Wagner: Das Rheingold

Wagner: Das Rheingold by Brian Large

6.40

This is a beautifully conducted and thoughtfully staged performance of the first opera (the prologue) in Wagner's Ring Cycle. As soon as the clouds of mist have dissipated, while the daring, long-held opening chord is still reverberating, the screen clears to show not only the River Rhine and the three maidens (dressed like prostitutes in this production) assigned to guard the gold hidden there. It also shows an enormous dam (not mentioned in Wagner's text). This is the underwater base of a hydroelectric plant, and its presence tells us two things immediately: that this production takes the story out of the vaguely medieval fantasy world in which Wagner had placed it, and that a basic theme of the four-opera cycle would be power. Alberich, the Nibelung, is willing to renounce the love of women, after stealing the gold from the Rhine, to become the ruler of the world. Another basic theme is greed.

Genres:

Cast

Pierre Boulez

Pierre Boulez as Self - Conductor

Donald McIntyre

Donald McIntyre as Wotan

Martin Egel

Martin Egel as Donner

Siegfried Jerusalem

Siegfried Jerusalem as Froh

Heinz Zednik

Heinz Zednik as Loge

Hermann Becht

Hermann Becht as Alberich

Helmut Pampuch

Helmut Pampuch as Mime

Matti Salminen

Matti Salminen as Fasolt

Ilse Gramatzki

Ilse Gramatzki as Wellgunde

Fritz Hübner

Fritz Hübner as Fafner

Carmen Reppel

Carmen Reppel as Freia

Marga Schiml

Marga Schiml as Flosshilde

Hanna Schwarz

Hanna Schwarz as Fricka

Norma Sharp

Norma Sharp as Woglinde

Ortrun Wenkel

Ortrun Wenkel as Erda

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