from Wagner’s libretto. As buildings were crashing, chorus members appeared onstage gawking at the wreckage, reminiscent of the tourists at the site of the World Trade Center.

–Dalia Geffen