Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – Washington National Opera’s sensational RING CYCLE is an instant classic

• By drediman
• May 23, 2016
• No Comments

This past weekend, Washington National Opera wrapped up the third and final cycle of its superlative production of Richard Wagner’s The Ring of the Nibelung. Francesca Zambello’s landmark staging at The Kennedy Center (a co-production with San Francisco Opera), fondly referred to as the “American Ring”, marks Washington, DC’s first ever locally produced Ring Cycle. Wagner’s singular “gesamtkunstwerk” or “total work of art” is a precursor to what we now know as immersive theater, which is currently all the rage in theater capitals such as New York and London. Spread across four operas – The Rhinegold, The Valkyrie, Siegfried, and Twilight of the Gods – the complete work requires a commitment of over 18 hours at the theater and total engagement from its audiences. There’s no other experience quite like getting lost in Wagner’s complex story of the destruction of the world involving gods, a cursed ring, giants, a ring of fire, dwarves, valkyries, dragons, magic potions, talking birds, humans, river maidens, and other fantastical creations. The brilliance of The Ring of the Nibelung is that it works both as a ripping fantasy yarn, as well as a cautionary allegory for human civilization.

What a way to introduce Wagner’s mammoth work, a touchstone in Western music and art, to local audiences. I’ve seen two other Ring Cycles in person (August Everding’s production for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, as well as Robert Lepage’s troublesome version for the Metropolitan Opera) – I’m a relative newbie compared to other obsessive fans I’ve met – and Ms. Zambello’s production strikes me as the most satisfying of the three, both theatrically and musically speaking. What makes this Ring so exceptional is that, although American iconography inspired the look and spirit of the production, its storytelling is not limited to and restricted by this country’s narrative. I suspect the production’s unusually lengthy gestation of more than a decade, which was interrupted by the financial crisis, had something to do with the ultimate depth and moving humanity of the storytelling (although I do have some reservations about the overly optimistic, neat interpretation of the conclusion of Twilight of the Gods). Ms. Zambello touches on slavery, capitalism, the environment, even celebrity culture. But at the end of the day, it’s her complete commitment to telling the story and exploring the intimate relationships amongst Wagner’s characters – beyond any gimmicky overlays – that makes her Ring such smashing theater.

Musically, Ms. Zambello’s Ring is almost everything I could have wished for (I attended the second of three cycles). Under the inspired baton maestro Philippe Auguin, the music director of Washington National Opera, the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra sounded transcendent, perhaps the best I’ve ever heard them. Their account of Wagner’s monolithic score was stunningly transparent, ensuring that each one of the famous leitmotifs was given careful attention. The vocal performances were tremendous, too. As Wotan, the chief god, American bass-baritone Alan Held, whose voice is strikingly mellower than others I’ve heard take on this huge role, worked through some allergy issues to give a grounded, beautifully realized and charismatic performance that refreshingly played to the character’s humanity and internal turmoil. As Wotan’s daughter, Brünnhilde, British soprano Catherine Foster had to work through problems of her own – during rehearsals, she twisted her leg and needed to be replaced at the eleventh hour in Cycle I’s The Valkyrie (by none other than the in-demand Christine Goerke, who has been pegged to play the role in the Met’s upcoming Ring Cycle). Befitting her role, Ms. Foster, with her bright, penetrating soprano, performed valiantly despite her injury in Cycle II, giving a vocally and dramatically fearless performance. As Siegfried, American tenor Daniel Brenna was sensational in the notoriously difficult role, heroically and tirelessly passing vocal test after vocal test with flying colors. And in my mind, his acting couldn’t be more ideal, especially in this somewhat thankless role. I must also mention Elizabeth Bishop (a commanding Fricka), David Cangelosi (a perfect Mime, a role I’ve seen him in in both Chicago and New York), and Melissa Citro (a surprisingly sympathtic Gertrune).

Visually, Ms. Zambello’s $10 million production is a knockout – a vast improvement over the cartoonish, almost simplistic Lyric Opera production and the fiasco that is Mr. Lepage’s “machine” for the Metropolitan Opera. Kudos to set designer Michael Yeargan for audaciously (e.g., that dragon cum trash compactor!) yet thoughtfully (e.g., the slow disintegration of Hunding’s home) realizing Ms. Zambello’s vision of a world that’s inspired by America’s iconography – as spectacularly lit by lighting designer Mark McCullough. The same can be said of the legendary Catherine Zuber’s work on costumes. One of the key design elements in this Ring is the nonstop flow of images and video projections, courtesy of S. Katy Tucker and Jan Hartley, that sensitively accompanied the score’s undulations and progressions.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

THE RING OF THE NIBELUNG
Opera
Washington National Opera at The Kennedy Center
Approximately 18 hours across four operas
Closed