The Copenhagen Ring.

Mandryka · February 16, 2009, 07:46:53 AM

Bit frustrating reading all of these posts.

I don't want to buy the DVDs until I'm sure. I recently baught an appalling Ring -- the one with Altmeyer. The Hagen -- Kurt Rydle, seems to me to be one of the most crude, uncouth, graceless, uncharismatic singers in the universe. And the production, while not stupid or offenseive, doesn't seem enlightening either. Would anyone like to buy it from me?

And I feel a bit angry about spending my cash on the first Kupfer -- Anne Evans is neither beautiful to look at nor beautiful to hear.

So twice bitten -- I'm shy of making a further investment.

Can someone tell me a bit more about this Copenhagen Ring -- what's the concept behind the production? Prima facie killing Loge seems a bit silly, but. . .

P.S. In case you think I'm a mean old gringe, I LOVE the Cheraeu DVDs.

J.Z. Herrenberg · February 16, 2009, 07:57:23 AM

Quote from: Brünnhilde forever on February 16, 2009, 07:32:06 AM
Good question, Jezetha, when Wotan skewered Loge I immediately called out: "But you need him later"! No answer for that act, have to work on it a bit more, but the question about the final destruction has a very good answer - which of course I won't tell you, you'll have to get the Copenhagen Ring and see for yourself!

Naughty naughty... But I must say I am intrigued by this Copenhagen Ring!

Brünnhilde forever · February 16, 2009, 08:30:30 AM

Mandryka: Interesting opinion of yours about the Amsterdam and Kupfer/Barenboim Ring - exactly the opposite of mine, and that's what makes a forum so much fun: Expressing and discussing opinions!

I have read enough about Wagner and his Gesamtkunstwerk to say I am familiar with his ideas, meaning and thoughts. I am not buying different versions to receive further information or enlightenment about that issue, I am interested to see how different directors present Wagner, their understanding and then creating a variant of the original production. I have learned to never again spend my money on a Calixto Bieito production, but Pierre Audi is one director I trust to be intelligent and non-offensive.

By no means as secondary influence on my choices are the conductor and the singers. All involved in the Copenhagen Ring are absolutely first class.

Wanderer · February 16, 2009, 08:46:55 AM

Quote from: Jezetha on February 16, 2009, 07:57:23 AM
But I must say I am intrigued by this Copenhagen Ring!

Same sentiments here. I wouldn't mind some tasteful "irregularities" in the production, as long as the musical aspects (singers and conductor) are worthy. Comments here have been unanimously positive in this regard so far.

Brünnhilde forever · February 16, 2009, 08:49:58 AM

One point I want to make about my interest in different interpretations of the Ring by directors:

We all know that Wagner did not want to have anything to interfer between the audience and the performers so he hid the orchestra in that deep pit. Pierre Audi is doing the exact opposite, putting the orchestra in the center of the action, moving the stage performers around the musicians, also in a pit, but a shallow one, still visible to the audience and performers. Why hide the orchestra? Isn't the music one of the most important parts of the Gesamkunstwerk? I love this concept!

J.Z. Herrenberg · February 16, 2009, 09:20:54 AM

Quote from: Brünnhilde forever on February 16, 2009, 08:49:58 AM
One point I want to make about my interest in different interpretations of the Ring by directors:

We all know that Wagner did not want to have anything to interfer between the audience and the performers so he hid the orchestra in that deep pit. Pierre Audi is doing the exact opposite, putting the orchestra in the center of the action, moving the stage performers around the musicians, also in a pit, but a shallow one, still visible to the audience and performers. Why hide the orchestra? Isn't the music one of the most important parts of the Gesamkunstwerk? I love this concept!

I was there, in Amsterdam. The orchestra didn't lessen my involvement with what happened on stage at all. You felt that here was one big organic whole, with singers, orchestral players and, yes, even the audience being part of the performance. You felt a close intimacy with both the drama (happening in front of your eyes, I could even touch the singers if I had wanted to when they were on that ramp in front of the orchestra) and the music in which you sat totally immersed. And isn't that the perfect marriage which Wagner envisioned?

Mandryka · February 16, 2009, 11:28:45 AM

Quote from: Brünnhilde forever on February 16, 2009, 08:30:30 AM
I have learned to never again spend my money on a Calixto Bieito production, but Pierre Audi is one director I trust to be intelligent and non-offensive.

By no means as secondary influence on my choices are the conductor and the singers. All involved in the Copenhagen Ring are absolutely first class.

I just loved Bieito's Barcelona Wozzec. I loved the way he used the boy so much, the way he gave him such expressive choreographed movements. I loved the way the crowd turned into a kind of monster. I thought the transposition to an industrial setting was apt.

I even enjoyed his Don Giovanni in English National Opera -- full of sex and violence just like DG should be! (I prefer Peter Brokok though.)

De gustibus. . . You know what I think about Rydle and Evans.

Quote from: Jezetha on February 16, 2009, 09:20:54 AM
I was there, in Amsterdam. The orchestra didn't lessen my involvement with what happened on stage at all. You felt that here was one big organic whole, with singers, orchestral players and, yes, even the audience being part of the performance. You felt a close intimacy with both the drama (happening in front of your eyes, I could even touch the singers if I had wanted to when they were on that ramp in front of the orchestra) and the music in which you sat totally immersed. And isn't that the perfect marriage which Wagner envisioned?

That does indeed sound very very interesting -- exactly the sort of bold idea which could work.

I just didn't get the sense that anything so interesting was happening from the DVDs.

J.Z. Herrenberg · February 16, 2009, 01:05:48 PM

Quote from: Mandryka on February 16, 2009, 11:28:45 AM
That does indeed sound very very interesting -- exactly the sort of bold idea which could work.

I just didn't get the sense that anything so interesting was happening from the DVDs.

Watching a DVD and being in a theatre are two things, of course. But I gather from the description of the Copenhagen Ring that the camera work is very dynamic, which might reproduce the effect of being present...

Brünnhilde forever · February 16, 2009, 02:18:09 PM

The camera work in the Copenhagen Ring is a first, as far as I know anyhow. Eight camera people with handheld cameras roam around the audience, behind and in front of the stage, up in the flies, even out of the prompter's box! It's a movie, really, the director treated it as such, including a lot of close-ups of the singers to let us see the emotions expressed on their faces.

One of the best actors is Bengt-Ola Morgny, Mime. I wanted to know about him and googled for him and there is the photo of an unfamiliar face. This fantastic singer is such a convincing actor, I couldn't recognise him!

Sorry, couldn't find a picture of his Mime, not right now anyhow. - Calling T-C for assistance! -

T-C · February 17, 2009, 12:25:21 AM

Quote from: Brünnhilde forever on February 16, 2009, 02:18:09 PM
Sorry, couldn't find a picture of his Mime, not right now anyhow. - Calling T-C for assistance! -

Bengt-Ola Morgny as Mime:

Mime and Alberich quarelling:

As for Stephen Milling: he is featured in another DVD. It is Carl Nielsen delightful opera Maskarade on the DACapo label. The conductor is Michael Schonwandt and stage director is Kasper Bech Holten (sounds familiar?). Stephen Milling is outstanding in the role of Jeronimus.

But alas, this DVD has a significant drawback: the video director should have been fired. There are constant cuts to the orchestra or individual orchestra players every two or three minutes. For my taste, this is very distracting.

J.Z. Herrenberg · February 17, 2009, 01:22:51 AM

Sometimes I see the pics, sometimes I don't... Here they are for those who don't see them either (dl'ed from the source code on this page)

Brünnhilde forever · February 17, 2009, 09:03:33 PM

Many, many thanks, T-C!

I take it you have received and watched the Copenhagen Ring. Would you please share your opinions of it, or your thoughts about it with us?

knight66 · March 01, 2009, 12:57:09 PM

I have just finished Gotterdammerung. Because I am away from home so much, I could not wait any longer to see my favourite part of the Ring and Siegfried will have to wait. So, I have not watched it all in its correct sequence.

I think this is a very special set, everything works so well and the concept is highly intelligent. Things such as Siegfried getting out of a sports car and lifting his sword from the back seat, are beside the point here; where the production teams with relevent ideas. I thought the whole framing technique was great. Brunhilde explores...how did we get here? How do I end up with my husband betraying me and him being murdered? For once Siegfried's funeral march had purpose. The stagecraft was superb, some of the effects were jaw-dropping.

A lot of superb acting, great singing and the orchestra was glorious. The pace set is flowing, it breathes and is in turn lyrical as well as dramatic.

I cannot imagine being happy again with a straight forward reading. As well as its concepts, this Ring is looking at the relationships and interrelationships in great depth, often with tenderness and with humour. Time marched through the cycle as the generations died, we went through from the 1920s to the 1990s. In the final work the Rheinmaidens and aged and homeless. If set in a mythic past, that sense of time rollong on would not really be so aparent. The one missteap was I think the handling of the Norns, trivialising them, placing them in the audience from where they acted like primary teachers telling a fairy story to thick kids. But that was quickly over and the heart of the production moved back onto the stage. I think this will grow into one of the seminal Rings; especially with the exposure it will get through DVDs.

One bonus on the set is the Queen of Denmark interviewing the director! How completely unlike the homelife of our own dear Queen. How splendid that the trust holding the name of Danish Royal Family was the main sponsor of the production.

Mike

Brünnhilde forever · March 01, 2009, 02:23:17 PM

Happy you are enjoying my favourite Ring! But you'll kick yourself for skipping 'Siegfried'. A friend from another forum is right now going through this most intelligent of all concept productions and he expressed his love for Loge, the God of Fire, who can't manage to get his cigarette lit, all through Rheingold!

May I point out that Siegfried arrives in his sports car when he returns from Brünnhilde's seduction in the form of Gunter. He drove on ahead of Gunter and his new bride in the car, instead of riding Grane! Again this scene shows the adherence be the director to realistic details: Siegfried drives up to park the car, backs up a few steps and then pulls forward again to park it lined up to the other car sitting there. Don't we do this too so often when parking in the super market lot?

You will tell us all about Mime when you get around to watching Siegfried?