Having Trouble Bursting Out of the Valhalla Bubble

Richard Wagner, known as an anti-semite, a womanizer, and a thief was a horrid person and yet his music is is some of the most beautiful ever written.   

Gutterdamerrung in Seattle a week ago this Sunday had an effect on me that is not uncommon.  The music, the story, the scenery and staging of this last of the Richard Wagner Ring Cycle was everything I expected and more!   Ed enjoyed the performance  which made the experience extra special.    We decided to make a trip to  McCaw Hall a few days early just to check things out.  Good thing we did because the hall is a work of art architecturally.   

Head gear, costumes, swords and shields were available for dress-up! 

At the performance one couple was dressed in all gold!   We learned the Met and Seattle are the only opera companies in the US to perform the entire cycle -- makes sense, one out East and one out West.   
I purchased a set of DVD’s from a Bayreuth performance that has been remastered - 1992 or something like that.   

One of the curtain calls -- Rhinemaidens fluttered their feet and rolled over and and over all synchronized.

At one point real fire protruded from many locations on Brunhilda’s rock -- they have a special pyrotechnical director.  At the end of the opera, lighting was used for virtual fire as  Brunhilda joined Sigfried in the flames as Valhalla goes up in smoke.    Then the Rhinemaindens “flew” under water like trapeze artists.  Astounding. 

Speight Jenkins, General Director of Seattle Opera is retiring next year so this is his last Ring Cycle.  He spoke between one of several curtain calls.