AuthorPeterP

Tristan Act II — Goerke, Gould, Groissböck and Gubanova

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On November 17, 2019, the National Symphony Orchestra offered a concert presentation of Tristan und Isolde Act II in a loud, enthusiastic and splendid performance at David Geffen Hall in Lincoln Center.  Conductor Gianandrea Noseda  led a virtuoso sprawling group of fine musicians, but with his back to the soloists and creating a sound that was unmitigated by an orchestra pit.  As a result the...

The Death and Heroism of Siegfried

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In his thin and challenging book, The Trouble with Wagner, Prof. Michael Steinberg of Brown University shares a dramaturge's perspective on the Ring Cycle -- both from his academic scrutiny and from the experience of acting in the position of dramaturge in the production of the work recently staged at La Scala and Berlin State Opera and directed by Guy Cassiers...

The Met Revives Lepage’s Astounding Ring Cycle

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Robert Lepage’s brilliant production of the Ring was revived at the Metropolitan Opera this Spring and Mr. Lepage has had the last laugh.  The run was sold out, the “machine” came to life, the singers were sensational, and it was an almost unadulterated triumph...

Nilsson: The Great Live Recordings

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Those of us who remember attending performances of Birgit Nilsson sometimes wonder whether we are living in a delusion – falling into our grandfathers’ habitual complaints that, when we were young, the singers were so much better, the cheese more tasty, winters crisper, and walking to school was uphill both ways...

A Glorious, Laughing Siegfried in Chicago

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Lyric Opera of Chicago is building a theatrically exciting, musically impressive Ring Cycle.  The addition of Siegfried in November 3, 2018, confirms the persistence of creative vision and the assuredness with which the project has been planned and executed, and makes one eager of the full Cycles in April 2020.  Without any sense of either comparing or competing, I don’t think there has been, or...

The Wagner Blog

The Wagner Blog is a forum for discussion of contemporary themes arising from the works of Richard Wagner. Discussions relating to Wagner’s musical, literary, theatrical, philosophical, political and theoretic work are all appropriate for this forum.

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