Keith Warner's Ring at the ROH

[uffeviking]

http://esales.roh.org.uk/ring/

This afternoon's Das Rheingold was my first encounter with this director. Hmm.    Ok, so I survived the much-discussed Stuttgart Ring, I hope I can sleep well tonight after his creation in London. Optimist I am, I have learned to concentrate on the plus sides of events and this afternoon's plus was Bryn Terfel in his first performance of Wotan. He sang Wotan in Die Walküre at the Proms concert performance and I was looking forward to experiencing him in full costume. An impressive Wotan indeed, the singer and actor. Privately he must be a very tolerant, understanding and obedient human being to put up with this director's ideas. I simply closed my eyes and listened to the music and voices. Terfel's diction is so perfect, subtitles were not needed; something I wish I could say about Rosalind Plowright as Fricka. She belongs to the old-fashioned school of sopranos believing the sound is what counts, to hell with the words; her facial contortions are very annoying.

The other outstanding singer in this cast is Philip Langridge as Loge. Is there a role that man can not fill successfully? Wonderful humour in large and small gestures, agile movements and of course his bright tenor.

The role of Froh is often given to a new and promising tenor and they did it here with Will Hartman. Maybe he is not new to the ROH audience, but he is to me and he reminds me of Siegfried Jerusalem's entrance at Bayreuth as Froh.

This is also Antonio Pappano's first full stage Ring cycle. I have to be honest and fair, admitting my ears are still dominated with Thielemann's Ring, but Pappano is making a good start in his Wagner career.

Anybody here attended this Ring? Care to share you views and thoughts? 

[uffeviking]

Hector, I am happy you watched it all on BBC; I wish more would show up here and talk about it. What is your opinion of the way the director twisted the activities of the Nibelungen in Das Rheingold. I thought they were down in Nibelheim to mine gold; didn't you too? Wagner's music, the hammering, could and should not be interpreted fitting any other activity.

Did you catch the meaning of the blue wig? Please, let's discuss this production, starring outstanding singers and very good conducting by Pappano.