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New Moon is nothing if not an international advertisement for the hungry virtues of virginity and young people can’t get enough of it
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
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A smart, prickly and rewarding view of sexual and emotional confusion
Cock
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Kitchen W8
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London,
Barry Millington's rating
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Dir: Keith Warner.
Cast: The Royal Opera, John Tomlinson (Wotan), Sarah Castle (Flosshilde), Peter Sidhom (Alberich), Antonio Pappano (cond)
Description: Keith Warner directs the first instalment of Wagner's epic Ring Cycle, with John Tomlinson as Wotan, Sarah Castle as Flosshilde and Peter Sidhom as Alberich. Antonio Pappano takes the baton. Sung in German with English surtitles.
Not even Wagner, when he realised the seemingly impossible ambition of mounting his four huge Ring operas at Bayreuth in 1876, managed to stage them on consecutive nights.
But that is the unique selling point of the Mariinsky Opera Ring in London now for the first time, after touring America, Asia and Europe, since its initial outing in St Petersburg in 2003.
Judging by the frantic rush for tickets when the production was new, there are many for whom the experience of seeing the operas on consecutive nights is important.
The strain on the singers is such, however, that it can only be done with multiple casting: two or even three Wotans, Siegfrieds and Brünnhildes, for example.
That way, one can no longer identify with particular individuals in the roles but this is how the Mariinsky work — a provisional cast-list was released as late as a week ago.
The major flaw of the Mariinsky Ring last time around — even by 2006 in Cardiff — was the lack of any real directorial concept, any supervising dramatic intelligence, or even basic acting skills. This time a director, Alexander Zeldin, has been brought in, but to little advantage.
Oleg Balashov’s (incisively sung) preening, prancing Loge has been watching too many Michael Jackson videos. The capture of Alberich in toad form is inept, while Fasolt’s murder by Fafner is unintentionally comical.
Sven Ortel’s video projections (new this time) for the gold in the Rhine and big moments such as Alberich’s curse and Donner’s storm invocation are modestly effective.
The “original concept”, attributed to George Tsypin and Gergiev himself, consists of four monumental statue-like figures, apparently inspired by the sagas of the Narts — legendary Caucasian heroes — lying horizontally but periodically raised and lowered. Four vertical totem-like pods counterbalance them.
The whole ensemble is lit, by Gleb Filshtinsky, in rather garish purples, oranges and yellow — sometimes arrestingly so — though colour bleeds on to the faces and costumes of characters, whose figures are often partly cast in shadow.
The vibrancy of the mise-en-scène is of a piece, it must be said, with Gergiev’s conducting, which eschews orthodox notions of blend, seamlessless and natural flow for something more urgent and impulsive, with spotlit orchestral detail that in the case of the brass verges on vulgarity.
Vocally there were a number of impressive performances including those of Evgeny Nikitin as a commanding Wotan, Larisa Diadkova as a potentially formidable Fricka and especially Nikolai Putilin as a powerful and resourceful Alberich.
Tonight: Die Walküre; cycle ends Saturday. Information: 020 7304 4000, www.roh.org.uk
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
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We travelled from Aberdeeon to London ROH to see the complete Ring. This is the 9th complete Ring we have seen,including the present Bayreuth production (2008) and the new Vienna State opera (2009) one; and in our opinon the best. Musically excellent, uncluttered staging. The Amsterdam Ring was very cluttered, the Cologne Ring was too modern, the Paris Ring was very good despite no props/staging, but Mariinski was brilliant. It was a treat to see the period costumes. I can not understand many of the criticisms - obviously the critic has not seen a variety of Rings!! We would see this Ring again given the opportunity.
- Sheila Duthie, Aberdeen, UK
".... the lack of any real directorial concept.." Three cheers for that. After the grotesque Regietheater that has dominated so much of European opera for too long, I for one, was delighted that Wagner's concept came through. I don't think that we need extra layers of power stations and washrooms to "explain" what his concepts.
- Seano'Byrne, Droitwich UK
