Next week, on many PBS stations, the Great Performances series will be showing the new Metropolitan Opera production of Wagner's Ring Cycle. It begins on Monday night with a documentary about the new production, including the set, which is a 45-ton machine consisting of 24 planks that seesaw back and forth and act as screens for projections which evoke the settings in the operas. Some loved it; some hated it. We saw the first three operas in the movie theater during the live HD broadcasts, and then saw the last, Gotterdammurung, at the Met Opera house in person. The entire thing is an amazing musical work, of epic proportions. We were glad to have seen it, but it is difficult to get your arms completely around.
If you're not busy for about 15 hours (for the operas, not including the documentary), check it out! In the meantime, this week's post is a nice illustration of the final scene of the whole shebang, where Brunhilde (of "the opera's not over until the fat lady sings" fame) sets fire to the pyre which she will then ride into on horseback, killing herself after singing a 20-minute aria. Enjoy!
.jpg)
2 comments:
With the magic ring and dwarves running about, it was an obvious influence on "The Lord of the Rings"
But at least Wagner's saga didn't have an evil lighthouse
What a shame I have never been to an opera.
Post a Comment