With the completion of the first cyclical performance of all four operas, Berlin has a new production of Richard Wagner's "Ring des Nibelungen".
Almost four decades after the legendary version of the then artistic director Götz Friedrich (1930-2000), the Norwegian opera director Stefan Herheim and General Music Director Sir Donald Runnicles realized the most elaborate work of musical theater at the Deutsche Oper with a total of around 16 hours of playing time.
Berlin - The audience celebrated the conclusion of the tetralogy on Sunday evening with a successful “Götterdämmerung”.
On the previous evenings, top international soloists and the orchestra had already garnered applause with “Rheingold”, “Walküre” and “Siegfried”.
Between Woglinde's “Weia!
Waga!
Woge, du Welle ”at the beginning of“ Rheingold ”to Hagens“ Zurück vom Ring! ”At the end of“ Götterdämmerung ”, the figures appearing as gods, giants and albums develop a very human kaleidoscope of inbreeding and murder, rape or breach of contract, betrayal and vengeance.
Doom is prophesied, any struggle for power, lust or even a few strokes of love must foreseeably fail.
Herheim repeatedly links Wagner's complicated narrative strands with very topical topics and references.
His "Ring" begins on an empty stage, a few refugees are led by Wotan, the father of the gods.
The group of people will again and again establish a reference to a reality beyond the stage, applaud the self-loving Wotan or the childish hero Siegfried, and celebrate Brünnhilde for her courage.
The suitcases of the migrants between the look back and an unknown future serve Herheim for a varied set of landscapes, fortresses or pile up to images of the persecution of Jews in the work of the anti-Semite Wagner (1813-1893).
A grand piano remains central to all operas, the instrument on which Wagner created his work of art over several decades.
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The grand piano is the stage on the stage, devours protagonists, is a bed or rock for lots of sex in the fabric, allows appearances and exits.
Again and again, the characters in the operas seem to intone Wagner's musical themes on the keys and thus advance the plot.
Herheim plays with images, analogies, optical quotations.
To do this, his team repeatedly combines light and stage effects to create beautiful scenes.
The all-consuming flood and flame fiasco at the end of “Götterdämmerung” will only leave the grand piano behind in the stage, which has been emptied up to the fire walls.
The audience celebrated the orchestra, conductor and the cast of around 50 solo roles in the four operas throughout.
On the final evening there was a special ovation for Nina Stemme (Brünnhilde), Clay Hilley (Siegfried) and Albert Pesendorfer (Hagen).
The Festival of Fantasy by director Herheim and his team, on the other hand, ensured a tough struggle between “Bravo” and “Boo” shouts.
dpa