"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."


Sunday, July 3, 2011

The Ring.... Who Has It, Who Wants It, Who WEARS It!

Two hours ago, our final "Ring Cycle" ended.....  the audience gave the cast and orchestra a standing, cheering, stomping ovation. I guess they liked it!  For me, it was the end of almost two months of non-stop rehearsals and performances.  My wonderful "team" provided coffee, teas and a variety of foods for 46 rehearsals and performances.  (Most of which lasted at least 5 hours.) 

It was an unqualified success - for all of us!  And for me, a life-long lover of Wagner, a dream realised. My 9th "Ring"...  four in Germany, five in the States....  and this one was definitely the second best I have ever seen.

Anyway, I KNOW most of you are tired of my "Ring" entries....but I HAD to leave you with one final post.

This one follows the course of those who created the Ring, cursed the Ring, relinquished the Ring, killed for the Ring, were given the Ring as a token of Love, betrayed the Ring.....  and finally, a-ha-ha...WORE the RING!

Ok.....here we go...top photo, Alberich steals the Gold from the Rheinmaidens and makes the Ring.



Wotan steals the Ring from Alberich - but must give it up to the Giants, Fasolt and Fafner, in order to free his Sister-in-Law, Freia. (View my Anna Russell video from a month or so ago for a "rational explanation".)




Wotan still covets what he had to relinquish....and so does Alberich...
But, Mime, Alberich's brother also covets it....
But, he dies at the hand of Siegfried, who slays the Dragon (aka Fafner, the Giant), seizes the Ring, presents it a gift of Love to Brunnhilde......only to betray her and take back the Ring!


In the end, Brunnhilde gets the Ring back, after betraying Siegfried and causing his death....but she gives it back to the rightful owners, the Rheinmaidens.  And....the Opera(s) end....after 17 hours and four days....

BUT....there is an addendum here.. because someone YOU ALL KNOW also wore the Ring for a a bit!  (This took a month of planning on my part...)





Kiss the Ring, Baby!
I know, it is HUGE..more like a glittering, gold bracelet....but remember it must be able to be seen from the top row of the balcony....so BIG is the order of the day.  And trust me, it really sparkles and glitters when stage lights are on it!


I promised SF Opera I would NOT post these photos until our "Ring" was completed..and now it is!  And I can finally say, A-ha-ha!

Wow....it was quite a ride.....I am exhausted, but exhilarated!!

Thank you for making this journey with me!

Love,

♥ Robin ♥

17 comments:

  1. Why, Robin, sundry, varied, and multitudinous congratulations. I'm so glad it turned out well for all of you.

    BTW, I was thinking of your recent inquiry about Brewsky when I posted a photo of him and Peggy. He's now 11 months old and weighs around 12 pounds.

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  2. SNOW!!!!! We crossed Blogs.....after I posted this, I saw yours..... you wrote so eloqently and poignantly about your friends...I, too, have always seemed to have friends much older than me...it does make life more complicated - but - interesting...

    Thank you for the update on the ADORABLE Brewsky! Could you post a photo please? Sending you, Peggy, Brewsky and Blue many, many hugs!!!!

    Your friend, always,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  3. "Could you post a photo please?"

    I did, but when I posted it, I put the date as July 2. You might have been at my blog just before I posted it.

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  4. look at that ring!!!! You look adorable by the way. I love that color on you. Not many people could pull off that yellow ;)

    Now, no doubt there will be a "ring" withdrawl at some point. That's to be expected. I'll be on the other end of the phone if needed, LS.

    Great job and kudos to you and your team!

    xoxo
    Love,
    Lo♥

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  5. OMG!!!
    This was a fabulous trip through the workings of a production, and one that has always piqued my interest anyway, I will MISS the Ring posts and know you had a ball with the whole.
    Yes, *The Ring* is amazingly spectacular, and even though the size is for the audience, somehow it's how I imagined it....much larger than life and a handful for the one who holds it!
    I have enjoyed every step of the way Robin, all the stories and photos and sound clips.
    BRAVA!!!
    Job well done! ♥

    XXOO~~
    Anne

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  6. Liebe Robin,

    Ich wollte nur mal kurz vorbeischauen um zu sehen was Du machst und auch Dir ein schoenes 4th of July wuenschen. Gizzy und ich sind zuhause und bleiben zufrieden miteinander zu sein.

    Was fuer ein wunderschoener Ring! Kannst Du ihn behalten? Ich wuensche Dir nochmals alles Gute und Happy Independence Day!

    von Doris (und Gizzy)

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  7. What a wonderful wrap-up post. Everythingnlooks fabuLous but that ring is dazzling.

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  8. I guess to echo Anne, it is all larger than life! what an amazing chicadee's eye view we got of the ins and outs of performing an opera. Your photos with the ring are adorable!! So fun. Yes, I definitely think you will go through Ring withdrawal after all the intensity and hoopla. And all your opera friends now gone on to other places. Thanks for sharing this with us. Love, Suki

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  9. You look lovely and the ring is gorgeous! They should have gifted you with it since I doubt there is anyone else whose heart and soul is so committed to Opera and the work you have done is not just remarkable, it is priceless. Of course anything that comes from the heart is priceless, but not ringless :)

    We are trying to find out what happened to the blog and the Gmail account. It has gone to parts unknown and I have no access to either one of my blogs, but my hero is on the way to slay whoever at Blogger and Gmail are responsible for all the anxiety I have been going through because of it. So please don't worry if you cannot get in. We are fine it is just the electronic world that is in trouble if I don't get my blogs and mail back.

    Much love from both of us.

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  10. it's all beautiful...but most of all ....YOU!!!

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  11. Shnow, you were right....I must have just missed it....Brewsky has grown...he is GORGEOUS! What a face! Thak you for sharing!

    Hugs to all,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  12. Lololooooo...ha-ha! Thank you for the compliment.... actually that top has a bit more orange to it.... but is *does* bring out the *GOLD* in the Ring! (It was just a fluke I was wearing that colour that night.... "Walkure" was running - the only one of the four operas where no one is actually wearing the Ring - (except me - a-ha-ha)!!

    Love,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  13. Anne, I am thrilled you really liked delving into the "World of the Ring" with me! It was truly one of the most exciting adventures I have ever had.....and it was all the more fun to share with it my *Blogging Family*!

    Love,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  14. Liebe Doris und *Gizzyschen*,

    Es freut mich immer von Euch zu horen!!!!
    Danke vielmals fur dein Freundschaft und fur mein *arme* Deutsch....Ich habe so viele Worter vergassen.....

    Liebe Grusse zum beide,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  15. Teri - I always love when you and Sunshine come to visit! Yes, that was quite a Ring! I really could have slipped it onto all of my five fingers!!!

    Hugs to all,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  16. Suki, you are right....*Ring* withdrawl is here - along with the Fog.... but thankfully, I am going to Santa Cruz with a friend today....so am hoping the sun will eventually come out!

    *The Ring* was thrilling front of house and back of house....much hugging and kissing taking place at the end...and it was fun to be a part of it! (Now I can say I have been kissed by *Wotan*, *Siegfried* and *Alberich*!

    Love to you and Bibs,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  17. Allegra, I am especially happy you *visited*...I did try to *visit* you but couldn't....those darn PC glitches are the WORST! I feel better now, knowing all is well with you and B. Loved.

    Thank you for your wise and witty *Ring* comments - I know you understood where I was coming from ....

    Love to you both,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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