United Kingdom Longborough Competition Opera 2024 – Wagner, Der Ring des Nibelungen: Soloists, Longborough Neighborhood Refrain (refrain grasp), Longborough Competition Orchestra / Anthony Negus (conductor), Longborough, Cotswolds, 4, 5. 7 & 9.7.2024. (CP)

Longborough’s gigantic tetralogy ended on Tuesday with a really well-deserved standing ovation – the fruits of 5 years of diligent planning overcoming troublesome pandemic occasions which necessitated a lowered manufacturing of Die Walküre in 2021, so a keenly awaited new manufacturing of Die Walküre joined the established Das Rheingold, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung for 3 full cycles over three weeks to sold-out full homes.

Such an unbelievable enterprise calls for a first-class orchestra, an impressive conductor, exceptionally proficient hand-picked soloists and an administration which delivers an exemplary entrance of home and far of what patrons by no means see. From the welcoming smile on the website gate, a parking lot inside strolling distance of every thing, a much-admired view over a few of Cotswold’s best valleys, a exceptional conductor blissful to affix within the spirit of the occasion by sporting a gold lamé waistcoat on the primary evening (effectively the primary a part of the cycle is Das Rheingold!) conducting an orchestra in excellent kind. Many of those advantageous musicians have grown up with Anthony Negus because the early years of the century. Their particular person performances had been thrilling with stirring offstage horns supporting Siegfried, pinpoint correct cor anglais enjoying in help of the Woodbird, exceptionally expressive bassoons greeting Siegfried’s awakening of Brünnhilde, a number of of the memorable musical moments of this tetralogy. Within the traditions of Bayreuth, trumpeter Stuart Essenhigh delivered a fanfare from the balcony while patrons grabbed cell phones to seize the event.

Easy, uncomplicated units are a really acceptable function of Longborough’s stagings; none extra so than these of Rhiannon Newman Brown all through this cycle beginning with a semicircle for Das Rheingold, creating right into a sequence of steps on either side of the restricted stage to permit the utmost motion of artists, one thing notably useful within the final act of Götterdämmerung with the arrival of the taking pictures get together claiming Siegfried has been injured by a wild boar. These disciplined artists comprised Longborough’s Neighborhood Refrain and chosen members from the Ring cycle covers roster of whom just one was required to carry out throughout this entire cycle.

Director Amy Lane, blessed with a constantly proficient forged and members of a manufacturing crew who’ve labored wonders on the event of Longborough’s Ring since 2019, delivers a remarkably assured Die Walküre, clearly pleased with some minor modifications to her semi-staged route in 2021. Her efforts are given a lift all through the cycle by the lighting plot designed by Charlie Morgan Jones. Dazzling use of floods to supply heat, but typically blinding mild, he utilises spotlighting at any time when attainable because the customary technique to focus on dramatic moments. Goodness is aware of how complicated all of it was on paper; fairly an achievement and memorable for the pink glow all through the auditorium because the logs of Siegfried’s funeral pyre burn to ashes on the ultimate bars of Götterdämmerung.

To enhance Rhiannon Newman Brown’s delightfully easy units, Emma Ryott produces beautiful costumes. Add to this Tim Baxter’s intelligent, non-intrusive video installations, updating most of the American modern video artist Invoice Viola’s picture expertise and there may be the makings of a most engaging visible spectacle. That is efficient, particularly when the waters of the Rhine and their contents command the eye of delightfully dressed Rhinemaidens. Das Rheingold varieties the Prologue to the trilogy correct. Its prelude is probably essentially the most authentic of all Wagner preludes. A minimum of 136 consecutive bars are based mostly on pedal-point. Beginning with a single E-flat sounded within the bottommost depths of the orchestra, Anthony Negus manages to manage the undulating theme because it progressively swells louder and louder because the Rhinemaidens amuse themselves within the waters with Alberich, (Mark Stone), a dwarf and the chief of the Nibelungs. His clumsy advances are unusually accepted till such time as he recognises the significance of claiming the gold which is able to allow him to grow to be ruler of the world. All three Rhinemaidens Mari Wyn Williams, Rebecca Afonwy-Jones and Katie Stevenson not solely look the half, are able to being naughty, and sing effectively collectively. Their casting is a advantageous instance of the cautious recruitment course of evident all through the cycle.

Longborough’s demanding rehearsal plans denied Welsh Nationwide Opera’s Dying in Venice the providers of Mark Le Brocq in Birmingham, within the main position as Gustav von Aschenbach. How good to listen to him at Longborough as Loge, a job which supplies him the chance to make use of his compelling tenor voice and appearing talents while working with Wotan (Paul Carey Jones) to take the gold from Alberich by drive, if obligatory. Carey Jones gives essentially the most commanding of performances the place his expertise match the calls for of the Wotan appropriately. Making a most completed debut this yr is the younger soprano Eleanor Dennis as Freia held ransom by the giants. Mae Heydorn’s Erda points a stern warning to Wotan to surrender the ring for worry of impending doom to him and all his race. These giants Fasolt (Paul Putnins) and Fafner (Simon Wilding) fall sufferer to the curse of the ring and their wrestle over the Nibelung gold leaves Fasolt lifeless and Fafner with the ring. In the meanwhile of the storm which follows this pointless killing, the heavens at Longborough opened, too. A exceptional coincidence or one thing way more vital! Wotan prepares to depart for Valhalla earlier than collapsing; the music providing one in all a number of thrilling crescendo finishes for which Wagner is widely known.

Wagner is among the best-known composers capable of categorical the emotional and bodily results of affection in each a refined, but thrilling method. Die Walküre is basically an act of affection between Siegmund and Sieglinde who’re Wotan’s twins. It’s clear a marital collapse has befallen Sieglinde (Emma Bell) within the relationship with husband, Hunding (Julian Shut), earlier than the dishevelled, exhausted Siegmund (Mark Le Brocq) arrives on the rudely furnished hut. They catch one another’s eyes and love develops shortly, solely to be interrupted by the doorway of Hunding in one in all his tougher moods. Shut is fearsome in his position, as he shall be later as Hagen. Bell is excellent, her voice blooms in a delightfully completed efficiency of the prolonged love scene which may last as long as an hour.

Fricka, Wotan’s spouse (Madeleine Shaw) holds the ethical excessive floor utilizing this to admonish Wotan for the incestuous behaviour of the twins; she is the decided, unyielding sort who doesn’t settle for ‘no for a solution’, her really pleasing singing a spotlight of the act. To be able to keep away from battle Wotan invitations Brünnhilde, his favorite daughter, who occupies a particular place among the many spirited octet of Valkyries, to take motion in opposition to Siegmund; Brünnhilde, nevertheless, throws her weight behind Siegmund in his struggle with Hunding. In consequence, Brünnhilde is banished from Valhalla, the place the visible results of fireplace had been skilfully displayed; the wonderful musicians responding with an enormously highly effective conclusion.

Brünnhilde decides to take away Sieglinde from the scene of the dispute between Hunding and Siegmund; her transfer to the forest to offer beginning to Siegfried (Bradley Daley) ends together with her unhappy loss of life with Mime (Adrian Dwyer) taking accountability for elevating the younger man. Dwyer depicts Mime because the reprehensible particular person he’s and divulges the strained relationship he has with Siegfried. Paul Carey Jones, now within the guise because the Wanderer, is a commanding particular person. He’s eager for his grandson to develop as much as be much less brash and infantile – at one level Siegfried lies on his abdomen kicking his ft within the air – as a result of the Wanderer predicts he’ll win the ring from Fafner (Simon Wilding). When left alone in entrance of the Fafner’s cave the orchestra created the Forest Murmurs music, with robust imagery of Das Rheingold and the arrival of a voice in birdsong, the Woodbird (Fflur Wyn) wearing tails with hanging eyelashes, essentially the most charming few moments throughout which Siegfried learns of a good looking lady mendacity asleep, surrounded by hearth. He follows the chook within the seek for a bride.

Paul Carey Jones survives a check of his stamina as he sings on the top of his powers, a dominant efficiency by a tortured Wanderer, quickly to be ended when Siegfried smashes his spear. The gradual disappearance of the Wanderer from the scene is among the hanging options of the work; the tragedy arising from his deadly greed. His command of the German language couldn’t be faulted; Bradley Daley’s Australian heritage ensures there may be trace of ‘twang’ in his interpretations. Each artists deserve the very best reward. Our younger, much less brash, hero finds the sleeping Brünnhilde (Lee Bisset) with Anthony Negus main the love duet music, a mild rocking rhythm in the important thing of E main, the important thing related to nature within the cycle. Bisset is fondly remembered at Longborough for her performances as Isolde; on this cycle she acts dramatically however the voice could be a little uneven at occasions and shrill.

Wagner’s prologue for the start of Götterdämmerung introduces the three Norns, (Mae Heydorn, Harriet Williams and Katie Lowe), daughters of Earth Goddess Erda. Weaving the rope of future and discussing occasions of the world abruptly ceases because the rope turns into snagged. Heydorn’s First Norn is the decide of the three. Conflicts involving Alberich (Mark Stone) and his son, the evil Hagen (Julian Shut), floor. Shut has had an extended affiliation with Longborough – he sang Commendatore in Don Giovanni in 2006 – and has an immense stage presence, his robust bass voice a advantageous casting success. Hagen’s evil plans embrace persuading Gutrune (Laure Meloy) to offer Daley’s Siegfried a spiked drink, in an try to drive marriages between Gutrune with Siegfried and Gunther (Benedict Nelson) with Bisset’s Brünnhilde in his willpower to acquire the ring now held by Brünnhilde who fiercely resists Hagen’s interference. Wotan, whose ebook of recommendation has been intently adopted till now, is now unable to affect occasions; he insists his ravens deliver him information of the destiny of the ring; on this event the Longborough auditorium had a few bats who flew spherical and about as substitutes for these ravens!

By this level, the cycle is sort of full with questions lastly receiving solutions. Throughout a hunt Siegfried is killed having been given the antidote to Hagen’s drugged drink. In useless, he tries to grab the ring however lastly the Rhinemaidens retrieve it and in so doing drag him right down to the depths of the river. Valhalla is consumed in flames and this, the grandest instance in all Wagner of redemption by means of a girl’s heroic love ends however not earlier than the Longborough Competition Orchestra have performed their hearts out with nice enthusiasm and vitality, the infinite variety of leitmotifs an enduring reminiscence of their efforts. Twelve performances inside a three-week interval is a giant ask and there have been nonetheless two extra efficiency of Die Walküre to return!

Clive Peacock

Featured Picture: Lee Bisset as Brünnhilde in Götterdämmerung © Matthew Williams-Ellis

Casts:

Das Rheingold
Alberich – Mark Stone
Wotan – Paul Carey Jones
Loge – Mark Le Brocq
Fricka – Madeleine Shaw
Fafner – Simon Wilding
Fasolt – Pauls Putnins
Erda – Mae Heydorn
Mime – Adrian Dwyer
Freia – Eleanor Dennis
Donner – Freddie Tong
Froh – Charne Rochford
Woglinde – Mari Wyn Williams
Wellgunde – Rebecca Afonwy-Jones
Flosshilde – Katie Stevenson
Nibelungs – Eera Gupta, Eleanor Stephenson

Die Walküre
Siegmund – Mark Le Brocq
Sieglinde – Emma Bell
Wotan – Paul Carey Jones
Fricka – Madeleine Shaw
Brünnhilde – Lee Bisset
Hunding – Julian Shut
Gerhilde – Eleanor Dennis
Ortlinde – Cara McHardy
Waltraute – Rebecca Afonwy-Jones
Schwertleite – Verena Gunz
Helmwige – Katie Lowe
Siegrune – Carolyn Dobbin
Grimgerde – Katie Stevenson
Rossweisse – Rozanna Madylus

Siegfried
Siegfried – Bradley Daley
Mime – Adrian Dwyer
The Wanderer – Paul Carey Jones
Alberich – Mark Stone
Fafner – Simon Wilding
The Woodbird – Fflur Wyn
Erda – Mae Heydorn
Brünnhilde – Lee Bisset

Götterdämmerung
Siegfried – Bradley Daley
Brünnhilde – Lee Bisset
Alberich – Mark Stone
Hagen – Julian Shut
Gunther – Benedict Nelson
Gutrune – Laure Meloy
Waltraute – Clair Barnett-Jones
First Norn – Mae Heydorn
Second Norn – Harriet Williams
Third Norn – Katie Lowe
Woglinde – Mari Wyn Williams
Wellgunde – Rebecca Afonwy-Jones
Flosshilde – Katie Stevenson

Manufacturing:
Director – Amy Lane
Lighting designer – Charlie Morgan Jones
Set and Props designer – Rhiannon Newman Brown
Costume designer – Emma Ryott
Video designer – Tim Baxter
Choreographer – Loreni Randi
Language Coach – Dominik Dengler
Head of Casting – Malcolm Rivers in partnership with The Mastersingers
Inventive Advisor – Isabel Murphy