Siegfried Preview Performance– Friday, 28th September

[Michel]

Siegfried Preview Performance– Friday, 28th September, The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden


Sometimes if not all the time, the most interesting thing about the opera is the people who attend it. And on this night, the extortionate Wagner prices brought along some funny characters and the audience generally, was distinctly stiffer than usual. One particular stand out was a man, probably in his thirties, with a square head and podgy face accompanied by a distinctly unattractive wife; flat-chested with a nose resembling a worn blacksmiths anvil. Both were so patently overdressed that even their 300 years of inbreeding could not make them feel more comfortable and secure. The man's beady eyes, sunk into his face that appeared to be covered lightly in make up, wandered about, searching for someone else who had made the similar mistake of wearing a tuxedo. The unease in his eyes intensified when he realised no one else had. And quite frankly who would? This was after all the "preview" show that, while still difficult to obtain tickets for, is nevertheless a much cheaper affair than one of the three main performances. Its pathetic that people consider opera so high-brow that they must dress like a tosser purely to get their brow high enough.

By the time I took my seat, on my left was a typically silent and small Chinese lady, probably a true opera fan, and probably a piano prodigy back in her own country who had like me, come to the Opera alone. In her case, it was more likely she simply didn't have a friend in England; in mine, I simply don't have a friend who likes Opera. So there I sat, with a Zola book for company during the intervals. Behind me, more rarely, were several young girls accompanied by some sort of father who, before every act, gave them a quick synopsis like a Naxos Booklet. On my right was a short, squat chap, bald and in an old grey woollen suit. He sat next to his wife who appeared to be double his size. Clearly, although paying at least £60 for a ticket such expense did not motivate this man to pay attention since he spent the entire final act asleep. He woke up eventually like an infant out of a nightmare when the final applause was made and joined in unison clapping so deliriously that he resembled someone unfortunate enough to have both Parkinson's disease and Alzheimers.

But let us talk instead a little about the Opera. It began at 5pm, due to finish a glorious six hours later. Split as usual into three parts of approximately 80 minutes, with two intervals; the first was thirty minutes and the second which was seventy. The preview is cheaper because apparently there may be "technical problems"; there was one in this performance. And the technical problem seemed to be that John Tomlinson failed to walk onto the stage. Who knows what happened.

I find Siegfried a slow, boring piece of music-drama generally speaking. Why does Siegfried spend so bloody long in the first act telling us how he is going to make his sword? Why does he spend so bloody long talking to his silly bird in act 2?  For most of the opera too, Siegfriend's voice (Trevleaven) did not impress me. For one, he seemed not to be able to get the required volume most of the time and certainly didn't have that far reach, that extra 10 percent of lungs, required for the most dramatic and explosive moments. And this makes it had to take the opera seriously – how can we believe someone so weak is supposed to be so brave and capable of the feats that he accomplished? Yes, his bravery is partly naivety, but it is not as though he is a little Parsifal boy, is it? He just sounded stretched; especially in the altercation with John Tomlinson who sounded conversely rich, deep and powerful. He certainly wasn't flawless either and I did notice his voice wearing toward the end of the opera. But his tone was a joy to listen to, as too his stage presence was to watch. The female parts were great, and a needed break to the monotony of most of the first half of the opera. After all, if you are not a Lord of the Rings fan, or a fantasy novel specialist who is probably a virgin at 35, there is only so many dwarfs you can take.

The highlight of the opera on paper and the highlight of this opera specifically is the final act, I think.   And from the opening of it with Tomlinson and Henschel it was brilliant. John woke on a little mattress on a massive rotating rectangular block with cloud-like lighting shining onto it. Then as he began to sing, he began to stir from his sleep and clamber higher up the massive construction. A challenge for anyone, but certainly for an overweight middle aged man trying to belt out Wagner music. It was an impressive and brilliant scene.

The closing scene was also dramatic and good. And for the first time in the opera, Siegfried actually sounded decent.  I particularly liked the lighting here (which was fantastic throughout): Both characters sang at at opposite ends of the stage, but the lights cast their shadows next to, and when they sometimes moved, onto top of each other on the bright yellow canvas that sat behind them. There were times when the shadow showed Siegfried at her feet, on his knees, in a position of such begging subservience that it made the scene powerful and highly effective, if a little embarrassing for us men and our sexual desire.

Once Siegfried had penetrated Brunhilde and the curtain came down, I was surprised by the surprisingly sober applause. It certainly was not as dramatic or intense as the recent Mayerling production I went to see. Was it because it was a preview night? Was it a bad performance? Was it because everyone was secretly pissed off that John Tomlinson had replaced Bryn Terfel? Or was it that Wagernites would consider it inappropriate to clap at a performance, when really they should be preying instead to the genius creator in silence before bed, not those who merely bring his creation to life? Who knows, but I personally felt the performance was a bit luke warm. But then, that was not Covent Garden's fault, it was Wagner's: for creating a drawn-out and boring drama that the man next to me just clearly couldn't stay awake for, and a piece of music that is a consistent challenge to breath any life into.

N.B: Just in case anyone who has not seen Wagner consider the experience something "other worldly",  it isn't. It is just an opera. And even if it was, while living in London and not having a dedicated driver you get quickly brought back down to earth, as I did when I got on at Leicester Square tube, confronted with an image of a man sitting in a large pile of his own vomit, keeled over and half-dead. What would Wagner the puritan think of that, I wonder? What silly indulgence! And I wonder if Wotan the wanderer had ever seen such a disgusting thing? I think not.

I have booked my ticket for Götterdämmerung on the 2nd Nov (only £12.50 - I paid £20 for yesterday's performance for a decent seat in the Amphitheater). I still can't get Die Walkure or Rheingold, but I will, don't worry. I must see one "great" (Domingo), before they are all gone forever.

[Larry Rinkel]

I have booked my ticket for Götterdämmerung on the 2nd Nov (only £12.50 - I paid £20 for yesterday's performance for a decent seat in the Amphitheater). I still can't get Die Walkure or Rheingold, but I will, don't worry. I must see one "great" (Domingo), before they are all gone forever.

Let us hope the experience stirs you to yet greater heights of contempt. 

[Hector]

This is a real puzzle.

If you don't like it why pay I-don't-know-how-much and go?

I thought that Terfel's absence had been known months ago, if he was the main(only?) reason for attending.

Having said that I doubt, these days, whether I would be able to sit through Wagner in the opera house.

You did well

[marvinbrown]

Let us hope the experience stirs you to yet greater heights of contempt. 

Oh dear with Götterdämmerung you're looking at 4-1/2 hrs of "heightened" contempt- can that be sustained I wonder ?


  marvin

[Wendell_E]

I thought that Terfel's absence had been known months ago, if he was the main(only?) reason for attending.

He withdrew less than a month ago, after rehearsals had already begun.

I saw two Siegfreids in three days when New Orleans did it a few years ago.  If they'd done a third performance, I would have loved to have seen it, as well.   

[Michel]

This is a real puzzle.

If you don't like it why pay I-don't-know-how-much and go?

It stated in my review how much I paid. £20. And for Twilight of the Gods, £12.50.

Tickets have just come up for Rheingold now, so I am about to book that too. Now we only have Domingo and Die Walkure left....

[uffeviking]

Michel, I loved your review. It's so honest and freewheeling, not pretension of being a Wagner cognoscente, only a young person experiencing his first Wagner opera. Thank you, keep it up and don't you dare polish your next review to make it sound more 'professional'! Have fun at the Götterdämmerung! 

[Michel]

Thanks Liz. Encouraging as usual.

Just booked up Rheingold for the 12th (next Friday), tickets this time cost only £7.50.

How wonderful it is to be a student!

[Hector]

How wonderful it is to be a student!

Indeed, enjoy it while you can, who knows, however, you may, in years to come, find yourself sitting in the "Corporate" seats

[knight66]

"in mine, I simply don't have a friend who likes Opera"

LIAR...we are practically inseparable.

I enjoyed the review, though doubt that your tux guy had years of any other than indifferent breeding behind him. He would have known a tux would be out of place.

Mike

[Michel]

Incidently, I have just together with a couple of guys from my tutorial class. They both like Opera, a rarity!

Going with one of them to see Rheingold next Friday.