Wagner: Das Rheingold

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.

Cast

Donald McIntyre

Wotan

Martin Egel

Donner

Siegfried Jerusalem

Froh

Heinz Zednik

Loge

Matti Salminen

Fasolt

Fritz Hübner

Fafner

Hermann Becht

Alberich

Helmut Pampuch

Mime

Hanna Schwarz

Fricka

Carmen Reppel

Freia

Ortrun Wenkel

Erda

Norma Sharp

Woglinde