Munich's new Ring cycle kicks off tonight with the premiere of Das Rheingold. The remaining operas follow in quick succession, culminating in two full cycles at the summer festival in July. Following his brilliant and innovative Munich Wozzeck , hopes are high that director Andreas Kriegenburg can again produce something memorable.
Kriegenburg sees the work as a delicate chamber piece and aims to bring out its psychological nuances. In interviews he has disparaged ostentatious productions in favour of what he calls collective narrative. Making do with minimal sets, scenic elements like Valhalla and the Rhine will be represented by massed bodies, reflecting Kriegenburg's background in physical theatre.
The premiere is broadcast live tonight on BR Klassik starting at 7pm CET (6pm UK). It's conducted by Kent Nagano and the cast is Wotan Johan Reuter, Donner Levente Molnár, Froh Thomas Blondelle, Loge Stefan Margita, Alberich Johannes Martin Kränzle, Mime Ulrich Reß, Fasolt Thorsten Grümbel, Fafner Phillip Ens, Fricka Sophie Koch, Freia Aga Mikola,j Erda Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Woglinde Eri Nakamura, Wellgunde Angela Brower, Floßhilde Okka von der Damerau.
Written orders for the full cycles in July are currently being processed - any remaining tickets (fat chance is my guess) go on sale online on 24 March.
There's a longer trailer, with interviews, on the Bavarian State Opera's website.
Um...Ring on the cheap?
Still, as the Met's cycle has shown: money don't equal success.
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Intermezzo replies - hiring dozens of dancers/extras is NOT cheap - Munich has its budget constraints like everywhere else but they don't generally cut corners.
Posted by: FC | 04 February 2012 at 06:17 PM
Going to have to call you out on this one Inter...hiring actors is much cheaper in the short run than putting together sizable production sets meant to last 10 years or more.
Shockingly, considering that this is a new Ring cycle, it appears that Munich may have gone for a design that came in for less than 5 mil for an entire cycle (talkin' dollars here...not pounds out Euros). I could be wrong, but this looks like a Ring for now, rather than for keeps.
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Intermezzo replies - I didn't say it was cheaper. I said it was not cheap - which is true. Of course if you're judging by Met standards, everything Munich (and most other houses) put on is 'cheap'.
Posted by: FC | 05 February 2012 at 11:20 PM
Agreed. Met got money...if not necessarily taste. Sigh, but at the end of the day, gotta love my home town team....
That said, I hope Kriegenburg has much more rapturous reviews for his Ring than Lepage saw here in New York. Like I said earlier, it looks relatively budget conscious, which isn't to suggest for a moment that it won't be effective. At the end of the day, I don't care how much a production of the Ring...or any work for that matter...costs. I rather focus on whether I had a fantastic/challenging night out in the opera.
I hope that what's on stage in Munich tonight (er...was on stage) is just that: fantastic and challenging.
Posted by: FC | 06 February 2012 at 12:24 AM