Wagner Das Rheingold April 23, 1990 Broadcast / Telecast

[lennygoran]

Wagner Das Rheingold April 23, 1990 Broadcast / Telecast


Last night we decided to review the Met's 1990 production from their On/Demand-no intermission-we sat there for 2hours and 40 minutes completely caught up in the wonderful production.

Wagner Das Rheingold


From the gorgeous scene deep in the river Rhine that opens the opera, up to the magic Rainbow Bridge that appears at the end, leading to a glistening Valhalla, Otto Schenk’s production captures the scenic world of Wagner’s Ring as brilliantly as James Levine and the Met orchestra capture the musical world. The cast is incomporable: an astounding James Morris as the young god Wotan, the great Christa Ludwig as his wife Fricka, incandescent Siegfried Jerusalem as Loge, the wily god of fire, and Ekkehard Wlaschiha as a complex Alberich.


Performance Date Apr 23, 1990

Run Time 2 HRS 40 MIN

[Met Performance] CID:300090
Das Rheingold {133}
Ring Cycle [92] Uncut. Metropolitan Opera House: 04/23/1990., Broadcast / Telecast

(Broadcast / Telecast)


Metropolitan Opera House
April 23, 1990 Broadcast / Telecast


DAS RHEINGOLD {133}
Der Ring des Nibelungen: Cycle [92] Uncut
Wagner--Wagner

Wotan...................James Morris
Fricka..................Christa Ludwig
Alberich................Ekkehard Wlaschiha
Loge....................Siegfried Jerusalem
Erda....................Birgitta Svendén
Fasolt..................Jan-Hendrik Rootering
Fafner..................Matti Salminen
Freia...................Mari-Anne Häggander
Froh....................Mark (W.) Baker
Donner..................Alan Held
Mime....................Heinz Zednik
Woglinde................Kaaren Erickson
Wellgunde...............Diane Kesling
Flosshilde..............Meredith Parsons (2)

Conductor...............James Levine

Production..............Otto Schenk
Set designer............Günther Schneider-Siemssen
Costume designer........Rolf Langenfass
Lighting designer.......Gil Wechsler
TV Director.............Brian Large

Telecast: Metropolitan Opera Presents

Available for streaming at Met Opera on Demand

[maestrob]

Len, you just watched my favorite Rheingold on DVD.

James Morris is an ideal Wotan, as is everyone else, each in their own roles. I watch it every year and never get tired of it.

Unfortunately the Siegfried (Siegfried Jerusalem) sang sick for this 1990 broadcast done over four consecutive nights, so sadly I can't watch the Siegfried or the Gotterdammerung. Thus I prefer Barenboim's 1991 Bayreuth DVDs for the two later operas, also with Siegfried Jerusalem, as he sounds magnificent in those.

James Morris though, sounds wonderful throughout, and Hildegard Behrens was an excellent casting choice by Levine.

Incidentally, Eva Marton was originally cast as Brunnhilde for Levine's Ring, but she was replaced after her contract was signed to the consternation of many.

Levine's pacing is spot-on in every bar.

[lennygoran]

Len, you just watched my favorite Rheingold on DVD....Unfortunately the Siegfried (Siegfried Jerusalem) sang sick for this 1990 broadcast done over four consecutive nights, so sadly I can't watch the Siegfried or the Gotterdammerung.

Brian last night we watched Die Walkurie so we're ready for Siegfried in the future-the Met On Demand has Jerusalem! Regards, Len

Siegfried


Siegfried’s magical world is brilliantly evoked in this Otto Schenk/Günther Schneider-Siemssen production. Our storybook hero (Siegfried Jerusalem) forges his sword, uses it to kill the dragon (marvelous Matti Salminen as Fafner), discovers treasure, and awakens the sleeping Brünnhilde (a powerful Hildegard Behrens), oblivious to the ring of fire that has been protecting her. James Morris, in sumptuous voice, is deeply moving as the Wanderer, the god who cannot stop Siegfried’s destiny.This is James Levine and the Met orchestra at their very best.
Performance Date Apr 26, 1990
Run Time 4 HRS 08 MIN

[maestrob]

Len, you just watched my favorite Rheingold on DVD....Unfortunately the Siegfried (Siegfried Jerusalem) sang sick for this 1990 broadcast done over four consecutive nights, so sadly I can't watch the Siegfried or the Gotterdammerung.

Brian last night we watched Die Walkurie so we're ready for Siegfried in the future-the Met On Demand has Jerusalem! Regards, Len

Siegfried


Siegfried’s magical world is brilliantly evoked in this Otto Schenk/Günther Schneider-Siemssen production. Our storybook hero (Siegfried Jerusalem) forges his sword, uses it to kill the dragon (marvelous Matti Salminen as Fafner), discovers treasure, and awakens the sleeping Brünnhilde (a powerful Hildegard Behrens), oblivious to the ring of fire that has been protecting her. James Morris, in sumptuous voice, is deeply moving as the Wanderer, the god who cannot stop Siegfried’s destiny.This is James Levine and the Met orchestra at their very best.
Performance Date Apr 26, 1990
Run Time 4 HRS 08 MIN

Don't say I didn't warn you!

[lennygoran]

Don't say I didn't warn you!

Brian I think I misunderstood-I thought you meant he called in sick and missed one performance but you seem to have said he sang sick for this performance and I guess you didn't like what you heard-still I'll probably go ahead with this On Demand production and watch at some point because I want to see how it continues along-it's such a great production so far. Regards, Len

[maestrob]

Don't say I didn't warn you!

Brian I think I misunderstood-I thought you meant he called in sick and missed one performance but you seem to have said he sang sick for this performance and I guess you didn't like what you heard-still I'll probably go ahead with this On Demand production and watch at some point because I want to see how it continues along-it's such a great production so far. Regards, Len

Right!

He sang wonderfully with Barenboim a year later, but he sang sick for Levine as they couldn't find a last-minute Siegfried replacement, at least that's what I heard at the time.

What I'm saying is, don't judge Siegfried Jerusalem by this one performance.

[lennygoran]

What I'm saying is, don't judge Siegfried Jerusalem by this one performance.

Brian thanks-now I get it! Regards, Len