Rheingold/ Ring Regents Opera

Mr Snow
Swing

“The most important decision you can make is to be in a good mood” (Voltaire).

1,023 posts

Rheingold/ Ring Regents Opera Nov 13, 2022 20:48:35 GMT via mobile tmesis and NorthernAlien like this

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Post by Mr Snow on Nov 13, 2022 20:48:35 GMT

After swearing off reduced orchestra Wagner I plunged back in with this. Its a new arrangement for 20 players - inc discrete use of organ. And for me it's far superior to the Jonathon Dove arrangement as recently presented at the Hackney Empire - OR it not surprisingly works better in a more intimate setting. It's also the full score not edited(I believe).

No time for a full review suffice to say I really enjoyed this. It's being performed in the Grand Temple of the Freemasons Hal, in the round. this places everyone close to the excellent singing and acting (ok I didn't rate Donner). The staging is minimalist with only one brief silly moment.
Being that close to singers of Wagner was amazing in itself. you can't experience that power from the stalls. overall acoustic and balance are fine.
theres 2 more nights of this and then it builds over the next 24 months to two complete cycles.

The 3 members of the Wagner society sitting behind me were apparently as enthusiastic as I was and it would also make an excellent introduction to this work.
Recommended.

Last Edit: Nov 13, 2022 20:57:41 GMT by Mr Snow

Mr Snow
Swing

“The most important decision you can make is to be in a good mood” (Voltaire).

1,023 posts

Rheingold/ Ring Regents Opera Nov 14, 2022 12:55:38 GMT via mobile

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Post by Mr Snow on Nov 14, 2022 12:55:38 GMT

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/das-rheingold-review-is-this-slimmed-down-wagner-the-future-of-opera-hd72gx975

4 stars.

cartoonman
Ensemble

154 posts

Rheingold/ Ring Regents Opera May 28, 2023 15:02:29 GMT Mr Snow, NorthernAlien, and 1 more like this

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Post by cartoonman on May 28, 2023 15:02:29 GMT

I went to the Freemasons Hall last night to see Die Walkure. I was a little apprehensive as I had only seen Flying Dutchmen years ago. The Freemasons' Hall is the most over the top building. What isn't marble is gilded and the ceiling is mosaic, the bronze doors weigh 1.25 tons each. Even the gents lavatories are magnificent. A fair bit of reverberation in the hall but this didn't spoil the music. The performance was 4hr 50mins with 2 intervals but no ice cream. All the staff were polite and friendly. At the bag check they saw the sandwich wrapper and empty coke can in my bag and asked me if they could dispose of it for me.

The costumes were plain but made sense. The Walkure were dressed as punks and looked menacing. All the singers were good as was the orchestra. The set was in the middle of the hall. The seats were on three sides with the orchestra on the forth side.
Wotan had a hell of a voice and played the part well. It was sang in German but surtitles translated it into English.

I really enjoyed the evening the only downside to an "in the round" performance was that if the singers were turned away their volume reduced a lot.

I give it 4*.