Wotan - James Johnson
Brünnhilde - Lise Lindstrom
Siegfried - Stefan Vinke
Siegmund - Bradley Daley
Sieglinde - Amber Wagner
Alberich - Warwick Fyfe
Hagen/Fasolt - Daniel Sumegi
Gunther - Luke Gabbedy
Fricka - Jacqueline Dark
Fafner/Hunding - Jud Arthur
Erda - Liane Keegan
Mime - Graeme Macfarlane
Waltraute - Sian Pendry
Gutrune - Taryn Fiebig
Loge - Andreas Conrad
Freia - Hyeseoung Kwon
Wood bird - Julie Lea Goodwin
Froh - James Egglestone
Donner - Michael Honeyman
Rhinemaidens - Lorina Gore, Jane Ede, Dominica Matthews
Norns - Tania Ferris, Jacqueline Dark, Anna-Louise Cole
Valkyries - Anna-Louise Cole, Dominica Matthews, Olivia Cranwell, Sian Pendry, Hyeseoung Kwon, Amanda Atlas, Nicole Youl, Roxane Hislop
Opera Australia Chorus
Melbourne Ring Orchestra
Pietari Inkinen (Conductor)
Neil Armfield (Stage Director)
To mount a ring cycle is a challenge both musically and staging wise. Besides assembling a competent troupe of musicians, the scale of the production also determines the underlying ideologies and styles. Neil Armfield's approach is not so much about extravagant display of stage machinery or colourful scenery nor making political statements, but as a stylish spectacle from a humanistic psychological perspective. The production sees genuine love and affection to rectify mistakes and overcome all perils. It is close to a plain narrative of the tale but still some twists in conceptual direction. The use of simple but effective theatrical elements also make a strong and precise impression of actions. A reminder that the ring is a piece of theatre on equal importance as the music. As a whole the staging style and concept is consistent, original and coherent. Musically the orchestral playing improved as the week went on and there were many magnificent moments. Overall the cast of singers possessed the right timbre, rose to the vocal challenge and some even exceeded the expectation.
Rheingold began with a crowd in circular shape moved slowly towards a direction on a revolving stage, and a large hanging mirror behind to reflect. It was as to create the river flow but also a reference to the ring turning alike the medieval concept of the wheel of fate. The circular movement reappeared many times again in various forms throughout rest of the cycle. The orchestra though would need more direction in its playing and the brass was particularly sluggish in tempo. The crowd stopped at the singing entry of the rhinemaidens, who wore an over the top stylish and feathered samba outfits. The trio's intonation was good but poor in diction that I hardly could distinguish the words, the tempo was also too broad for my preference. Warwick Fyfe's Alberich put the disappointment aside that he not only had an ideal vocal colour and the projection, but also being natural in phrasing the text and the music. He undressed and chased the rhinemaidens around but unsuccessfully. The crowd then brought out the gold coloured pom-poms, metaphorical representing the glittering gold of the Rhine, and spread across the stage. The revealing could have made more impact if a swifter tempo was used in the orchestral playing. Alberich's stealing of the gold saw him taking hostage of a young girl from the crowd and then darkness descended on the stage again. Though dramatically the idea seems tame to reflect the great loss instead of capturing the crowd with a big net or rope.
The scene of god's realm was weak in concept and would need a rethink for a more sophisticated presentation. The high point was Wotan's first appearance from the back door in a pitch black stage that gave an introduction in focus. However, he laid down on the floor and James Johnson made an elderly and soft outlook of the role. Although with the right timbre, his singing far from a ringing tone to fill the hall and diction was poor. He nearly missed an entry after Fricka warned of Freia to be taken hostage by the giants. It struck me odd that a Wotan did not have the physical nor the vocal authority. There were cases of stuffed animals in the backdrop but far from making the intended message. In turn, Jacqueline Dark's Fricka, in her gold dress outfit, was more comfortable with the vocal range and gave a fuller bodied tone. The orchestra again took a board tempo for the Valhalla theme that did not provide a direction where the music was sailing to.
Jud Arthur's timbre, as Fafner, had the richness and colour of a bass than Daniel Sumegi, as Fasolt, who was more baritone in his timbre. The giants were portrayed as a pair of mafia businessmen but not too rough in outfit. The stage choreography was rather static in a park and sing routine. Wotan stood motionless without any sign of decision to prevent the conflict. The rest only walked around and did not much, which was far from realising the tension and confrontation while bargaining with the giants. Andreas Conrad's Loge gave a promising start as a highly competent actor and well paced in his singing and the diction. Though he tried too hard to dramatise every phrase that resulted in missing entries later, also shaky tuning and even dangerously out of place with the orchestra. The coordination problem had caused the strings no intention in accenting the downbeats to maintain the rhythmic pulse. James Johnson only warmed up, when the gods stood under the spotlights at the front stage while Loge urged them to stay strong without the apples from Freia.
The orchestral playing and dramaturgy improved immensely since the descend to Nibelheim. The produced music danced and more energetically engaged. Alberich and Mime were very natural in their singing and clear with diction. The vocal projection were far better than Wotan in terms of body and volume. On the ground there were several stage doors and workers emerged from the holes but fearful of Alberich's power later in wild cries. The tricks of tarnhelm were cleverly demonstrated as a circus magic show with a feather girl holding the python on her neck. It was a more effective visual presentation than a video showing or mechanical replica of a snake. After Alberich being captured by tricking him into a frog, the three races, giants, gods and rhinemaidens, posed like sculptures on the turntable at the music ascend to god's realm. It was as if to remind us their inseparable connections with the ring and metaphorically resembled the wheel of fate again.
When workers brought gold blocks to stage for Alberich's ransom, Warwick Fyfe impressed very much again for his sheer vocal energy and momentum. In contrast, Wotan remained a vulnerable and incompetent figure than Alberich. The villain even dared to grab Wotan's staff and cursed the gods in return. There was also a strange moment at the return of Freia that she was with Froh than with the giants. Like Wotan's first appearance, Erda also entered from the small door in the rear. Liane Keegan had the right colour and richness in her voice, but could not really project her voice into the hall. Sluggish tempo reoccurred when the giants appeared for ransom. Though I was impressed by the effort that the gold blocks being actually piled up to cover Freia. At the outset Fafner already decided to fight after the treasure than sharing. The killing of Fasolt was dramatically intense and the orchestra effectively reflected the brutality in their playing. Michael Honeyman's Donner did not have the rich and full voice for that dramatic calling of thunder. The brass playing could have given more in dynamics at the glorious conclusion. Otherwise, the troupe of feather girls, with rainbow pompom and glittering stage lights, made a highly effective and memorable scene of the god's entrance to Valhalla. The rhinemaidens and Loge were disappointed by Wotan's indifference while watching the ascend that inevitably brought the destruction later.
Hunding's hut alone on a revolving stage with snowing effect set the first scene of Die Walküre. The simple outlook made a pretty scene later as Siegmund and Sieglinde grown in love. The orchestral introduction would need to play more on the downbeat accents and the brass lacked direction in their playing. Horns were not confident at the forest hunting calls and shaky intonation as a result. The escalated tension between Siegmund and Hunding confrontation not really reflect by the indifferent instrumental playing. Bradley Daley, as Siegmund, sang with great passion but lacked the warmth. Higher vocal register was sometimes strained, notes were muddled up and being throaty. Even so, lower strings gave spellbinding playing when the Wälsungs met and fell in love at first sight. Good diction and secured intonation from Amber Wagner, who sang the role of Sieglinde. Jud Arthur continued to impress as Hunding this time with the richness in his timbre and a powerful voice to fill the hall. Though at the revealing of Notung and Siegmund's narration of the past, tempo remained relax and far from a passionate impression of the twins. Bradley Daley began to sound tired and not always able to sustain the vocal energy. The orchestra dragged the tempo even more at winterstürme and lost the focus in shape. Only Amber Wagner's beautiful singing redeemed from a disappointment by being tender and sweet in tone.
The second act was delayed by an hour due to a motor malfunction under the revolving stage. It was not a surprise though since the stage set was one of the most elaborate of the whole cycle. A multistorey circular runway dominated the stage with stuffed animals hanged within. Since there was only one way to descend or ascend, it reinforced the notion of a labyrinth that the gods were stuck without an alternative path. The animals probably represented deceased heroes being brought back to Valhalla but the visually not effective as backdrop only. The orchestra was far more dramatic than first act with a good momentum in directing the music forward. The Wälsungs first hurried down the runway followed by Wotan, but James Johnson's singing was still timid in terms of vocal volume. Lise Lindstrom, who made her debut as Brünnhilde in a full ring cycle, managed the athletic battle cry 'Hojotoho!' confidently but her voice needed some time to warm up. The timbre of Jacqueline Dark, as Fricka, had the colour of an aged woman but her vocal projection was less impressive than in Rheingold.
James Johnson projected more in the lower vocal register when Wotan narrated how he was trapped by promises while evils spread around freely. His image of frustration made a contrast to the cold and still impression in Rheingold. He flung his clothes off at the emotional foretelling of the god's doom and the Wälsungs, his children, to be killed. Exquisite woodwinds' playing during the scene change when the twins stopped for rest at their escape. Amber Wagner sang in a radiant tone at the highly dramatic nightmare passage but Bradley Daley far from matching her voice by lacking the desired warmth. The brass had more direction and energy in its playing but tuning was not always accurate. Lise Lindstrom's tessitura was comfortable in the higher vocal range during the dialogue with the orchestra winds, but James Johnson was again very thin in vocal body after Siegmund was killed.
The ride of the valkyries in act three was a military operation to retrieve the bodies of fallen warriors to Valhalla. However, the dramaturgy looked random that the crowd appeared rather lost on stage by walking around aimlessly. The impression did not match the sheer dramatic impact of the music. The voices of the eight valkyries complimented each other very well and delivered a powerful ensemble singing. James Johnson improved in vocal volume when Wotan arrived in rage of Brünnhilde defiance of his order, but diction remained muddy. The lower vocal register was problematic for Lise Lindstrom as her singing became rather grainy and not natural in phrasing. Towards the final scene of magic fire, the music was very moving with the tenderness and outpour of emotions as the father and daughter finally reconciled. A ring of fire in the middle of the dimmed bare stage was an effective and simple approach to realise Wotan's fatherly love to protect Brünnhilde.
My experience of Siegfried in live or on records so far were often with mixed results. The most challenging part I reckon was the final scene when the music style switched from a dramatic style to lyrical. Rarely singers could manage the changes evenly and also vocal stamina to last for four hours. In terms of staging, Armfield emphasized Siegfried as a play in the theatre. Mime's living room occupied the front stage with his workshop on the left and a bunk bed on the right. The tall white wall behind actually helped singers to project their voice with the hall acoustic. Previously in Rheingold and Walküre, the singing was often trapped within the stage. It was probably why the orchestra sometimes hesitated and sluggish as they struggled to hear the singers from the pit. This was no longer the case in Siegfried, which the orchestral playing had a much better sense in rhythmic flow and more energetic in momentum.
Stefan Vinke, as the protagonist, made a confident start vocally and being a native German speaker his diction was most naturally placed in the singing. Though Graeme Macfarlane's Mime did not match close that the phrasing were sometimes random and out of the place. Instead of an actual bear, Siegfried dressed up as one to scare Mime off and annoyed him after being accused of ungrateful to Mime's care since birth. Musically the heated exchange between the two was highly dramatic with the right ebbs and flows. The orchestra was very excited and confident in its playing that even ahead of the singers at various points. James Johnson's Wotan also projected better vocally with a fuller tone. Stage lights flickered as he quizzed Mime with riddles and threatened him with his staff to recognise his true identity. The orchestra made an impact in the crescendo until the stage flooded with lights and Mime trembled in fears. His introduction of fear later to Siegfried was intense vocally and the orchestra gave strong rhythmic pulse at the sword forging scene. Stefan Vinke had the vocal energy to sustain the heroic singing without any strain and most excited with the sheer impact. The highly dramatic orchestral playing put a brilliant end to act one and we saw Siegfried cut through the white wall to look for Fafner's cave. The audience went wild in reception.
An exaggerated facial expressions of a clown was projected on screen at the beginning of act two. The terrifying image of Fafner, as the music depicted, was wonderfully captured and realised. It was a brilliant touch than to recreate a dragon head, but a pity that one viewing only and later the rest happened behind the back of a theatre set in white. There were leaves scattered on the stage to evoke the forest floor, and tossed around by wind to imitate the dragon's breath. Though visually it looked underwhelming and not able to capture the sense of a haunted place. Warwick Fyfe's Alberich continued to impress with a ringing tone to fill the hall and very natural with the sung text. The amplification of Jud Arthur's rich and deep tone, as Fafner the dragon, achieved the right balance and effect in the auditorium.
However, Graeme Macfarlane dragged the tempo too much sometimes, and Stefan Vinke was not legato enough in the lyrical line of imitating the singing of wood bird on a picnic blanket. The scene of killing the dragon was not a spectacular fight, but a raw erotic impression when a naked and wounded Fafner in blood dragged out of the hole instead. The wood bird was in a plain dress only, which one questioned why not the Ziegfeld girl's outfit in Rheingold with elaborate feathers instead. Julie Lea Goodwin technically competent as a lyric coloratura soprano, but her tuning was insecure and dense in timbre than the preferred bell like quality. Towards the end, Siegfried positioned the bodies of Fafner and Mime next to the cave entrance probably as a show off. Stefan Vinke was more able to connect the long notes in the higher vocal register than the previous more athletic passage.
In act three, only the stage arch left with Wotan lying on the floor in the spotlight at first. Without the white wall to bounce the singing back like before, James Johnson's singing lost the projection again. The orchestra though continued to sound powerful in volume, especially the brass, and the computerised drum effect to imitate the sound of thunder made a dramatic sonic impression of what would follow. Erda appeared from the back door again after being summoned by Wotan but in a sleepy state. Liane Keegan did not have a big vocal body but her phrasing, diction and timbre were ideal. Despite the orchestra could have been more patience to avoid getting ahead of her, they played beautifully at Wotan's declaration of self destruction and Siegfried's challenge to Wotan was dramatically intense.
To realise the magic fire which protected the rock where Brünnhilde in deep sleep, light bulbs on the theatre arch came into full and a golden glittering curtain descended as Siegfried approached. The turntable spun the arch around slowly and made a highly theatrical transition to the discovery and awakening scene. A wood case containing Brünnhilde was revealed and a statue of her horse Grane was placed in the rear. Stefan Vinke captured Siegfried's cautious discovery vividly and his disbelief at first sight, before a passionate awakening of the first woman he met. Lise Lindstrom was more comfortable with the tessitura as the vocal register stayed high for the role this time, but she was heavy on vibrato and lacked the warmth in her voice. The orchestra made an emotional outburst of the love theme when the two exchanged their affections, even Brünnhilde was rather doubtful and negotiated the idea of her role change for a while. The theme of birdsong was tender and beautifully played and vocally the pair complimented each other in their duet. The sheer energy and music brilliancy of hailing to love made a resounding conclusion to the third part.
At the beginning of Götterdämmerung, the Norns were weaving an old styled theatre curtain in light blue. They had the right vocal colour and technically capable for the parts, but diction was muddy and individual voices not always pleasant to hear. The curtain collapsed as the thread broke and a house in skeleton was shown where Siegfried and Brünnhilde slept. The sunrise music was gloriously played by the orchestra and a ringing tone in Lise Lindstorm's singing at the wakening. Though the stage acoustic sucked the sound upward and made the orchestra difficult to hear the singer, which resulted a prolong negotiation in tempo. Stefan Vinke's upper register sounded hard for the lyrical passage and not the best moment to display his voice. The beautiful orchestral playing of the love theme rectified the disadvantage and the crowd appeared to celebrate the pair's strong affection for each other. They then evoked the river current with arm movements and danced at Siegfried's journey at the Rhine,which the orchestral playing was majestic and radiant. The group then pretended to imitate rowing together as the house spun and gradually became a slow community dance before disappearing into darkness.
The Hall of the Gibichungs was a gym with classical painting in the rear. Hagen in military uniform observed Gunther's and Gutrune's work out from behind. Daniel Sumegi, as Hagen, was more a bass-baritone as mentioned before and rather bright in timbre for the role of Hagen. He was dangerously ahead of the orchestra at the muscular call to signal Siegfried's arrival. Taryn Fiebig as Gutrune had a more suitable voice for the role but her projection was rather timid at first. Her singing opened up as passing the drink to dope Siegfried in her bright orange dress. Luke Gabbedy was more satisfied vocally as Gunther with the richness and depth in colour, also phrased the words and music more naturally. The swearing of blood brotherhood between Siegfried and Gunther was dramatically captured.
When the two went off to steal the ring from Brünnhilde, a lone light focused on Hagen, who sat in front of the house, plotting against with a gun in hand. Gutrune was more sympathetic to Hagen and gave him a kiss, which the two seems to share some affection for each other. It was not sure later whether she truly wanted to wed Siegfried or pretending as part of the plan. Brünnhilde was more patient and welcoming to Waltraute when she came to warn of the dangers. Lise Lindstrom took the tempo on a steady side but the singing still flow naturally and dramatic. Sian Pendry, as Waltraute, made a confident start in vocal volume and diction but the tuning became more shaky and losing the shape. The stage lights turned red when Siegfried took the ring by force from Brünnhilde and marked by wielding Notung in the air, which made the impression that she being raped by him. The orchestra though sounded tired at the end of act one and far from creating the devastating impact to finish off the first half.
A wedding tent instead dominated the second half and saw Alberich walked across the stage like a ghost. Hagen sat on a chair in the middle with the stage light gradually focused on him in a small spot. Warwick Fyfe's Alberich continued to impress for wonderful musical sense and the rich body in his singing. Daniel Sumegi tried to match Warwick Fyfe vocally and the dream telling scene of revenge was dramatically executed, but his timbre was baritone like and not always had the desired weight. Hagen then pointed the gun at the auditorium and stared at it to mark the killing weapon. He then assembled the men in tuxedos with guns like a gang meeting. The chorus delivered a magnificent wall of sound in their rousing call to war. It was matched by a muscular orchestral playing with the sheer dramatic impact from the brass. The entrance of the couples led to the standout of Brünnhilde, who smashed the wedding cake and pushed Siegfried to the floor in rage as he denied her accusations. Lise Lindstorm projected far better and more intense in her singing at the emotional outburst. The dramatic exchange between her and Stefan Vinke fitted their vocal style ideally for better control between the higher and lower registers. When she plotted against Siegfried with Gunther and Hagen together, a ringing tone in her voice and very bright with the top notes to create a strong impression of revenge. It made the cake cutting scene a chilling moment before the assassination scene happened.
The house in skeleton returned for the final act on the turntable and saw the rhinemaidens pulling feathers from their head gears. The irony of their boredom and lost the sense of living purpose after the ring being stolen triggered laughters among the audience. When Siegfried appeared, they went hide and seek around the house, but failed to attract nor convince him to give up the ring even in their flamboyant outlook. Their tuning improved and the singing had more shape as their voices warmed up. The offstage french horn also played Siegfried's hunting call more accurately than the one in the orchestra. The hunting scene was realised by an actual rifle shooting game on stage, which the repeated sound of gun shots captured the atmosphere of tension and insecurity of a killing scene. Gunther could not prevent Hagen to shot Siegfried after regaining his memories by drinking the antidote. Stefan Vinke's singing sustained with great energy and bold in vocal body. He approached the killing point as Siegfried broke away from illusion and a final resounding declaration of his love to Brünnhilde. The orchestral playing vividly captured that strong feeling of affections and emotional outpour. The ritual performed during the death march was unexpected as the men cleansed Siegfried's body, painted his face in white and he stood still in the centre covered by a black veil. It had effectively realised the solemn and grand image in the music that brilliantly evoked by the orchestral playing.
Taryn Fiebig carried more emotions in her singing as Gutrune gradually learnt the death of Siegfried. In the stage rear we also saw Brünnhilde slowly walked across as the sung text said she went to the Rhine for the final preparation. Hagen shot Gunther when he was blamed for the assassination, but terrified by the illuminating ghostly figure of Siegfried when the veil was removed. Lise Lindstorm began the immolation scene in the stage front but rather heavy on vibrato. The lyrical ascend lacked the smoothness and warmth at first, though she phrased the words poetically and took her time by employing rubato appropriately. The climb to the higher vocal register was confident and sang gloriously. The crowd laid flowers around Siegfried and he was joined by Brünnhilde after she gave the ring to the rhinemaidens. Alberich and Hagen tried to approach it but stopped. In the end, edges of the wood structures were in flames on the revolving stage with the couple at the centre under the spotlight. The funeral pyre was visually spectacular with the crowd sitting in rows watching from behind. The orchestral coda was transcendental to mark this very memorable and emotional finale.
(Photo credits: Jeff Busby, The Website of Opera Australia)
