From: conrad@brahms.udel.edu (Jon Conrad)
Subject: Re: Various _Goetterdaemmerung_s 
Keywords: Janowski, Karajan, Solti
Organization: University of Delaware
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 15:20:11 GMT

In article <ZL1RVB3w165w@dorsai.com> shire@dorsai.com (Kenneth Shire) writes:

>Jon, As an admirer of Wagner, and moreover, almost an idolator of his 
>grandson, Wieland Wagner, I am hungry for more details of Kupfer's 
>Bayreuth RING.  Someone posted a note mentioning that the production has 
>been filmed.  But I'm too impatient to wait till it becomes available.  

It should be out next year.  I saw a full-page ad in VARIETY.
Apparently the audio will be released on CD too, but to my mind that
will be a less complete representation of what made it good.

>In the magazines I've seen, there is always talk about the basic "idea" 
>being a kind of time tunnel. I've only seen poor black&white photos of 
>the show and can't get any idea of what Kupfer is trying to do here.  
>More details please!

Hm, I wonder if you are remembering the right production.  The real
"tunnel" production (often compared to the Washington DC Metro stations)
is Gotz Friedrich's, for Berlin and later for Covent Garden.

Briefly, because I have no time for more (and also because it's been
years): The basic concept scenically was a "road to infinity."  It
starts at the edge of stage, filling the proscenium side to side, and
then goes on for quite distance into the background (in forced
perspective).  The surroundings are black all the way through.  Various
parts of the stage are rigged to rise or fall, or to open up holes and
so on.

The basic idea of "when" it was happening was supposedly sometime in our
future; the idea being that civilizations rise and fall, and the same
things happen again and again.  So sometimes a bit of something
recognizable would emerge from rubble (like some scenes in Planet of the
Apes).  I can't possibly describe the whole thing, so let me just
mention some highlights:

The gods' traveling gear (white raincoats, plexiglass suitcases) as they
prepare to move into their new home.

The tenderness and beauty of the Walsung twins' interaction as they
discovered each other and love.

A running joke reminiscent of an old "Laugh-In" gag (and when was the
last Ring production that could claim that kind of lineage?).  Wotan had
red hair and so did all his children.  It was the sign of divine
descent; Sieglinde revealed herself to Siemund by pulling off her hood,
and Siegfried was instantly recognizable when we first saw him.  (I can
picture Richard Coren shaking his wattles and harrumphing as he reads
all this.  :-)  )

The tender yet combative relationship between Wotan and Bruennhilde.

The extraordinary feeling all the way through the Wotan-Fricka
confrontation that they had loved each other once, possibly still did,
but could find no way to communicate now other than bickering.

Kupfer's real triumph was in the detailed and believable interaction
among the characters all through.  We all agreed it was the most *human*
and *moving* Ring we'd seen, even though there was lots scenically to
take issue with.  (The exact opposite of the Met production, in other
words.)

Singing highlights for me were Nadine Secunde (Sieglinde), Siegfried
Jerusalem (the young Siegfried), Waltraud Meier (Waltraute), Gunter van
Kannen (Alberich), Graham Clark (Loge, Mime2), John Tomlinson (Wotan),
and on the whole Deborah Polaski (Brunnhilde).

Jon Alan Conrad
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical