United Kingdom Longborough Festival Opera 2024 [1] – Wagner, Der Ring des Nibelungen: Soloists, Longborough Community Chorus, Longborough Festival Orchestra / Anthony Negus (conductor), Longborough, Cotswolds, 4, 5. 7 & 9.7.2024. (CP)
Longborough’s gigantic tetralogy ended on Tuesday with a very well-deserved standing ovation – the culmination of five years of diligent planning overcoming difficult pandemic times which necessitated a reduced production of Die Walküre in 2021, so a keenly awaited new production of Die Walküre joined the established Das Rheingold, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung for three complete cycles over three weeks to sold-out full houses.
Such an incredible undertaking demands a first-class orchestra, an outstanding conductor, exceptionally talented hand-picked soloists and an administration which delivers an exemplary front of house and much of what patrons never see. From the welcoming smile at the site gate, a car park within walking distance of everything, a much-admired view over some of Cotswold’s finest valleys, a remarkable conductor happy to join in the spirit of the event by wearing a gold lamé waistcoat on the first night (well the first part of the cycle is Das Rheingold!) conducting an orchestra in outstanding form. Many of these fine musicians have grown up with Anthony Negus since the early years of the century. Their individual performances were thrilling with stirring offstage horns supporting Siegfried, pinpoint accurate cor anglais playing in support of the Woodbird, exceptionally expressive bassoons greeting Siegfried’s awakening of Brünnhilde, a few of the memorable musical moments of this tetralogy. In the traditions of Bayreuth, trumpeter Stuart Essenhigh delivered a fanfare from the balcony whilst patrons grabbed mobile phones to capture the occasion.
Simple, uncomplicated sets are a very acceptable feature of Longborough’s stagings; none more so than those of Rhiannon Newman Brown throughout this cycle starting with a semicircle for Das Rheingold, developing into a series of steps on both sides of the limited stage to allow the maximum movement of artists, something particularly helpful in the last act of Götterdämmerung with the arrival of the shooting party claiming Siegfried has been injured by a wild boar. These disciplined artists comprised Longborough’s Community Chorus and selected members from the Ring cycle covers roster of whom only one was required to perform during this complete cycle.
Director Amy Lane, blessed with a consistently talented cast and members of a production team who have worked wonders on the development of Longborough’s Ring since 2019, delivers a remarkably assured Die Walküre, clearly happy with some minor changes to her semi-staged direction in 2021. Her efforts are given a boost throughout the cycle by the lighting plot designed by Charlie Morgan Jones. Dazzling use of floods to produce warmth, yet sometimes blinding light, he utilises spotlighting whenever possible as the customary method to highlight dramatic moments. Goodness knows how complex it all was on paper; quite an achievement and memorable for the red glow throughout the auditorium as the logs of Siegfried’s funeral pyre burn to ashes at the final bars of Götterdämmerung.
To complement Rhiannon Newman Brown’s delightfully simple sets, Emma Ryott produces stunning costumes. Add to this Tim Baxter’s clever, non-intrusive video installations, updating many of the American contemporary video artist Bill Viola’s image technology and there is the makings of a most attractive visual spectacle. This is effective, especially when the waters of the Rhine and their contents command the attention of delightfully dressed Rhinemaidens. Das Rheingold forms the Prologue to the trilogy proper. Its prelude is perhaps the most original of all Wagner preludes. No less than 136 consecutive bars are based on pedal-point. Starting with a single E-flat sounded in the bottommost depths of the orchestra, Anthony Negus manages to control the undulating theme as it gradually swells louder and louder as the Rhinemaidens amuse themselves in the waters with Alberich, (Mark Stone), a dwarf and the chief of the Nibelungs. His clumsy advances are unusually accepted until such time as he recognises the importance of claiming the gold which will enable him to become ruler of the world. All three Rhinemaidens Mari Wyn Williams, Rebecca Afonwy-Jones and Katie Stevenson not only look the part, are capable of being naughty, and sing well together. Their casting is a fine example of the careful recruitment process evident throughout the cycle.
Longborough’s demanding rehearsal plans denied Welsh National Opera’s Death in Venice the services of Mark Le Brocq in Birmingham, in the leading role as Gustav von Aschenbach. How good to hear him at Longborough as Loge, a role which gives him the opportunity to use his compelling tenor voice and acting abilities whilst working with Wotan (Paul Carey Jones) to take the gold from Alberich by force, if necessary. Carey Jones provides the most commanding of performances where his skills fit the demands of the Wotan appropriately. Making a most accomplished debut this year is the young soprano Eleanor Dennis as Freia held ransom by the giants. Mae Heydorn’s Erda issues a stern warning to Wotan to give up the ring for fear of impending doom to him and all his race. Those giants Fasolt (Paul Putnins) and Fafner (Simon Wilding) fall victim to the curse of the ring and their struggle over the Nibelung gold leaves Fasolt dead and Fafner with the ring. At the moment of the storm which follows this unnecessary killing, the heavens at Longborough opened, too. A remarkable coincidence or something much more significant! Wotan prepares to leave for Valhalla before collapsing; the music offering one of several exciting crescendo finishes for which Wagner is celebrated.
Wagner is one of the best-known composers able to express the emotional and physical effects of love in both a subtle, yet thrilling manner. Die Walküre (a further review here) is essentially an act of love between Siegmund and Sieglinde who are Wotan’s twins. It is clear a marital collapse has befallen Sieglinde (Emma Bell) in the relationship with husband, Hunding (Julian Close), before the dishevelled, exhausted Siegmund (Mark Le Brocq) arrives at the rudely furnished hut. They catch each other’s eyes and love develops quickly, only to be interrupted by the entrance of Hunding in one of his more difficult moods. Close is fearsome in his role, as he will be later as Hagen. Bell is outstanding, her voice blooms in a delightfully accomplished performance of the extended love scene which can last up to an hour.
Fricka, Wotan’s wife (Madeleine Shaw) holds the moral high ground using this to admonish Wotan for the incestuous behaviour of the twins; she is the determined, unyielding type who does not accept ‘no for an answer’, her truly pleasing singing a highlight of the act. In order to avoid conflict Wotan invites Brünnhilde, his favourite daughter, who occupies a special position among the spirited octet of Valkyries, to take action against Siegmund; Brünnhilde, however, throws her weight behind Siegmund in his fight with Hunding. As a result, Brünnhilde is banished from Valhalla, where the visual effects of fire were skilfully displayed; the amazing musicians responding with an enormously powerful conclusion.
Brünnhilde decides to remove Sieglinde from the scene of the dispute between Hunding and Siegmund; her move to the forest to give birth to Siegfried (Bradley Daley) ends with her sad death with Mime (Adrian Dwyer) taking responsibility for raising the young man. Dwyer depicts Mime as the reprehensible individual he is and reveals the strained relationship he has with Siegfried. Paul Carey Jones, now in the guise as the Wanderer, is a commanding individual. He is keen for his grandson to grow up to be less brash and childish – at one point Siegfried lies on his stomach kicking his feet in the air – because the Wanderer predicts he will win the ring from Fafner (Simon Wilding). When left alone in front of the Fafner’s cave the orchestra created the Forest Murmurs music, with strong imagery of Das Rheingold and the arrival of a voice in birdsong, the Woodbird (Fflur Wyn) dressed in tails with striking eyelashes, the most charming few moments during which Siegfried learns of a beautiful woman lying asleep, surrounded by fire. He follows the bird in the search for a bride.
Paul Carey Jones survives a test of his stamina as he sings at the height of his powers, a dominant performance by a tortured Wanderer, soon to be ended when Siegfried smashes his spear. The gradual disappearance of the Wanderer from the scene is one of the striking features of the work; the tragedy arising from his fatal greed. His command of the German language could not be faulted; Bradley Daley’s Australian heritage ensures there is hint of ‘twang’ in his interpretations. Both artists deserve the highest praise. Our young, less brash, hero finds the sleeping Brünnhilde (Lee Bisset) with Anthony Negus leading the love duet music, a gentle rocking rhythm in the key of E major, the key associated with nature in the cycle. Bisset is fondly remembered at Longborough for her performances as Isolde; in this cycle she acts dramatically but the voice can be a little uneven at times and shrill.
Wagner’s prologue for the beginning of Götterdämmerung introduces the three Norns, (Mae Heydorn, Harriet Williams and Katie Lowe), daughters of Earth Goddess Erda. Weaving the rope of destiny and discussing events of the world suddenly ceases as the rope becomes snagged. Heydorn’s First Norn is the pick of the three. Conflicts involving Alberich (Mark Stone) and his son, the evil Hagen (Julian Close), surface. Close has had a long association with Longborough – he sang Commendatore in Don Giovanni in 2006 – and has an immense stage presence, his strong bass voice a fine casting success. Hagen’s evil plans include persuading Gutrune (Laure Meloy) to give Daley’s Siegfried a spiked drink, in an attempt to force marriages between Gutrune with Siegfried and Gunther (Benedict Nelson) with Bisset’s Brünnhilde in his determination to obtain the ring now held by Brünnhilde who fiercely resists Hagen’s interference. Wotan, whose book of advice has been closely followed until now, is now unable to influence events; he insists his ravens bring him news of the fate of the ring; on this occasion the Longborough auditorium had a couple of bats who flew round and about as substitutes for those ravens!
By this point, the cycle is nearly complete with questions finally receiving answers. During a hunt Siegfried is killed having been given the antidote to Hagen’s drugged drink. In vain, he tries to snatch the ring but finally the Rhinemaidens retrieve it and in so doing drag him down to the depths of the river. Valhalla is consumed in flames and this, the grandest example in all Wagner of redemption through a woman’s heroic love ends but not before the Longborough Festival Orchestra have played their hearts out with great enthusiasm and energy, the infinite number of leitmotifs a lasting memory of their efforts. Twelve performances within a three-week period is a big ask and there were still two more performance of Die Walküre to come!
Clive Peacock
Featured Image: 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 Close
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 Close
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
Production:
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
Artistic Advisor – Isabel Murphy
Chorus master – Julian Harris