"This is the violet hour, the hour of hush and wonder, when the affectations glow and valor is reborn, when the shadows deepen along the edge of the forest and we believe that, if we watch carefully, at any moment we may see the unicorn."


Thursday, June 16, 2011

Last Night's "Die Walküre"

OMG!  Yes, a trite three letter (modern) abbreviation....  yet, it encompasses all I (and the sellout audience) saw and heard last night.  By this time, you all know that "The Ring" consists of four operas...."Die Walküre

" is the second in the cycle...and definitely my favourite.  Last year, we had "Die Walküre" in our Summer Season - by itself.....it took my breath away.  BUT....this year, as part of the complete cycle...it is even more awe-inspiring.

Pictured above.....ACT I, Scene 2....Siegmund (the hero), Hundig (the villan) and Sieglinde (unhappily married to Hundig  - and about to fall in love with Siegmund...who happens to be her twin brother)!  Mein Gott!

Here are our *Twins*...Sieglinde (Anja Kampe) and Siegmund (Brandon Jovanovich)....falling in love. Both are attractive to look at, have stellar voices and can act!  Their love is so real and so compelling.... the audience even stopped coughing....they were spellbound!

I think that one of the reasons I "fell in love" with Wagner at 10 years old was the similiarity between the Norse Edda Sagas and the Arthurian Legends...
(I discovered those at 6...) Anyway,  "Die Walküre" has a Magical Sword (Nothung) which is pulled out of an Ash Tree and not a stone....still....there are many similiarites.

And of course....being the Moon Lover that I am....a FULL Moon plays a prominent part in this opera....

(From our 2010 production...)
And now....we come to the "infamous dog scene".. ACT II, scene 2....well, you know, most people were not privy to the backstage "drama" of the doggie tryouts!  But...YOU ALL were....and you heard about the *failure" of Doggie #3 to dash across the stage - on cue!  During the final dress (last Saturday), Dog #3 was still being given a chance....but.....alas...he could not deliver.  Last night, he was gone....and Milo (whom you saw with me a few posts earlier) and Doggie #2....dashed across the stage - on cue.....looking threatening!
(But still not as cool as Milo and Humboldt last year.) Below...it's Humboldt and me from 2010!







Here I am with Milo in 2011....  yikes...my hair HAS grown a lot!


I digress.... the doggies leave, Hundig (the villan) kills Siegmund (the hero) - but only because Wotan (the head God) shatters Siegmund's sword... (you know, this plot is so intricate, you really should see my earlier post on Anna Russell's take of "The Ring")...  anyway, Siegmund dies......and for me, this is the penultimate tragedy in "The Ring"....  I always cry...and last night, I was stunned to see real tears in Siegmund (aka Brandon Jovanovich's eyes too).... right before he dies.....you know, I totally lost it!



The final act of "Die Walküre" introduces to us to the 8 Walküren.....(Brunnhilde's Sisters)...cooly attired as Aviatrixes..... they sing unbelievabley STRONG and PASSIONATE.  It's all very sad....very moving, very complex....BUT...keeps you wanting MORE...which we will have tomorrow night when "Siegfried" (the son of Siegmund and Sieglinde) opens....

Love to all,

♥  A tired but exilirated Robin ♥

p.s. *My* Mockingbird was kind to me last night..he didn't begin singing until 5:00 a.m.!!!!  Ah...wunderbar!
Posted by Robin at 5:34 PM

7 comments:

  1. Anne Huskey-LockardJune 17, 2011 at 6:11 AM

    OMG!!! is right Robin!
    I'm sitting here reading the flowing plot, okay, what's next? what's next?
    This has to be one amazing opera to see.
    I think, from the non-opera (a.k.a. ignorant) world, it is probably the most famous due to use of some of the music.
    You are soooo lucky to be part of this wonderful world.
    And I am glad the canine actors decided not to balk at their cue! ;-)
    Now I have to go upstairs and see, in my stack of old 33 albums, if I don't have this opera from the series.
    I keep getting this mental picture of an album cover...it's coming from somewhere...

    ENJOY!!!!
    XXOO~~
    Anne

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  2. studio loloJune 17, 2011 at 6:25 AM

    I knew you'd cry!! It sounds like they delivered a magical performance.
    I'm still laughing at the dogs! I hope they found where #3 ran off to.

    I can't call you because of your late nights, but know I'm thinking of you.
    I'm off to P-town tomorrow. I moved it back a day due to thunderstorms arriving today.
    It's all good!

    xoxo
    Lo♥

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  3. sukipoetJune 17, 2011 at 8:10 AM

    This is all so wonderful for you to experience in person and us'ns to experience vicariously. I cant even imagine the emotional fluxuations that an audience member would go through. Amazing.

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  4. Amanda SummerJune 17, 2011 at 12:28 PM

    oh robin, you have a mockingbird??!! we had one in our neighborhood a couple years ago and loved listening to him warble and trill and revel in his own voice — he hasn't been around for a few years and we miss him so! i think even at 5 a.m. i would appreciate this little guy's recital ;-)

    and for the ring, how can you not love an opera with mystical swords and full moons!

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  5. marianneJune 17, 2011 at 3:29 PM

    Oh dear
    It is late I will come back tomorrw and read your 2 last posts!

    Love for now and Gute Nacht;)

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  6. marianneJune 17, 2011 at 3:30 PM

    word very was godbaye!!!!
    :)

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  7. marianneJune 18, 2011 at 12:18 PM

    Finally made it back to read the post. I enjoyed reading it! Makes me happy you are a part of all this magic!
    And how moving the actor also cried!
    You look so stunning with the dogs.
    I tried to call you but....... unfortunately skype was broken off all the time so I couldn't even decently answer your machine......
    Going to bed early have to get up early as well.
    We talk later

    ♥♥♥
    >M<

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