'Das Rheingold' tells the story about Alberich's theft of the gold from the Rhine, the forging of the Ring of power and sets off a cascade of events that further develop in the subsequent operas of the Ring Cycle.
Director: Brian Large
Conductor: James Levine
First performance at Munich, September 22, 1869
Time: mythological
Place: in and about the Rhine
Per Simon's 100 Great Operas, Wagner wrote the librettos of the 4 operas of the Ring Cycle first, and in reverse order, but when he began composing the music, he started here, with the first one. Writing and producing all 4 operas spanned 28 years, during which he also wrote 2 others of his famous works: Tristan and Meistersinger. He also built Festspielhaus at Bayreuth to produce the Ring.
This opera is only 1 act with 4 scenes, but an intermission is often provided between 2nd & 3rd. This is the shortest of the 4 operas.
I wasn't attracted to any musical passages in this one.
The staging and costumes are very dark. During the underwater sequences that's understandable, and I suppose the worker dwarves shouldn't be expected to wear colorful costumes, but not even the gods? Loge, the demigod of fire, has a bit of a red cast to his "flames" skin, but that's about it.
Fricka looks much too old for Wotan, although I think CL was a big star in Wagnerian opera.
Frankly, this wasn't worth the time it takes to watch it. Perhaps if I'd been more diligent about reading the subtitles and following the nuances of the characters it would have been more rewarding, but I doubt it.
These gods are petulant babies (absolute power corrupts absolutely?). First they bargain away their favorite daughter, Freia, who brings them the foods that keep them young, just to get a new home (Valhalla) built. When it's complete, they renege on the deal, and the giants (contractors) accept the cursed Rheingold in exchange, and then one of the giants kills the other (because there's only 1 Ring). If this is how well the top god (Wotan) behaves, what hope is there for mankind? What is the point of writing such a myth?
BTW, the German for Ow (as in Ouch) is Ow.
BTW, the German for Ow (as in Ouch) is Ow.
Cast:
WOTAN, ruler of the gods Bass-baritone : James Morris
brothers and sisters
. FRICKA, his wife, goddess of marriage Mezzo-soprano : Christa Ludwig
. DONNER, god of thunder Bass or Baritone : Alan Held
. FROH, god of sun, rain, and fruits Tenor : Mark Baker
. FREIA, goddess of youth and beauty Soprano : MariAnne Häggander
. LOGE, demigod of fire Tenor : Siegfried Jerusalem
brother Nibelungs
. ALBERICH Tenor : Ekkehard Wlaschiha
. MIME Baritone : Heinz Zednik
brother giants
. FASOLT Bass : Jan-Hendrik Rootering
. FAFNER Bass : Matti Salminen
sister Rhinemaidens
. WOGLINDE Soprano : Kaaren Erickson
. WELLGUNDE Soprano : Diane Kesling
. FLOSSHILDE Mezzo-soprano : Meredith Parsons
ERDA, the earth goddess Contralto : Birgitta Svendén
Conductor Levine got a big burst of applause when he finally came through the curtains.
Met Opera, cond. Levine; 6
