St.Clair and Pacific Symphony Shine Up Wagner's 'Rheingold'
- Timothy Mangan
- Apr 11
- 5 min read
REVIEW: Strong singing cast and imaginative semi-staged production bring the opera to life.
We are pleased to report that the Pacific Symphony’s production of Richard Wagner’s “Das Rheingold,” which opened Thursday night at Segerstrom Concert Hall, features helmets with horns. Wagner without horned helmets is somehow lacking for this reviewer, missing a certain je ne sais quoi. And they were good helmets, with very good horns.
The costumes, overall, credited to Mattie Ullrich, were a mixed bag, though, some good, some not-so. The baby blue robes and blond wigs on Froh and Donner seemed a bit off, like “Game of Thrones” meets “Barbie.” Loge, in cardinal red, looked like he had wandered in from “Conclave.” The giants Fafner and Fasolt were dressed more or less as bikers (good), but I also desired stilts. Elsewhere, the attire was excellent to perfectly serviceable.
One was pleasantly surprised, once again, by how well “Rheingold” holds the stage, not as socio-political commentary (which it is), but as a theatrical entertainment. Given its length (about two and a half hours), its verbose libretto (Wagner needed an editor), and the fact that most of it is just characters standing around in a domestic drama talking (well, singing) to each other, you’d think that it would fairly creak along. But it doesn’t for the most part. That’s because the individual characters all speak (well, sing) from a deep cauldron of emotion and motivation, and the orchestra, rarely mere accompaniment, offers a wealth of commentary, doom and gloom, and splendid visions.
PHOTO 1: Ronnita Miller as Erda. PHOTO 2: Dennis Peterson, in red, as Loge, surrounded by from left, Aleksey Bogdanov as Donner, Renee Tatum as Fricka, Kyle Anderson as Wotan, Adam Diegel as Froh and Teresa Perotta as Freia. PHOTO 3: Kyle Anderson, left, as Wotan and Nathan Berg as Alberich. PHOTO 4: Kyle Albertson as Wotan and Renee Tatum as Fricka.
Photos courtesy of Pacific Symphony/Doug Gifford
“Rheingold” is the first, and shortest, of the four mythological “Ring Cycle” operas, of course. Information in the program booklet emphasized the revolutionary aspects of this music, the monumentality of the undertaking composing it, and such touchy topics as Wagner’s antisemitism. Meanwhile, the marketers, seeking the common touch, boldly dubbed the event “Curse of the Ring: ‘Das Rheingold’.” Gotta sell tickets.
The production (scheduled for repeat performances Sunday and Tuesday) is part of the Pacific Symphony’s annual opera offering, given a semi-staged presentation. Over the years, the semi-staged part of the equation has been rather ambitiously undertaken to the point that most viewers would just say the operas are staged. True, the orchestra is placed on stage, and there is no theater proscenium and therefore no curtains, but otherwise the singers are costumed, there are basic sets and props, acting and direction, and lighting projections that make up for any lack of structural or natural scenes, usually quite handsomely.
Here, we had a few small platforms in front of the orchestra and three geometric scrims left, right and center, upon which were projected atmospheric elements and items such as the stack of gold. Behind and above the orchestra a curved widescreen provided a ready canvas for whatever was required. The castle Valhalla floated up there in the distance.
PHOTO 1: Simple set pieces, including projection screens behind the orchestra, help set the stage for the opera. PHOTOS 2 & 3: Nathan Berg as Alberich with the Rhinemaidens. PHOTO 4: Carl St.Clair conducts the Pacific Symphony.
Photos courtesy of Pacific Symphony/Doug Gifford
Of course, “Das Rheingold” requires a few special effects. A couple of them are nicely handled. The three Rhinemaidens first appear to that great music in flowing aquamarine gowns amidst a plethora of watery and misty projections. They proceed to unravel long diaphanous banners between them and flap them about, creating the river they’re swimming in — low-tech meeting high.
When Alberich initially puts on the magic helmet (Tarnhelm) he turns into a huge dragon. We first see its giant claw sweep across the stage in projection, then a tail, then a single, sinister eye. He then turns himself into a toad, which hopped from scrim to scrim at the front of the stage (to the delight of the audience).
The singers gave pleasure, and sounded as if they were enjoying themselves. Kyle Albertson provided a dignified Wotan, singing the part rather than barking it, with sensitivity and color. Nathan Berg proved a gruff and menacing Alberich, indefatigable, and always lively of rhythm.
David Cangelosi was the particularly animated Mime. Renée Tatum (Fricka), Teresa Perrotta (Freia), Andrea Silvestrelli (Fasolt), David Soar (Fafner), Aleksey Bogdanov (Donner), and others all offered fine characterizations and singing. Only Dennis Petersen, as the trickster Loge, seemed a little out of his element, his voice not nimble enough for the role, and marking his rhythms with his hands.
The two big stage doors, right and left, were open, and this seemed to take some of the edge off the singing, which can happen here, and also gave it a bloom.
Carl St.Clair led the orchestra with a steady hand. Having conducted a “Ring” cycle in Weimar in the aughts, he has long wanted to bring “Rheingold” to this orchestra’s opera series (the other three “Ring” operas would be problematic in this format), and this being his last season as music director he finally did it.
Throughout the two and a half hours, he never lost sight of momentum — the music never bogged down, and remained lithe and supple. Despite the large forces and big moments, he never allowed the orchestra to get in the singers’ way. One may have wanted a bit more precision here and there, and stronger stylization occasionally, but this was a skilled account.
Thursday’s performance began a few minutes after 8 p.m. and ended at 11:15 p.m. “Rheingold” is usually done without an intermission, but it was decided to insert one here. It came between scenes two and three, a little awkward musically and dramatically, but not that awkward. In the event, one was grateful to stretch the sitzfleisch.
‘Curse of the Ring: Das Rheingold’
When: 2 p.m. April 13; 8 p.m. April 15
Where: Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Cost: $30 to $248
Contact: pacificsymphony.org
Classical music coverage at Culture OC is supported in part by a grant from the Rubin Institute for Music Criticism. Culture OC makes all editorial decisions.
