Wagner: Das Rheingold

Synopsis

This is a beautifully conducted and thoughtfully staged performance of the first opera (the prologue) in Wagner's Ring Cycle. As soon as the clouds of mist have dissipated, while the daring, long-held opening chord is still reverberating, the screen clears to show not only the River Rhine and the three maidens (dressed like prostitutes in this production) assigned to guard the gold hidden there. It also shows an enormous dam (not mentioned in Wagner's text). This is the underwater base of a hydroelectric plant, and its presence tells us two things immediately: that this production takes the story out of the vaguely medieval fantasy world in which Wagner had placed it, and that a basic theme of the four-opera cycle would be power. Alberich, the Nibelung, is willing to renounce the love of women, after stealing the gold from the Rhine, to become the ruler of the world. Another basic theme is greed.

Main Cast

Pierre Boulez

Conductor

Age : 90 | Popularity : 3%

Donald McIntyre

Wotan

Age : 89 | Popularity : 5%

Martin Egel

Donner

Age : 80 | Popularity : 3%

Siegfried Jerusalem

Froh

Age : 84 | Popularity : 3%

Heinz Zednik

Loge

Age : 84 | Popularity : 3%

Hermann Becht

Alberich

Age : 69 | Popularity : 3%

Helmut Pampuch

Mime

Age : 68 | Popularity : 5%

Matti Salminen

Fasolt

Age : 78 | Popularity : 7%

Crew

Department	Role	Name
Directing	Stage Director	Patrice Chéreau
	Director	Brian Large
Sound	Original Music Composer	Richard Wagner
	Music Director	Pierre Boulez
Writing	Writer	Richard Wagner
Department	Role	Name

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