I just now got home after enduring THREE hours of Das Rheingold with NO intermission that was broadcast all over the world, including to Bayreuth, Germany.
Questions:
First, who was that guy who said that he'd seen the previews and believed the Met would outdo the 1976 "standard for all future productions" of the Patrice Chéreau/Pierre Boulez Ring Cycle at Bayreuth (bye-roit), Germany and/or Bayreuth's new 2006 Ring cycle by Dorst. If anyone's thinking that it was Joe Bryant, don't answer that question.
Second, what was the Met thinking during the five years they were spending those millions of dollars to build that 45-ton MACHINE (literally) that was THE set.
Third, could the planners have come up with anything more distracting than the machines dozens of long, 18-inch-wide, steel panels constantly revolving while there was evident performers' fear of falling on/off those panels while sitting, sliding down, trying to walk up them. All those distractions were going on along with Wotan's pasted-down hair always hanging down covering his bad eye. One wanted to tell him to keep his hair from hanging over his face. Get a patch for Pete's sake.
Fourth, who gave somebody poetic license to rewrite the original lyrics/libretto, especially to do it so poorly.
***
I did enjoy the finale's last ten minutes when all the gods were preparing to and marched over the bridge to enter Walhalla. That was really something to see. Before leaving the theater, I was talking to Jackson Wiley, a retired symphony conductor, and he told me that on the opening night, the machine broke down just before the finale, and the entire cast of gods had to walk off the stage instead of crossing the bridge.
***
They're going to use that same machine "set" when they do the second part, an opera that I love, Die Walkure in May, 2011. I'll get up and leave if it's as contrived, distracting, and no better overall than what I sat through/witnessed today.
***
All this during a week when I'm on medicine that disallows my drinking my martini; think I'll just have dt's instead. Poor Joe (PITY)
Questions:
First, who was that guy who said that he'd seen the previews and believed the Met would outdo the 1976 "standard for all future productions" of the Patrice Chéreau/Pierre Boulez Ring Cycle at Bayreuth (bye-roit), Germany and/or Bayreuth's new 2006 Ring cycle by Dorst. If anyone's thinking that it was Joe Bryant, don't answer that question.
Second, what was the Met thinking during the five years they were spending those millions of dollars to build that 45-ton MACHINE (literally) that was THE set.
Third, could the planners have come up with anything more distracting than the machines dozens of long, 18-inch-wide, steel panels constantly revolving while there was evident performers' fear of falling on/off those panels while sitting, sliding down, trying to walk up them. All those distractions were going on along with Wotan's pasted-down hair always hanging down covering his bad eye. One wanted to tell him to keep his hair from hanging over his face. Get a patch for Pete's sake.
Fourth, who gave somebody poetic license to rewrite the original lyrics/libretto, especially to do it so poorly.
***
I did enjoy the finale's last ten minutes when all the gods were preparing to and marched over the bridge to enter Walhalla. That was really something to see. Before leaving the theater, I was talking to Jackson Wiley, a retired symphony conductor, and he told me that on the opening night, the machine broke down just before the finale, and the entire cast of gods had to walk off the stage instead of crossing the bridge.
***
They're going to use that same machine "set" when they do the second part, an opera that I love, Die Walkure in May, 2011. I'll get up and leave if it's as contrived, distracting, and no better overall than what I sat through/witnessed today.
***
All this during a week when I'm on medicine that disallows my drinking my martini; think I'll just have dt's instead. Poor Joe (PITY)
