Der Ring Des Nibelungen (The Ring Cycle): Wagner's Epic
by Brian J. Hay
Traditionalists won't like this thought, but it seems any "setting" for a staging of the Ring Cycle is secondary to the point of the drama, even if Wagner himself specified otherwise. His musical odyssey about the mighty trapped by their own devices and the devastating effect it has on everything around them has always been relevant. Wotan's tale of being trapped by contracts could be easily be the story of the dilemma faced by any world leader. The idea that Patrice Chéreau's staging lent an anti-capitalist spin to the cycle doesn't hold up. That was always part of the story. Capitalism is just one of many names for systematic greed that leads to rulers and societies destroying themselves from within. Those themes permeate the text of the Ring and are well served by any staging that tells the story well.
Boulez' interpretation is very light but it serves the music well. That's not to say the thunder is gone; it's not. If anything the thunder seems louder. Wagner's scores are alive with subtle nuances of expression. The brisk tempo Boulez used makes those subtleties sparkle, a touch which gives more radiance to the piece as a whole. Because of that those infamous "dull quarter hours" are fewer and farther between.
It (apparently) wasn't his intent but Wagner established the formula Hollywood uses for leaving stories open ended enough to produce sequels. Ring I (Das Rheingold) closes with the major players fighting over the money. There are a few illegitimate kids running around to throw wrenches in the works too. Ring II outstrips the first episode and gets a glorious title. Die Walküre recaps the first production, ties up loose threads and creates new ones for a new chapter. Son of Siegmund (Siegfried) carries out all the standard sequel chores and proves that incest produces morons. Gwyneth Jones reminds viewers that aging beauties don't always look great in the morning. (Jones is splendid so don't take that comment too seriously.) The piece ends on a happy note but with enough loose ends for another four hours. Ring IV: The Final Chapter (Götterdämmerung) ties up those threads without creating news ones and ends in a blaze of glory. It also teaches the lesson Hollywood didn't learn; get out while you're on top. There's a share of absurdities in there and anyone staging this has to has to work around these things. That means doing an effective enough job of it to suspend the viewers' belief for a while. That's no small task. Chéreau's staging won't be perfect for anybody. No staging could be with a work of this scope. His vision is very effective though. The costuming leans toward the nineteenth century but is in a state of decay. With a few exceptions the suits, though of fine quality, look as if they haven't been pressed, cleaned or mended since about the time of ancient Egypt. Much of the set is cast in the same mould. The home of the Rhine Maidens is a sewer. Valhalla is crumbling and Hagen's people look like concentration camp victims. But that's fine. That decay is the price of greed, and the Ring is about greed and it's consequences.
The cast is fabulous. There are too many to name all of them but a few warrant mention. Not enough can be said about Donald McIntyre in the role of Wotan. The character has to be proud, sympathetic, just and unjust all at once. McIntyre brings this off well. His rage is fearsome yet his love for his errant child melts the heart. Manfred Jung captures all there is of Siegfried. He's especially good portraying the true nature of Siegfried's bravery—he's too dumb to be afraid. Fritz Hübner is as loathsome a Hagen as there could ever be. The slime is just about oozing out of him. Peter Hofmann and Jeanine Altmeyer are wonderful as the twins. The passion in their singing makes their situation a sympathetic one despite the crime of their union. Heinz Zednik steals the scene wherever he appears, be it as Loge or Mime. As Mime he's hilarious. This man could probably have an alternate career in film. He developed a set of mannerisms for "Mime" and maintains them consistently throughout his time on stage. As well, he has great comic timing. That's something that can't be taught. Then there's the lady who (to my mind) dominates this production. It's true that Gwyneth Jones wasn't young when this was filmed and there are times when harsh lighting displays it. Still, age or no, she is a beautiful lady. And she can act and she can sing. Can she ever sing! She combines control with unbridled passion in a way most can only dream about. In the end it's hard to imagine a better Brünnhilde. She is magnificent!
Picture quality is good. For television it was the best of it's time and it holds up well. The sound is even better. The old analog recordings weren't as clean but they have a more lifelike sound than digital recordings. That's particularly noticeable with the brass and the bass instruments from the string sections. The re-mastering of this edition serves those qualities well.
As far as I know the set is no longer available as a whole. Used copies are however. All of them, especially Die Walküre and Gøtterdämmerung, are well worth having.
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Dame Gwyneth Jones:
A Magnificent Brünhilde
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